7 Comforting Bible Scriptures For The Terminally Ill

We live in an imperfect world, and sickness is all around us. This is especially hard to bear when we or our loved ones are effected by a serious or deadly disease. God’s word can give us hope and encouragement in spite of the pain and sickness, so here are my top 7 comforting Bible Scriptures for the terminally ill.

2 Kings 20:1 “In those days Hezekiah became sick and was at the point of death. And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came to him and said to him, “Thus says the Lord, ‘Set your house in order, for you shall die; you shall not recover.’” 

The story of Hezekiah is one of the first recorded in the Bible of an individual being told that he had a short time to live. Hezekiah was one of the few good kings of Judah who loved God and served him whole-heartedly. Perhaps because of his faithfulness, the Lord sent the prophet Isaiah to warn him of his impending death. The good news in this story is that after Hezekiah heard the news, he cried out to the Lord and asked him to save and extend his life. The Lord listened to his prayer, and 2 Kings 20:5 explains that Isaiah was told to “Turn back, and say to Hezekiah the leader of my people, Thus says the Lord, the God of David your father: I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears. Behold, I will heal you. On the third day you shall go up to the house of the Lord,” I believe that this is an encouraging word for anyone who has been given a terminal diagnosis, because God can heal any disease. He can also turn things around on our behalf when we cry out to him.

Psalm 23:4 “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” 

We will all confront death at some point in our lives—whether it is the loss of a loved one, or our own mortality. No matter what circumstances we face, this verse reminds us of God’s constant presence with us as we walk through the shadow of death. He is always with us, and he comforts us with his rod and staff, because he is with us continually, we do not have to be afraid of death or the unknown.

Psalm 139: “Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.” 

This is a very encouraging passage written by the psalmist David, because it reminds us that it is the Lord who created us, and he has known us from our mother’s womb. He saw us from the beginning of time, and he has written all the days of our lives into his book of life. We live and exist because of his creative power, and he has a great destiny in mind for us.

Matthew 6:27 “And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?” 

Receiving the news about a terminal illness or disease can be both frightening and devastating. However, as Christians we know that fear and anxiety go against everything that the Lord wants for us to experience. Worrying will not add a single hour to our lifespan, so we should avoid falling into that trap. Instead, we should follow the author’s advice written a few verses later in this same chapter that says, “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (Matthew 6:33). When we keep our eyes focused on the Lord and his Kingdom, no negative health report can keep us from reaching the blessings God has set for us.

John 5:24 “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.” 

As Christians and followers of Christ, we are not restricted by any devastating health report. We can look beyond it to the Scriptures written here that give us hope and encouragement. The world will tell us that a terminal disease is a death sentence, and that our lives are over. But God tells us in this verse that if we hear his word and believe in Jesus, that we will have eternal life. Isn’t it so much more hopeful to know that as children of God we will no longer be judged for our sins, but rather we will pass from death to life?

Romans 8:6 “For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.” 

Our thoughts will either build us up or tear us down. This verse reminds us that looking at the things of this earth and on our flesh will only lead us to death. However, even if we have been given a terminal diagnosis, we can set our mind on the Spirit of God, and we will be blessed with an abundant life full of peace. Our physical bodies will experience pain, frailty, and discouragement, but when we focus our thoughts on Christ then our spirit is lifted above the hardships and soars into a place of peace and hope.

Philippians 1:21 “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” 

The apostle Paul faced beatings, sickness, and even death numerous times in his lifetime. He knew what it was to have plenty and also to have lack and loss, because he had experienced it all. So I believe that this verse is the ultimate encouragement for anyone facing the end of their life. As Christians, we can agree with Paul’s statement here, and know that to live is an acknowledgement of God’s amazing love and power evident in our lives, but to die is also gain. Once we leave this earthly realm, we will be able to go to heaven and spend a glorious eternity with the trinity away from the pain and suffering we experience here. That is an exciting aspect of death that we can look forward to.

Conclusion 

The truth of the matter is that we are all terminal, and all of our days are numbered. But for anyone receiving the news from their doctor that they have a deadly disease or illness, it is much more real. This diagnosis can be devastating and terrifying unless you have a relationship with the Lord, because as Christians we can always turn to God in our time of trouble. Like Hezekiah, we could pray and be blessed with an extension to our life. Whatever the outcome, though, as followers of Christ we know that he is always with us to take away our fear, to carry us during the hard times, and to provide us with hope for our eternal future with him.

Written by Karla Hawkins

I am very grateful to be a Christian author, editor and translator. Some of my favorite pastimes include traveling, and connecting with family and friends via social media. When I am not working, I love spending time with my family and especially with my precious three-year-old grandson.