Hear us, almighty and merciful God and savior. Extend your goodness to your servant, who is grieved with sickness. Give her comfort and confidence in you. Defend her from the danger of the enemy, and keep her in peace, and safety. Restore her to her former health, and for whatever time you have fixed for her to still endure, give her the grace to receive your discipline for her good in hope of everlasting life with you. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
We know that our God is the Lord over life and death, and over all things that relate to life and death: youth, strength, health, age, weakness, and sickness. And so we know that whatever this sickness is, it is certain that it has come through God’s direction and permission.
We usually don’t know the reason why he sends specific trials to us. This may have been sent to test your patience. It may have been sent so that you can be an example to others. It may be that you will be able to minister comfort to others better because of having received the Lord’s comfort. It may have been sent so that the works of God might be displayed in you. It may have been sent to help you correct and amend something in your life that offends God and to urge you to greater holiness.
Regardless of the reason, what you can know for certain is that if you have truly repented of your sins, and bear your sickness patiently, trusting in God’s mercy, for Christ’s sake, and give him humble thanks for his fatherly discipline, submitting yourself wholly to his will, then all of this will be to your profit, and help you forward in the right way that leads to everlasting life.
Think of the discipline of the Lord not as punishment, but as something good for you. The Lord disciplines the one he loves. A father does not discipline other people’s children, but his own. When an earthly father disciplines his children, they learn to obey and respect him more. We ought to be all the more obedient to our spiritual father and live. A good earthly father will do the best he can to discipline his children for the first few years of their life, but the discipline of the Lord is always for our profit and intends to make us more holy.
Scripture tells us all of this to be a comfort and to give us some understanding of our difficulties, so that we will be able to bear God’s correction with patience and thanksgiving, whatever trouble he has thought it best to send us. Our Lord himself learned obedience through suffering. It ought to be a great comfort to every Christian to know that, in sharing our humanity, he also shared our suffering. Similarly, we share his suffering. He went up to heavenly joy after suffering pain. He entered his glory after he was crucified. We too, have suffering in this present life, but we will also share in his resurrection and reign and incomparable eternal joy. Nevertheless, our Lord is merciful, and gentle and compassionate; and he will often relieve our suffering when we call to him. The scriptures say, “Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.” Is it true that you have called us in response to this promise and that you desire to be healed by the Lord? (A) Examination I will now ask you several questions to help you to examine yourself and your relationship toward God and man. If at any point you feel convicted by any sin, I encourage you to pause and seek the forgiveness of God in silent prayer. Of Orthodoxy Do you believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth? Do you believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary; who suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; who descended to the place of the dead; who, the third day, rose again from the dead; who ascended to heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty and from there he will come to judge the living and the dead? Do you believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting? Of Faith for Healing Do you believe that all things that exist were created by God and continue to be sustained by his power? Do you believe that God rewards those who seek Him? Do you believe that God is able, even now, to raise the dead? Do you believe that God is able to restore health to your body? Of Relationships With Others Is your conscience troubled because you have hurt or offended another person and have not made right with them; or because you owe anyone anything which you ought to have repaid and have not done so? Is your conscience troubled because another person has hurt or offended you and you have not forgiven them in your heart; or because you have not sought the restoration of peace with them, so far as it depends on you? With God Is your conscience troubled because you have offended God and not repented and sought his forgiveness; or because you have refused to be bound by any of his commands? [if convicted, as relevant] Have you now sought the forgiveness of God in prayer for these things? Do you intend to seek to restore the relationship without delay, so far as it depends on you? Do you intend to seek to make restitution without delay, so far as it depends on you? (B) Prayer Our merciful God, according to the abundance of your mercy, you put away the sins of those who truly repent and you remember them no more. Open your eyes of mercy on your servant who desires your pardon and forgiveness. Renew in her, loving Father, whatever has been decayed by the fraud and malice of the devil or by her own carnal will and frailness. Preserve her in the unity of your church, consider her contrition, accept her tears, assuage her pain as will be best for her. Since she has put her whole trust in your mercy, do not impute to her her former sins, but regard her with favor on account of the obedient death of your beloved son Jesus Christ. Amen. (B) Reading - Psalm 71 (B) Anointing (B)May the almighty Lord, who is a strong tower to all that put their trust in him and to whom all things in heaven, in earth, and under the earth bow and obey; be now and forever your defense, and make you know and feel that there is no other name under heaven given to man in whom and through whom you may receive health and salvation but only the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. (A) [anoint with oil] (B) In the name of the Lord Jesus, may your body now be restored to health and strength. Amen. (B) Reading - Psalm 13 (A) Closing Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.