It’s easy to miss today’s short passage when reading the book of Galatians. We rightly focus on Paul’s important teaching that salvation is a gift from God, and nothing but faith (rather than keeping the Jewish law) is needed in order to receive it. These few verses in chapter 4, however, have a beauty all their own.

It seems that Paul wasn’t originally planning to visit the Roman province of Galatia during his early missionary journeys. An illness forced him there (Galatians 4:13). It could have been the malady he mentions in 2 Corinthians 12:7, an eye problem (Galatians 4:15), or some other health issue. Whatever it was, Paul sought a different climate and he wound up in Galatia, and though he was ill, he started preaching. The Holy Spirit, ironically, performed miracles through him (Galatians 3:5) and the Galatian church was born. It may never have happened without Paul’s infirmity.

God has a way of redeeming illness. I asked my Facebook friends how they’d seen God turn illness around for good and received this story from Virginia: Fifteen years ago Virginia struggled with an eating disorder after the break-up of a difficult relationship. At her lowest point she ended up in Royal Melbourne Hospital weighing just 36 kilograms (79 pounds). There she met another girl—the sickest patient in the ward, weighing a mere 25 kilograms (55 pounds)—who scribbled this Bible verse on a piece of paper for her: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13 NKJV). Virginia became a Christian, got healthy, got married, and had a family. She credits it all to the witness of that one ill, but faithful, girl.

One day God will rid the world of all sickness. In the meantime, He often uses it for good. How might He use your health struggles to help others?

NLT 365-day reading plan passage for today: John 12:1-11