loretta,
I know what you mean. In times past, I would have answered just like my wife and then spouted healing scriptures at the person. However, knowing what I know now, I couldn't do that anymore. And this is why this example was so cool to me and what God caused me to see was that... I was right inside the house when my neghbor asked my wife this question. I was out of earshot but could have easily walked by, but the Lord didn't cause that to happen. She wasn't ready to handle a meatier truth that I would have given. It just wasn't the right time for her yet.
God is working ALL after the council of His own will.
Isa 45:5 I am the LORD, and there is none else, there is no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me:
Isa 45:6 That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside me. I am the LORD, and there is none else.
Isa 45:7 I form the light, and create darkness:
I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.
So the Lord has revealed to us that when we are afflicted, for what ever the length of time, even if we are born blind or if we remain infirmed for over 38 years, or are lame for over forty years, it is all worked by God so that in the end the Lord can cure all men of all time of all diseases, in His time and on His schedule.
Exo 4:11 And the LORD said unto him, Who hath made man's mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the LORD?
So taking Exo 4:11 and the other scriptures above into account, look at the below scriptures...
Joh 5:5 And a certain man was there, which
had an infirmity thirty and eight years.
Joh 9:1 And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was
blind from his birth.
Joh 9:2 And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?
Joh 9:3 Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents:
but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.
Act 3:1 Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour.
Act 3:2 And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple;
Act 3:3 Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms.
Act 3:4 And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us.
Act 3:5 And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them.
Act 3:6 Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.
Act 3:7 And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.
Act 3:8 And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.
Act 3:9 And all the people saw him walking and praising God:
Act 3:10 And they knew that it was he which sat for alms at the Beautiful gate of the temple: and they were filled with wonder and amazement at that which had happened unto him.
Act 4:22
For the man was above forty years old,on whom this miracle of healing was shewed.
Paul preached with an "infirmity of the flesh".
Gal 4:13 Ye know how through infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel unto you at the first.
2Co 12:7 And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.
2Co 12:8 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.
2Co 12:9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee:
for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
2Co 12:10
Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.
We are told that "this thing [this] thorn in th flesh [is] my infirmities", and Paul tells us that He "took pleasure in [his] infirmities... for when I am weak then am I strong".
So all afflictions, as with all other things are a work of God.
Eph 1:11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
We fervently pray and ask God to heal others, and we should do that. But when our prayers for healings are not granted, we accept with continued gratitude the way and method God is using in dealing with all men.
Psa 107:21 Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his
wonderful works to the children of men!
Psa 107:22 And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and
declare his works with rejoicing.
It's all His works! And we are Jesus Christ's most grandest achievement!
If my neighbor would have asked me that question instead of my wife, that's pretty much what I would talk about and point her to those scriptures. But I don't think she could have handled that answer, which is why God caused her to ask my wife. But before I could have told her this, she would have to understand that God is in the process of saving all mankind.
Most of babylon believes that God is going to burn the literal skin off of people in a eternal torture chamber and they can't get past the idea that God would cause a sickness upon someone, cause them to die from it, then burn them for eternity.. So before you explained to people about God's total sovereignty, they would want to understand that God is in the process of saving all of humankind and that cancer (or whatever sickness) has a part to play in all of it.
loretta I hope this helps you understand about sickness and the reason for it a little better.