Terminal illness exists because sin exists (Genesis 3), yet not all illnesses are a consequence of our personal actions. Some experience illness simply as a result of living in a fallen, broken world. But God can use our pain and trials for good purposes, as exemplified with the man born blind in John 9:1–7. Even if we played a role in our illness, forgiveness is available to us through Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21). As believers in Jesus Christ, God is our security (Psalm 46:1–3), and He cares for us and understands grief (1 Peter 5:7; John 11:1–44). Even in Jesus’ last moments before being delivered to suffer the most painful death in existence, He prayed for the will of His Father to be done over His own (Matthew 6:9–13; 26:42).
Even so, we can ask God to heal us if it is within His will, and we can allow other believers to join us in those heartfelt prayers, too—specifically elders in our church (James 5:14–18). Even if God’s answer to our prayers is not what we desired, we can trust that our pain is serving a good purpose (Romans 8:28), and what we experience does not hold weight compared to the eternity we will spend with our Heavenly Father in paradise, in which nothing will separate us from His love (2 Corinthians 4:17–18; John 10:27–28).
Grief, pain, fear — these are some of the devastating emotions that might accompany a diagnosis of a terminal illness. But it can also result in a positive paradigm shift as it puts into perspective what is really important. Such a trial is a reminder that all human beings without Christ are terminally ill and all those in Christ–even those who get a terminal diagnosis—will live eternally.
Are you a believer who has received a diagnosis that will cut short your life on Earth? Even if you think you’ve lost everything, you haven’t: You have Jesus, which nothing and no one can take from you. Give Him your cares and concerns and rest in Him (Matthew 11:28–30; Psalm 62) In the time you have left, you can make a lasting impact on someone else’s life; your illness can be an opportunity to witness to others about God, as unbelievers who interact with the terminally ill are often keenly aware of mortality. As we trust God through the progression of an illness, His light can shine through us and impact others.
Believers can also take comfort in knowing that a better future awaits. When we pass on from this life and enter into eternity with Jesus, we will receive a new body, completely free of disease and decay (1 Corinthians 15:20–23, 35–49; Revelation 21:4). Jesus encouraged us with this: "… in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world" (John 16:33).
While it is good to ask God for healing, to seek medical treatment, and to promote research about our specific ailment so that others won't have to endure it, our overarching prayer is to be, “Lord, your will be done” as Jesus exemplified in the Garden of Gethsemane preceding His departure from this world (Matthew 6:9–13; 26:42). If you are unsure about your relationship with God through Christ, check out the articles: "What is salvation?" and "How can I be saved?". An eternity with Christ is a future more beautiful and filled with hope than any healthy, long life we can live on earth.
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