Retirement’s Final Challenge: Finish Well by Drawing Closer to God Even in Sicknessనమూనా

1. When Sickness Slows You Down, Let It Draw You to God

Retirement is often seen as a time of rest and reward — but what happens when sickness hits as you move through retirement, enjoying life, helping others, fulfilling your calling. What then?

For many of us, illness becomes an uninvited companion, reshaping plans and routines. Yet even in that struggle, God is not silent. In fact, He may be nearer than ever before. This devotional invites you to see your illness not as a detour, but as a doorway to deeper faith.

Sickness has a way of slowing everything down. Plans are canceled. Energy disappears. You suddenly find yourself in a quieter, smaller world — one that may feel frightening or frustrating. But it’s often in those fragile moments that we begin to hear God’s voice more clearly.

The Bible tells us this:

“Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. … Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them.” — James 5:13–14 NIV

Sickness is not just a signal for treatment — it’s a spiritual invitation to prayer. And not just polite, occasional prayer, but the kind that pours out from the soul in honest, urgent longing.

The psalmist gives us language for that kind of prayer:

“Be merciful to me, Lord, for I am faint; O Lord, heal me, for my bones are in agony. My soul is in deep anguish. How long, Lord, how long?” — Psalm 6:2–3 NIV

This is not a sanitized, Sunday-morning kind of prayer. It’s the real cry of someone who doesn’t know how much longer they can endure.

But notice something: God welcomes that prayer. When Paul pleaded with God to remove his “thorn in the flesh,” the Lord didn’t say, “Toughen up.” He answered:

“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” — 2 Corinthians 12:9a NIV

Paul’s suffering became the place where Christ’s presence and strength were made most visible.

This is the first way sickness can draw us closer to God: it tears down the illusion that we’re in control.

Sickness reminds us that what we need most is not just relief but relationship — with God, the Creator and Sustainer of life.

Midnight Conversations with God

Recently, I fell ill with an undiagnosed condition, underwent every kind of imaginable medical test, and spent five days in hospital — all with no result, while the condition just kept worsening and doctors kept scratching their heads.

The uncertainty of it all brought about a number of middle-of-the-night talks with God, as I struggled with what it might mean for the rest of my life.

In the end, although I received a medical diagnosis of an untreatable condition with an uncertain outlook, I also received reassurance of God’s presence and love in my life — in a way that I likely would have missed out on completely, had I not fallen ill.

Take Time to Reflect

You may not have chosen your suffering, but you can choose what to do with it.

If you're sick today, don’t wait until you’re strong again to seek God. Bring Him your weakness. Let it become your offering to Him. Take heart from these verses:

“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” — Psalm 34:18 NIV

“We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.” — Romans 8:26b NIV

As you process your thoughts and find that your prayers feel raw and unfinished, that’s okay. God is not grading your prayers; He’s eagerly receiving them.

Ask yourself:

• Am I trying to push through this pain on my own?
• What would it look like to pray in my weakness today?
• How might God be using this time to draw me closer?

Start right where you are — with a whisper, a sigh, or a silent plea.

The closer you lean into Him, the more you’ll find that He’s already there.