Chronic illness challenges, deepens faith

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This article was published 06/06/2020 (2237 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

What’s it like to be a person of faith living with a chronic illness?

That’s one of the questions explored by Allison Alexander in her new book, Super Sick: Making Peace with Chronic Illness, as society tells people they need to be healthy, productive and successful to be valuable.

The 31-year-old Winnipeg writer/editor shares about her lifelong experience of living with severe irritable bowel syndrome, writing about how chronic illness is not always well-represented in TV, movies, books, and video games — or in faith.

When it comes to the latter, Alexander has found churches can make being chronically ill both harder and easier.

“Some Christians believe that if you’re sick, it’s your fault for not having enough faith, or because of a past sin,” she said, noting there is a movement in Christianity called “prosperity theology” that teaches God wants all Christians to be wealthy and healthy.

“That is especially damaging to poor and suffering people, because it suggests if we’re not happy, healthy, and wealthy, we must not have enough faith,” she said.

On the other hand, being a member of a church — she attends the Hearth, a “geek-affirming” church in Winnipeg — has made being chronically ill easier due to those who seek to understand and support her.

These are people “who don’t just say ‘I’ll pray for you,’ but offer to bring a meal, or pick up medication, or come sit in the hospital waiting room, or play a video game with me to help distract me, or whatever it is I need,” she said.

This is “the church as it should be, reminding me that I am loved, valued, and cared for.”

Having a chronic illness has also challenged and deepened her faith, Alexander said.

“When you’re in intense pain, and you know God has the power to stop it but doesn’t, it’s difficult to wrap your mind around. Faith is a struggle in this way,” she said.

On the other hand, her faith is a comfort because “I believe God is suffering with me… God cares about what I am going through.”

One thing she wishes other Christians knew about chronic illness is “It’s not a problem to be solved. Sometimes, I just need someone to be there for me and to say ‘that sucks,’ instead of quoting a Bible verse.”

She also wishes other Christians realized there are limits on what she can do at church, such as being a regular attender.

“Telling a sick person you miss them and encouraging them to come to church more often may be the opposite of helpful,” she said. “It may just add guilt to their plate.”

Since people with chronic illness can’t always make it to services, she encourages church leaders to find ways to involve them that don’t require their physical presence — something the novel coronavirus pandemic has made easier.

“With COVID-19, there has been a huge movement to online services and community that may not have been thought possible before,” she said. “I’m hopeful these communities will be kept alive after the pandemic is over for people like me.”

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