If God sends you sickness, is it wrong to take medicines?

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Pythagoras

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I have cough, colds, and mild fever. I know that God sometimes send us suffering so that we can offer themselves up to God for the sins of others. But I was used to taking up medicines since I was a child. That’s why sometimes I think that I am “blocking” the plan of God by getting medicines. So what is your opinion about this?

Just another question:
How about in holy places like convents or monasteries? Do the nuns or monks take medicines like for coughs or flu whenever they are sick because they know that they could also be victim souls?
 
I applaud you in your desire to want to grow in holiness but you must remember your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit! God certainly wants you to take medicine to try and get better as quickly as possible. Certainly in the meantime you may offer up your suffering to God, but take the medicine and do what you need to get better. Taking medicine also does not guarantee you will get better overnight, either. I am quite certain monks and nuns take medicine. Also, if you do not take medicine, you are at risk of spreading the sickness to others. May God bless you and keep you safe.
 
My opinion is- medicine is gross, bleh. If I really need to, I guess it helps.
But here’s the opinion of two saints that come to mind when I read your question.
1- St Thérèse of Lisieux: she’d drink the gross medicine as slowly as she could. A little penance to offer up to God. So obviously, she did take medicine. Probably out of obedience (knowing her) but still.
2- St Francis de Sales: and I find he always has a most balanced and logical approach to everything says ‘‘In sickness offer all your gifts and pains as a sacrifice to our Lord, and beseech Him to unite them with the torments He suffered for you. Obey your physician, take your medicines, food, and other remedies, for the love of God, remembering the gall He took for your sake.’’ Up to now, sounds like st Thérèse but he adds ‘‘Desire to be cured, that you may serve Him, but do not refuse to remain ill that you may obey Him even in this.’’ In the end, de Sales’ concern is always serving God- as should ours be :3

So it’s nice to be a Victim Soul, but if you’re an active sister or a working monk, you probably want to get better quickly to get back to your work. God is also the God of science and gave us knowledge enough to make medecine…
(Get better soon!)
 
Well, if you give God the credit for sending the sickness, it seems to me you can give Him credit for sending medicine too.
 
Egads! A good, but horrifying question at the same time.

Everything that happens is God’s will. But some of that is something that God permits (because He knows He can make good come of it), and some of it is something that God actually wants.

God does not want suffering, but permits it when good can come of it.

When it comes to accepting God’s will, here is what you must know:
God gave you reason. The more that reason is informed by the revealed truth of God, through the Church, the more right it becomes. Now, you are using “right reason.” Because we do not know God’s will, all we can do is do what is right and reasonable.

You ought to use right reason at all times. If you are hungry, right reason dictates you eat. If you are sick, right reason dictates you take medicine. Because it is right, it will not cause you to sin, and because it is reasonable, it will take you to what would seem to be the best outcome.

You should be happy with whatever outcome is final, because that is the one God has chosen, but you should pursue the outcome that is most reasonable to our human mind since you do not know what God prefers.

Can you imagine the sort of ramifications of a life lived without right reason? “I’m sick, but if God wants me to be healed, He will heal me.” “I’m starved, but why work? God will fill my belly if it pleases Him.” “My family is being abducted. But I guess God willed it! See ya kids!”

Catholicism goes above and beyond reason, but does not run against reason! Don’t fall into this sort of spiritual death. For I kid you not, this sort of thinking is spiritual suicide.

A certain heretic years ago supposed that we ought to let the Turks run their rampages. The Catholic Church stepped up and stopped the Turks at Lepanto, with the power of the Rosary. Use right reason to dictate your course of actions in all things, and in all outcomes thank God.
 
Also, yes, monks and nuns receive medicines! I myself took a Camaldolese hermit to the hospital while I was staying with them. He goes every week because he’s so sick!

We take care of each other because it’s the right thing to do! You also have a right to self defense, just in case in comes up. Because… that’s the reasonable thing to do! (In fact, permitting something seriously bad to happen to another person when you have the capability of stopping it can impute grave sin onto you… do not become fatalistic! It is a wretched trap of Satan)
 
Pythagoras said:
I have cough, colds, and mild fever. I know that God sometimes send us suffering so that we can offer themselves up to God for the sins of others. But I was used to taking up medicines since I was a child. That’s why sometimes I think that I am “blocking” the plan of God by getting medicines. So what is your opinion about this?

Just another question:
How about in holy places like convents or monasteries? Do the nuns or monks take medicines like for coughs or flu whenever they are sick because they know that they could also be victim souls?
Click to expand...
There is nothing sinful about taking medicine. Are you then suggesting that a person hit by a car and seriously injured should just be left to die without any medical treatment.
 
By the love of God, thank you very much for your insights and reason Catholic friends!
 
If man is wrong for using what has been provided then yes. If we stop taking medicine then we should also stop eating animals, plants, and maybe even quit using the Internet.
I once heard that God only helps those who helps themselves. I agree with this as it seems to say if a person cannot care for themselves then how can they care for another?
In the last four days I have gotten maybe six hours sleep. I have this horrible dry cough. Today I took Prilosec and tonight at bedtime I take prescription cough syrup.
It is all linked to GERD.
If God meant for us to accept death and not try to live them why did Jesus guide people on how to care, heal, and forgive.
 
Pythagoras said:
I have cough, colds, and mild fever. I know that God sometimes send us suffering so that we can offer themselves up to God for the sins of others. But I was used to taking up medicines since I was a child. That’s why sometimes I think that I am “blocking” the plan of God by getting medicines. So what is your opinion about this?

Just another question:
How about in holy places like convents or monasteries? Do the nuns or monks take medicines like for coughs or flu whenever they are sick because they know that they could also be victim souls?
Click to expand...
Please take medicine…St Paul instructed Timothy to do so in scripture.

God also gives us minds to create medicine and to be smart enough to use it. All the saints that suffered ailments tried many things to relieve them. Of course they did not have much medicine like we do.

There is plenty of suffering in this world. You don’t need to create more.
 
Agree with the above - the scientists who found medicinal cures were guided by God to do so., whether or not they believe that themselves!
 
I don’t think medicine is blocking anything that God sends you. God “sends” illness in a sense that it is the logical consequence of a bacteria or whatever, and the response of your body. Illness is not a punishment, and not always a warning. When this is a warning, my understanding is that your mind will be enlighted to understand it (because of the lengh of it, or the particular pain it involves, the thoughts it gives you and so on).

My take on medicine is that it sure helps at times; I still avoid it, since I trust my body to heal itself, if it is a cold or so, and i know my health is ok.

In monasteries for instance, something like meat is seen as a medicine. Monks and none are generally vegetarians (because of the meaning of meat in relation with Christ, but primarily because it is seen as something rich and not needed). Not every order though follows this. Trappists are stricts vegetarians, and others would use meat to regain strengh during or after an illness. So medicine can be seen as blocking penance (?) or an opportunity for healing (redemption ?). But I don’t think it is wrong at all, in itself.

My priest who is a Franciscan takes medicine but has the same view as I have. it is not wrong, but as anyone, religious or not, would presume, you take something which is not always natural, so then you have to decide if it is needed. He had back pain. He took something because the aches were too strong for him. and he didn’t feel like he didn’t take what God sent him.

Oh I just read a post above about Paul: well, Paul talks about Luke as the beloved physician… :). About the Lord Himself, why would he cure people? It is true “it was for the glory of God to be revealed”, but still this doesn’t say we should counter illness, even if it is a part of sanctification and of our sinful nature.
 
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