Sickness has become an epidemic that profusely affects our community today, and not just in terms of COVID-19. It now becomes the time of year where everyone is overworked, tired, and worn down, and thus has a higher probability of getting sick. Every time you turn around somebody else is falling ill. Someone becomes sick with a cold, sick with the flu, sick with cancer, sick with diabetes, sick with heart disease, sick with blood conditions, and so on… However, the way society treats or cures sickness is fundamentally broken as a whole. Our Healthcare system functions as a reactor to the sickness. It takes care of the 
symptoms causing us pain, by pumping up its patients with a plethora of drugs and antibiotics. But many times, this treatment does not affect the disease itself or its underlying causes. In short, it does not get to the ROOT of the problem, but instead camouflages the true illness underneath. The illness then continues to fester until new symptoms arrive, and we start the process all over again.
We take the camouflage approach to many illnesses our lives, and especially with what I call our “Spiritual Wellness”. Many people camouflage their symptoms with the institution of Church, and this ultimately hinders our connection with God. You know these people; they seem to be quite religious on the outside, but deny the power of God in their daily lives. They camouflage their sickness by looking sharp on Sunday morning with our fine shoes and hats, are the first ones to yell praise in a church setting, and also are the first to judge or condemn others for not following the ways of the Bible. Yet if you go deep underneath, you will discover that there is a serious problem, a sickness one might say. No matter how much you try to dress it up, cover it up, or master the art of shouting and looking like you have it together, the body begins to leak out symptoms that provide evidence of a serious, underlying condition. Many display symptoms of anger, moodiness, irritability, and down right hatefulness. Condemnation and Judgments are not assets; they are SYMPTOMS camouflaged under the guise of Church. And with the advances of social media, we see these symptoms proliferate into everyday society.
But how do we recover as humans, as a society, as a CHURCH? How do we truly cure the sickness and not just “treat the symptoms”? The Road to Recovery is to first admit that there is sickness, whether it is in your own biases, or in society as a whole. You may know that something is wrong in your life, but until you are ready to admit that you have a problem, the symptoms of anger, impulsiveness, and unhappiness will only get worse, and ultimately consume you. Awareness is the first step towards spiritual growth; self-examination and prayer helps you get to the root of the sickness. Yet during this process you may realize you don’t have what it takes to fix it on your own. That is OK! God has not designed any of us with the level of expertise to fix ourselves (or all of society). Part of recovery is having the wisdom to go to someone else who had the knowledge to discover its cause, whether it is a doctor, a friend, or GOD himself. Finally, one must have the desire towards treating and ultimately fixing the sickness within yourself. There is no point is trying to change society or other people, as guilt-ing and shaming is another symptom of sickness. Begin to cure the sickness and increase your “Spiritual Wellness” by doing good. Do good actions, and be a positive, loving, and compassionate influence to those around you. Others will see your example, and be enlightened to do the same.
Our recovery is right around the corner. Sometimes recovery may involve pain, but today I can admit that there is a problem and I’m turning it over to the Problem Solver. Jesus didn’t die so that you could remain sick. He didn’t die so that you could remain stagnant. He didn’t die so that you could remain mean and cold or bitter for years. He didn’t die so you would remain hateful, remain a liar, remain abused and broken, or so that you will feel hopeless. He died so that you could have liberty. He died so that you could have deliverance. He died so that you could have joy, so that you could have peace. He died so that he you could love others, forgive others, embrace others. He died so that YOU might be healed. So I refuse to allow sickness to dictate my life. I refuse to enter the stairway to heaven because I failed to admit that there was sickness and didn’t seek recovery. I will do what I can to heal the sickness within myself, and provide a beacon of Goodness, Truth, and Love for those around me. The rest I leave up to Him…