Sometimes God does give us illnesses to draw us closer. the sad thing is Christians should by their new nature be desiring to draw near to him daily in faith. I teach my members first you must serve God in your own heart and life. That would mean they need to desire more of his activeness in their lives and often it includes persecution, tribulations, trials etc Romans 8 is so clear that these are part of life.
Romans Chapter 7 we see Paul going through the struggle we all face. But he never quits, gives up or back slides. Paul is our example, I like what Jacob said, "few and evil have the days of the years of my life been", Even David and Asaph admit the same condition of life. But they never stopped exercising their faith in God.
Chapter 8 reminds us that none of these events of life can separate us from the Love of God. When I hear of a supposed Christian who gives up because God didn't do as they expected and that being a pagan is easier than being a Christians so they go back to their old life. I don't even think they were saved to begin with.
Yes the Christians life is full of troubles, trials, tribulations, hardships, weaknesses and persecution. But the love of God shed abroad in our hearts and the indwelling of the Holy Ghost is our hope of holiness and perfection to come. a man of God will seek Gods will even through the struggle and hardships to reach the prize that has been set even Eternal life that is in Christ Jesus.
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