We’ve been looking at the story of Jesus healing the lame man who was waiting by the pool in John 5. Before we get into Jesus’ defense of the Pharisees’ attack on Him, there’s one more principle I think is interesting.

John 5:9-14

9 Immediately the man became well, and picked up his pallet and began to walk.

Now it was the Sabbath on that day.

10 So the Jews were saying to the man who was cured, "It is the Sabbath, and it is not permissible for you to carry your pallet."

11 But he answered them, "He who made me well was the one who said to me, "Pick up your pallet and walk.'"

12 They asked him, "Who is the man who said to you, "Pick up your pallet and walk'?"

13 But the man who was healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had slipped away while there was a crowd in that place.

14 Afterward Jesus found him in the temple and said to him, "Behold, you have become well; do not sin anymore, so that nothing worse happens to you."

What was Jesus saying to this man? It appears that He was saying telling the man that he was sick because of his sin! Do you think that God will make you sick because of sin? I believe He will! Therefore, the first order of business for us when we become sick should be to examine our lives for any unconfessed sin that we may be living in.

Paul speaks about this same issue of self-evaluation when he talks about communion:

1 Corinthians 11:27-31

27 Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner, shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord.

28 But a man must examine himself, and in so doing he is to eat of the bread and drink of the cup.

29 For he who eats and drinks, eats and drinks judgment to himself if he does not judge the body rightly.

30 For this reason many among you are weak and sick, and a number sleep. (Not like a nap, but DEAD!)

31 But if we judged ourselves rightly, we would not be judged.

There are other commands in the Bible for self-examination:

Haggai 1:7

7 Thus says the LORD of hosts, "Consider your ways!

2 Corinthians 13:5a

5 Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves!

Certainly this does not mean that any time you are sick, it is God trying to get your attention regarding a sin you have committed. So we certainly can’t look at sick people and think that they are suffering because of a sin. There are many reasons for sickness, and sometimes it is actually a blessing from God. But if you are sick, the first thing you should do is a little self-evaluation. Is God trying to get my attention? Am I failing to do something that He has revealed to me that I should do? Have I been ignoring God? If you are sick, ask God to reveal to you any sin or failure you may have in your spiritual life:

Psalms 139:23-24

23 Search me, O God, and know my heart;

Try me and know my anxious thoughts;

24 And see if there be any hurtful way in me,

And lead me in the everlasting way.

This doesn’t mean that when you get sick, you should worry the entire time about whether it’s God trying to get your attention or not. The beauty of the plan of God is that the moment you turn back to God and confess that sin, it’s forgiven, along with the ones you don’t even know about!

Psalms 19:12

12 Who can discern his errors? Acquit me of hidden faults.

I love this verse in Psalms:

Psalms 26:2

2 Examine me, O LORD, and try me;

Test my mind and my heart.

Part of our continuing prayer life should be this request. We always want God to be checking on us, being sure that we are moving forward in His plan.