Lessons from the Hospital Bed

The last two months have been a great health challenge for us as a family. All four of us have struggled with one thing or the other. Our daughter Tionge and I were hit the hardest. I was bed ridden for a few days, and I was left weak and drained. Not to be out done, Tionge took it a step further and spent a few nights in the hospital. It is an understatement to say that this has been a trying time, but valuable lessons of life are often learnt in the midst of storms.

Our bodies are frail

The human body is a complex organism. Its mechanism has been the source of study for centuries, yet this complex machine is frail. It is amazing how strong and energetic bodies can be rendered weak and powerless by a bout of sickness to the point of failing to stand and walk on your own. This frailty ultimately leads to our death as our breath ultimately gives way.  It is this frailty that led Job to exclaim, “Man who is born of a woman is few of days and full of trouble. He comes out like a flower and withers; he flees like a shadow and continues not.” (Job 14:1-2)

We are dependent beings

The irony of human beings is their desire and attempt to be independent. In our pride we even entertain the illusion of independence but reality is that we were created to be entirely dependent on God and inter-dependent on fellow people. God created man insufficient, and God alone is the all sufficient one and in Him we are made complete. He also created us as social beings. No wonder we are born in families and live within a community, even the church is designed to be a family, a community of believers living together. There is a blessedness to biblical dependence on God and the community.

Sickness makes you appreciate health

Ideally, we all should be grateful for good health, but unfortunately, we take it for granted and just assume that we will wake up and go about our day without a fuss. Because we presume good health, we are rarely grateful for it. Sickness therefore, has a way of knocking us out of our comfort zone; it reminds us that sound health is not a guarantee. There is something about being bed ridden that makes you thankful even for the slightest bit of good health. 

Vulnerability gives others a chance to minister to you

 Being weak and bed ridden makes you vulnerable and in desperate need of help. Being needy is in the nature of insufficient, dependent beings. Granted a person can be abused by other people, but the truth still stands that dependency and vulnerability are a part of the package of God’s creation of man. This vulnerability gives other people a chance to minister to you as they sympathize and empathize with your situation and show kindness to you. It is self-centeredness that will cause someone to abuse this blessing, and it is pride that will cause one to pretend and appear self-sufficient.

Psalm 103 has greatly encouraged my soul through this week. Hear the words of David:

Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagles.