Facing a sickness is scary. It’s important to lean on your faith in difficult times to reduce anxiety, help you stay calmful and keep you hopeful throughout this journey.
Relying on faith in the midst of illness can be tricky, especially when things aren’t going well. It’s alright to struggle but know there is a way to strengthen your faith for the day ahead. Here are five tips to help.
1. Pray
This will seem like a no-brainer to some and a long shot to others, but prayer is a powerful tool to get you through a hard time. God loves you and hears your prayers, remaining with you through whatever challenges you face.
There’s a component of trust in prayer. People often get frustrated when their prayers seem unanswered, but it is still worth praying. It is a chance to speak to your higher power which will then stand by you through phone calls, treatments and all of the uncertainty. Have faith God will give you peace and answer your prayer – even if it’s not what you expect.
You can pray anytime and anywhere, from your home, store, waiting room or hospital bed. You don’t have to close your eyes and bow to get through the veil. Your Creator knows your heart and mind and will listen to your thoughts and concerns throughout your diagnosis and treatment.
As Hebrews says, “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”
Don’t hesitate to ask your church or community for prayer as well. We are not meant to walk alone; some people will want to support us with prayer. However, many won’t know to pray unless you ask them. There is power in the prayers of a multitude, and many are happy to give you some extra spiritual love and pray for your healing and well-being.
If you’re struggling with praying while sick, consider something like this prayer from an anonymous author: “Holy Spirit, drive away from me all forms of sickness and disease. Restore strength to my body and joy to my spirit so that in my renewed health, I may bless and serve you, now and forevermore.”
2. Talk to Someone
Facing a health issue is scary and can isolate people from their families and friends. This often happens because they are embarrassed about the illness, don’t want a lot of attention or don’t want to worry them.
Maintaining a social life is an important part of healing. Having someone who can make you smile on a rough day is an invaluable gift you shouldn’t take for granted. Speak to someone you trust about your concerns and fears. Pray together and listen with an open heart to whatever spiritual guidance they offer.
Sometimes, you just need someone to listen without judgment and you can often find that in a trusted therapist or spiritual leader. Speaking to someone with experience and guidance can help you reframe your mindset into something more positive and fulfilling.
It’s always good to find people who can lend a listening ear whenever you feel anxious or need a friend. Don’t hesitate to call a loved one when you experience negative emotions, as airing them out can help you get into a better mental state. If you begin feeling guilty, consider how you would want to help someone in your shoes and search for that from other people.
As 1 Thessalonians says, “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” Let people build you up to keep your faith and hope strong during difficult times.
3. Be Mindful
Mindfulness is a skill that can help you focus on dealing with what’s happening now and not stressing about what might happen in the future.
Often with illness, we naturally wonder what the future will look like. It’s hard not to imagine the worst-case-scenario. If you find yourself wandering into negative what-ifs, give mindfulness a try.
There are many ways to live in the moment, focusing on healing your body and caring for yourself right now, without worrying about the future. There are many ways to help you stay mindful, including:
- Do daily activities, like cleaning and eating, slowly with focus on each action.
- Meditate to clear your mind of the clutter it’s struggling to organize.
- Practice deep breathing to center yourself in moments of worry or panic.
- Use a grounding technique to relieve anxiety or help you focus on your current state of being.
- Release your thoughts and feelings into a journal to free up mental space and be more present.
These are just some of the ways to practice mindfulness and it might take some time to realize what mindfulness techniques work best for you. Living in the moment can help you enjoy the little things in life, worry less and feel present in your time with family and friends.
It’s hard but if you find yourself overcome with worry, remember what Jesus asked His disciples in Matthew, “Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?”
4. Read Success Stories
There’s hope out there. Sometimes, you just have to find it.
We all know illness can end badly, but it also could end with tremendous joy and recovery. As Jesus said in Matthew, “With God, all things are possible.”
Miracles happen every day, but you might not know about them. Another thing the internet is good for is people who share their stories. Find posts from people who healed from your illness and are now thriving.
New innovations are providing hope every day. For example, the FISH cancer diagnosis test can identify genes that can tell doctors how to best treat you.
Sharing the good news of recovery can encourage you to keep going and provide hope that you can do it too.
Many survivors share their stories through blog posts or videos. For treatments, the Centers for Disease Control often documents success stories for chronic diseases, paving the way for you to discover new treatments and methods of healing.
5. Join a Group
While speaking to loved ones and trusted professionals about your illness is good for you, they won’t fully understand what you’re going through unless they also lived it.
The good news is that the internet can connect people all over the world in different groups and websites and you’ll like find one if not thousands of people going through the same or a similar illness. It’s a way to care for and ecourage complete strangers.
There’s power in knowing that you’re not alone during the struggle. Groups often discuss different treatments they tried, questions to bring up with your doctor, side effects they’re experiencing and their struggle with diagnosis. If you find the right people, this communication is a valuable tool for fighting onward when things feel bleak.
These communities are also great ways to support research into various illnesses to find or improve cures for them. There is strength in numbers. Sometimes, God helps you find the right people at the right time for your good.
Who knows? You might have valuable information that can help someone else in the group. As Hebrews says, “Don’t forget to do good and to share what you have because God is pleased with these kinds of sacrifices.”
Lean on Your Faith Through Sickness
Keeping your faith through illness seems daunting, especially if you have a long treatment plan ahead or a bleak prognosis.
By trusting in God and leaning on the support and success of others, you can find peace of mind. You can live in a better mental state moving forward.
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