Is God Glorified in Sickness or Tragedy?
There is a disturbing mindset in parts of the today’s church—one that came to a head in the wake of Hurricane Katrina and other recent natural disasters. Many Christians believe that God either causes or allows sickness and for tragedy to occur so that He may glorified as a result. In fact, some Christians will refer to these things as "blessings" from God because He we able to accomplish some good from it. Unfortunately, this philosophy causes people to submit to and/or give feeble resistance to sickness or hardship thinking that God is trying to work some "greater good" either in you to develop character or in someone else to perhaps draw them closer to Himself or even to keep them close to Him. While God desires to work all things for the good of them who love Him and are the called working to His purpose, this does not mean that God causes or even allows (doing nothing to prevent) these things to occur. Moreover, the Bible teaches that sickness and hardship/tragedy are never blessings from God – but are curses. And because God may be glorified in and because of them (because of the fact that He is able to turn things to good) this does not mean that we should submit and even embrace these things in an attempt to glorify God.
Romans 3:5-7 says that our unrighteousness (or failures) actually reveals the righteousness and greatness of God; and that the truth of God becomes more abundant through our lie to His glory. Paul asked this question; If these things are so, then why am I still judged to be wrong? Is God wrong to take vengeance upon me for doing something that actually brings glory to God? God forbid!
Since grace abounds where sin abounds, should we just continue to live in sin so that grace may abound and give glory to God? God forbid! (Romans 6:1)
IN either case – whether in sin or grace – God can be glorified. However, the Bible teaches that we are dead not only to sin but to the rudiments of this world (Colossians 2:20), having been delivered from this present evil world (Galatians 1:4), having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust (2 Peter 1:4).
Justifying sickness or tragedy as a method to see God's glory is the same as justifying sin for God's glory. God forbid!
In the same way we should understand our death to sin, we should know our death to sickness and all the curses. We have been redeemed from the curse by Jesus Christ, Him having been made a curse for us, that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles through faith and that we would receive the promise of the Spirit. (Galatians 4:13-14)
For example, many Christians say that Hurricane Katrina was used by God to bring glory to Himself through all the good that has come from it: through all the giving and assistance in rebuilding, etc. This would be similar to what occurred out west with the wildfires. Someone actually set those fires so that they could be a hero and come to the rescue of others through it. I believe the government puts people like that in jail.
God's purpose for doing things isn't to pad His weak ego – or to bring Himself glory. He neither needs nor desires to be stroked like we do because He is God all by Himself. Rather God does these things because He loves us; He reveals Himself because He knows that He can help us – not destroy us. Jesus came to give us life and to give it more abundantly. (John 10:10)
God is love and according to Scripture, love does not seek its own; nor does it exalt itself. Rather, love seeks to esteem others greater than himself. (1 Corinthians 13)
If we use the model of God using tragedy and/or sickness for the glory of God (as is wrongly understood in the case of Lazarus-John 11) then we must also accept the results of this glory, which was complete restoration, and healing. If Lazarus was sick and died for God's glory, then certainly the glory was in him being raised from the dead. If the blind man in John 9 was made blind by God so that the works of God could be done in him, then the glory of God was through his healing.
In every case, God's power brought complete victory over the problem – not some abstract benefit of character development or patience – Jesus never told anyone that their sickness would make their characters stronger or give them patience, or make them humble. No – it was through healing that God's Spirit could reveal His goodness that leads a man to repentance and keeps Him close to God. It's God's goodness that does these things – not tragedy.
Therefore, if a person is standing upon the incorrect philosophy that God made or allowed them to be sick, or allowed their child to be born retarded – all for His glory – then they must also stand upon the truth that in every case God brought complete physical healing to these people – in this world – instantly and not over a period of time. Let us get back to the word of God and let it determine the way we think. Amen.
