What Should Christians Do When There Are Sick...

[ABCthings]

I don't know if this question has been asked before,if it has please share a link to it.

Suppose I notice I'm I'll and I pray to God about it and hoping that He will. Should I keep on ignoring the symptoms even though it has been days now.

 

[BNR32FAN]

I don't know if this question has been asked before,if it has please share a link to it.

Suppose I notice I'm I'll and I pray to God about it and hoping that He will. Should I keep on ignoring the symptoms even though it has been days now.

I can’t remember exactly where I read this in the Old Testament but it really encourages me to think about it when I pray in a dire situation. The Jews prayed to God for victory against overwhelming odds of attackers marching towards them. Then as they marched out to battle they celebrated their victory before the battle was fought having complete faith that God was with them and whatever the outcome they would be victorious in the end.

 

[topher694]

It's entirely possible to do what is wise and prudent (ie go to a doctor) and stand in faith at the same time.

 

[ABCthings]

You need to seek professional help.

I once heard a story of a monk that had to live in a distant place from people, and when the monk went into a place where medical help was available and got sick, he asked God for healing but he was not healed and was told that he can seek help from the professionals since he is now in the "world".

If the solution is there, don't close your eyes to it. It is exactly as the story of the guy that was drowning. One ship came to help him, he rejected and said God will help me. A second ship came he rejected, a third ship came he rejected. The end? He drowned.

Please take care of your health so long as you can.

I've thought about this too, but I thought it would look faithless, if I worry about the symptoms after praying.

 

[topher694]

Faith is not dening the reality of your situation. Faith is choosing to speak words that give power to the solution instead of the problem.

 

[paul1149]

I don't know if this question has been asked before,if it has please share a link to it.

Suppose I notice I'm I'll and I pray to God about it and hoping that He will. Should I keep on ignoring the symptoms even though it has been days now.

The first thing I would do is go to God in prayer asking for direction. If you get a response then you test it, and if true, follow it. But if there is no response, after an appropriate season I would begin the default way of dealing with the problem - namely, seeing a practitioner.

God can heal directly and miraculously, or He can do a more therapeutic type of healing using more common human agents. We need to be open-minded and yielded as we approach Him, so we can discern how He's leading, because it might not be the same way every time. This is analogous to the Israelites consulting the Lord before battle as they took the Promised Land. Each battle was different, and the Lord directed them in unique ways each time. The times they didn't listen and acted in presumption ended in disaster.

 

[topher694]

I heard some where that faith is totally reclining on God. I think this is what has been confusing me.

Faith is a confident expectation that God will be true to His promises. That expectation then drives our words and actions. Faith is not all or nothing, we grow in it from faith to faith.

 

[paul1149]

I wish you can emphasize on how you test a response. I rarely get one and if I do it just my head making things up.

One of the big tests is if it passes the heavenly wisdom filter:

Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by right living his works done in the meekness of wisdom.
But if you have bitter zeal and selfishness in your heart, do not boast and lie against the truth.
This is not the wisdom coming down from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic.
For where bitter zeal and selfishness are, there is confusion and every evil thing.
But truly, the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial, and without hypocrisy.
And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those making peace. -Jas 3:13-18
​

Sometimes it takes time to prove the will of God.

 

[Sketcher]

I don't know if this question has been asked before,if it has please share a link to it.

Suppose I notice I'm I'll and I pray to God about it and hoping that He will. Should I keep on ignoring the symptoms even though it has been days now.

See a doctor if it's serious.

I'd even advocate seeing a doctor after a divine healing experience anyway, so that they can objectively see you as healed/healthy.

 

[Cimorene]

I don't know if this question has been asked before,if it has please share a link to it.

Suppose I notice I'm I'll and I pray to God about it and hoping that He will. Should I keep on ignoring the symptoms even though it has been days now.

I think the symptoms are God's way of getting your attn to tell you to get treatment for yourself. Don't ignore the symptoms. You have to take care of your body.

For stuff that's just identifiable as a mild sickness that will pass in a day it's fine to just stay home, rest up, pray. When it's gone on for days it's time to go to the dr.

 

[Newtheran]

I don't know if this question has been asked before,if it has please share a link to it.

Suppose I notice I'm I'll and I pray to God about it and hoping that He will. Should I keep on ignoring the symptoms even though it has been days now.

It is written, you shall not tempt the Lord thy God.

Go see a doctor.

 

[aiki]

I don't know if this question has been asked before,if it has please share a link to it.

Suppose I notice I'm I'll and I pray to God about it and hoping that He will. Should I keep on ignoring the symptoms even though it has been days now.

God has told you what to do when ill. Pray and ask Him for healing. Then go to the Elders of your church and have them anoint you with oil and pray for your healing. And then go to the doctor and see what remedies for your illness there are that God has already provided to you through modern medicine. Perhaps by the time you arrive at the doctor's office, you will be healed. Perhaps not. If not, use the medicines or medical procedures your doctor offers. It is God ultimately who has made it possible for mankind to discover medicines and create medical procedures to heal. More often than not, it will be through these medical means that God has already provided that you will find a cure for your ailments.

 

[High Fidelity]

I don't know if this question has been asked before,if it has please share a link to it.

Suppose I notice I'm I'll and I pray to God about it and hoping that He will. Should I keep on ignoring the symptoms even though it has been days now.

Seek medical attention immediately.

That should always be your first port of call.

 

[High Fidelity]

God has told you what to do when ill. Pray and ask Him for healing. Then go to the Elders of your church and have them anoint you with oil and pray for your healing. And then go to the doctor and see what remedies for your illness there are that God has already provided to you through modern medicine. Perhaps by the time you arrive at the doctor's office, you will be healed. Perhaps not. If not, use the medicines or medical procedures your doctor offers. It is God ultimately who has made it possible for mankind to discover medicines and create medical procedures to heal. More often than not, it will be through these medical means that God has already provided that you will find a cure for your ailments.

Dangerous advice.

If someone is sick then they need the help of a medical professional, not church elders.

Just as a carpenter isn't an expert on combustion engines, a church elder isn't a medical professional adequately trained and experienced to offer you the advice or treatment you need.

If you are sick, go to a doctor.

 

[Archivist]

What Should Christians Do When There Are Sick...

See a doctor.
Follow doctor's orders.
Stay in bed.
Drink plenty of fluids.

 

[bèlla]

Perhaps by the time you arrive at the doctor's office, you will be healed.

Assuming they aren’t having a heart attack, stroke, or other serious issues that require immediate attention.

 

[D.A. Wright]

The fact that God, Himself created plants which have healing properties suggests to me that it is reasonable to avail ourselves of treatment and that we should not presume upon Him to provide a bona fide miracle in all cases. I believe it is also wise to avoid the human tendency to ponder many theoreticals, as this can lead to dogmatism, which can interfere with the work of The Holy Spirit.

 

[PaulCyp1]

That makes as much sense as praying to God to take away your hunger, but not eating the food He has made available to you.

 

[Halbhh]

I don't know if this question has been asked before,if it has please share a link to it.

Suppose I notice I'm I'll and I pray to God about it and hoping that He will. Should I keep on ignoring the symptoms even though it has been days now.

Pray first, regardless of when you decide you should see a doctor. We are instructed that we can pray for aid -- it's scriptural. That doesn't mean we should never see a doctor, as other good answers have suggested, but here's the suggestion:

Pray first. If you believe, as Christ instructs about prayer in Mark chapter 11, then what He says will happen will happen, though we can't predict the precise way. I'm telling you from my own direct experience. Prayer matters. Faith matters. If a person has trouble believing though, a very good stepping stone is to pray the perfect prayer Christ Jesus said to you and me to pray, in Matthew chapter 6. We know these words of this prayer in Matthew 6 are perfectly aligned to God's will, and we can totally believe it will be given to us, just as Christ says.

It is written, you shall not tempt the Lord thy God.

Go see a doctor.

Not the same meaning. Here's why -- here's the context for that verse:

1 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”

4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. 6 “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written:

“ ‘He will command his angels concerning you,
and they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’ ”

7 Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’ ”

(KJV: 7 Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.)
-------------------

So, to test or tempt the Lord would be to intentionally dare God, such as to intentionally cast yourself off a high place for instance -- to intentionally do an act that could result in sudden death, to try to force God to save you, by your own decision, not His.

That's pretty distant to me from the question of just when to go to a doctor, and whether to pray first....

Pray first, regardless.

 

[Strong in Him]

I've thought about this too, but I thought it would look faithless, if I worry about the symptoms after praying.

You won't look faithless, because, apparently, the Lord has not said to you, "have faith and I will heal you". You said in the OP that you prayed, hoping God would heal.
God does answer prayer - but "wait" and "no" are also answers.