The last few weeks I have been sick. It is winter here and the mornings and evenings have been bitterly cold with temps going up to 22 in the middle of the day. Colds have been going around and I fell victim to its claws. It wasn’t a big deal, or at least it shouldn’t have been – couple days in bed resting and then I would have been right as rain. Just one problem though – I am terrible at resting.
I spent Monday in bed and I got so worried about all the things on my to do list. On Tuesday I felt a bit better so I got up and did stuff – lots of stuff. Next day I was back in bed and had to ask Colin to come home from work early to help me. Because I rested on Wednesday I got up and attacked my to do list with a vengeance on Thursday and spent Friday in bed. By the weekend the cold I should have been over had gone to my chest and I was struggling to lie down and sleep. Monday I was in bed again and only got out to make a trip to the pharmacy to get antibiotics. Three days later and I was all better again.
I know many people who do the same thing as me – push through even though they aren’t feeling quite right. We ignore those subtle signs of the beginning of an illness and only admit we are sick when we are really really ill. Invariably we get sicker than we would had we just paid attention in the beginning. The funny thing is that I recognize it in Colin and I always tell him to rest early; to kick it before it has chance to take hold and usually I am right. I just don’t take my own advice when it comes to my health.
The sad part, is how often this is true of spiritual health as well as physical health. We ignore the warning signs of not really wanting to go to church; thought patterns that we shouldn’t be having; words we shouldn’t listen to or say. We see the subtle signs of spiritual sickness and we push through. Too busy to have quiet times; too busy with ministry and serving and giving – we don’t have time to step back and renew our minds, to meditate on the Word, to draw near to God. We keep pretending we are healthy and well and the sin takes root and starts to sprout; it gets wound up so deeply in us because we have not taken proper measures to get rid of it. Then one day we are shocked when we see how truly ill we are, how far we are from being healthy and whole. It takes time and effort and the right medication to restore us to rights.
Winter is upon the western church and viruses such as apathy, assimilation and disunity are going around. Take measures to prevent yourself from getting sick – daily read the Word, pray, take part in the fellowship of the Church. If you see the beginnings of sickness, take the time you need to rest, draw near to God and scourge the sin before it takes root. If you see that you have it too long and you are now really ill – get the right help. Go to pastors and friends, invest the time and effort into restoring your health; it is the most precious thing you have.
May you all stay hale and healthy this week!