…I was born with a rare condition called, Alagille Syndrome, and for me it affects my liver, my heart, my bones, vision, hearing, learning pace and more. I’ve had a liver transplant – almost 20 years ago. In March 2026, it will be Oliver’s 20th anniversary. I’m legally blind and have a slight hearing loss. I’ve had a right hip replacement surgery, double jaw surgery, stents placed in my artery and the list goes on.
Hospitals have been a second home to me.
I’ve been in and out of wards, I’ve seen many, many, MANY specialists, and sat in waiting rooms more times than I can count. And maybe in your own way you know what that’s like. Like me, you know what it means to live with physical sickness. Like me, you know what it’s like to be physically broken.
But here’s the thing. As real as physical illnesses are, there’s another sickness that runs even deeper. It’s not found on an X-ray. It’s not diagnosed in bloodwork. But it affects every single one of us. Every human being. And that is spiritual sickness.
What is Spiritual Sickness
In healthcare, especially palliative care, psychology and chaplaincy, spiritual sickness is not seen as a medical condition, but a state of inner distress marked by a loss of meaning, hope or connection to God. In clinical settings, it is recognised as a form of spiritual or existential suffering that can affect a person’s overall health and wellbeing.
But the Bible takes this even further. It tells us that our deepest sickness is not just inner distress – it is sin. Sin isn’t just about doing wrong things like lying, stealing and so on. Sin is anything that separates us from God.
“Your iniquities have separated you from your God…” -Isaiah 59:2 NIV
Sin is pride. Sin is unbelief.
“The world’s sin is that it refuses to believe in Me.” -John 16:9 NIV
Physical sickness, no matter how painful or lifelong it feels, is still only temporary. But spiritual sickness is permanent and it carries eternal consequences.
Whether we are healthy, sick, rich or poor, we all have the same condition – a sickness of the soul. And this kind of sickness cannot be treated by a specialist in the hospital.
So, is there hope for us at all? The answer from the Bible is a resounding YES. The cure God gives us is not a pill, not surgery, not a medical treatment – it is a Person.And His name is Jesus Christ.
And this is the Good News my friends.
God understood our spiritual condition and this is what he did.
“For God so loved the world (you and I) that He gave His one and only Son (Jesus) that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life (salvation).” -John 3:16 NIV
“God loved the world.” He loved us even before we existed. He loved us even while we were still sinners.
“God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” -Romans 5:8 NIV
God loved us so much, so unconditionally that He gave His only Son, Jesus, to die on the cross for you and I. Think about this. Would you die for a friend? Maybe. Would you die for a stranger? Maybe not. But would you die for a criminal? The truth is, we were all spiritual criminals when Jesus laid down His life for us.
“He cancelled the charge of our legal indebtedness… He nailed them to the cross.” -Colossians 2:14 NIV
God’s unconditional love is for whoevcer – “whoever believes in Him”. This is an open invitation, because it tells us that God’s love does not discriminate – Your age, your culture, your family, your gender, your history, your nationality, your political views – whatever it may be, does not matter. God’s invitation still stands. Only one thing matters and that is your faith – do you believe in God? Do you believe Jesus took your place on the cross, died for you to take away your sins and to forgive you?
God’s love gives us eternal life so that we shall not perish. His mission was and is to save our souls, to make us whole and to restore us back to spiritual health.
And this is why Jesus’ words in John 14:6 is so powerful as well. He says…
“I am the way, the truth and the life.No one comes to the Father except through Me.” -John 14:6 NIV
This is exclusive. This is a radical claim, because it is telling us that there is no other way, no other truth, no other life. And no one can go to God unless it is through Jesus and only Jesus – no other person, no other path, no other religion.
Theologian C.S. Lewis once said, we must decide for ourselves. Was Jesus lying? Was Jesus crazy or delusional? Or was Jesus telling the truth? Imagine one day you went out with your friend and suddenly he said to you “I am Jesus. I am the way, the truth, the life. No one can go to God unless it is through me.” Now, what would you think?? How will you react? You would think your friend has gone mad or you would suggest he sees a psychiatrist, because nobody in their right mind will give such a claim unless it is the absolute truth.
But Jesus’ words weren’t empty. They connect directly to our spiritual health. When Jesus said “I am the way” it means He is the only path to reconciliation to God. Without Him we remain lost in spiritual sickness and sin. With Him, we are restored and we can have a personal relationship with God.
When Jesus said “I am the truth” it means in a world full of lies and false cures, Jesus is the only true remedy. He diagnosed us correctly – we are sinners – and He heals our souls through grace.
And when He said “I am the life” it means sin leads to death, but He offers eternal life – real spiritual health that begins at the point of believe. When you believe in God. When you believe in Jesus and what He did for you.
I’ve lived most of my life with brokenness in my body. And I still live with this reality. I know what it is to sit in hospital beds, to feel pain, to suffer physically, to wait for healing. But honestly, the greatest healing I’ve ever had is not physical, it’s spiritual – the healing of my soul through Jesus. And this same healing is available for you today…
“Here I am. I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door. I will come in.” -Revelation 3:20 NIV
Today, Jesus is knocking at the door of your heart. The question is, will you open the door?
I can’t make this decision for you. Your family can’t Your doctor can’t Only you can. But what I can do is promise you this, the you say yes to Jesus, your will never ever be the same again…