How to minister to someone with chronic illness

1. Listen, listen, listen. “Don’t talk much,” says Philip Yancey. “Job’s friends sat in silence with him for seven days. But as soon as they opened their mouths, that’s when the trouble started.” And allow them to air their sorrow. “It’s possible to both lament and question in a faithful context,” says Michael Emlet [of CCEF]. “It can be liberating for them to know that they don’t have to suffer in silence before God.”
2. Be physically present. It means so much for you to take the time to visit. Your presence is enormously comforting.
3. Commit to the long haul. Don’t let the sufferer fall off your radar screen after their initial diagnosis. Sustained care demonstrates your commitment to a person with a chronic disease.
4. Find ways to laugh. Friends who love best draw us out of our suffering and help us to see the big picture. Encourage those who are ill to focus on other things, and to laugh. The church needs to show that there can be joy in the midst of tears.
5. Pray beyond healing. It’s important to pray for healing, but it’s also important to pray for endurance, faith, and growth. It’s also helpful to get elders involved in praying for those who suffer–they’re our shepherds.
6. Consider starting a support group at your church. “We’ve seen much comfort and emotional healing for chronic illness sufferers through our church’s pain support group,” said one leader. “There’s hope in seeing how God is helping others going through similar struggles.”

Copyright 2008, all rights reserved, byFaith magazine. This article first appeared in the February 2008 issue of byFaith and is reprinted by permission.