It's personal

I am, by nature, a very private person. I have lots of thoughts that I don't share with my bloggy friends--mostly, because I believe that everybody is entitled to their own opinion no matter how stupid it is and I don't feel the need to persuade them to my way of thinking if I don't agree.

That being said, I feel that I am a very spiritual person. In traditional ways, not the new age crap stuff that seems to be everywhere you turn these days. I believe the Bible. Literally. I have studied the Bible and I believe I have insights that I can share along the way when necessary.

The one thing that I feel moved to share at the moment is my opinion or interpretation or whatever you want to call it (to which I am entitled and will gladly discuss but not argue about) is about diseases. I don't think disease is a punishment for sins. I think it's a result of sin, but it's something that we are not left alone to deal with. Consider the following....

When Adam and Eve were in the Garden of Eden, there was no sin (fyi,they didn't eat meat, either, but that's another discussion) and their bodies were healthy. It wasn't until they got kicked out of the Garden that disease showed up. Therefore, it is my conclusion that disease is just something we have to deal with on this earth because of the sinful nature of all humanity.  But, wait. There's more.

I believe that, through Jesus, we can have the powers that He had over disease because the Bible says so (it's that literal thing). Now, I also believe that most of don't have enough faith to overcome disease and death, but I truly think it's possible. And I think some of us humans do take this power and use it against disease, if only on occasion.

When disease (or any emotional trauma) strikes us or our loved ones, we usually get focused on the negative and go through a whole spectrum of emotions. That's normal. That's human. But, it's sad how people waste so much time trying to blame God (or their version of the 'Higher Power') when they should be grateful for the good times that they had with the loved one. God can give grace and peace and the ability to not withdraw because of hurt. But we have to ask Him for help.

Bad stuff happens. But it's how we choose to deal with it that makes it harder or easier for the one that it has happened to.