How should we talk about serious illness?
I learned a lesson this week about serious illness. My brother-in-law is on hospice care. His mind is clear as a bell, but his body is terribly sick. He knows what lies ahead, and I was wondering how we should talk about it.
I didn’t have to worry long because he began by telling us how serious it was. He knew he only had weeks to live. He was tying up all his loose ends and wanted us to know what was going on. He said he was ready to go.
Dr. Arthur Holleb says that “even more prominent than the patient’s fear of death is the fear of desertion, charades and conspiracy of silence… If the truth about a bad outlook must be told, then it must be told with hope and confidence, with the right words, proper timing and attitude.”
Jesus has told us that He has gone ahead of us to prepare a place. When we believe in Jesus, death is a door to “life eternal.” Death is but one more stage in life. There will be no more pain or sorrow or sickness.
We need to be prepared as my brother-in-law was prepared. We need to know Jesus!
“Hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast.” (Hebrews 6:19)
By the Rev. Tommy Herndon