I am forty years old. Almost three years ago I started to get sick. Many doctors examined me and ordered many tests. But all the test results came back normal and nothing changed. That led to me falling into a depression and undergoing a horrific treatment by a psychiatrist. In great desperation, and because of bad advice from others, I then resorted to consulting a witch doctor. But it was just a scam. Nothing changed.
I have lost a lot of weight and I am very worried…. Is it possible that God would forgive me for resorting to witchcraft? Might God one day heal me?
Dear Friend,
We are so very sorry for your illness and for all that you have been going through!
As you have acknowledged, it is wrong to consult witches. While some so-called witches are charlatans who cheat people out of their money, others use actual powers from Satan to lure and trick victims. And because Satan’s primary goal is to turn people against God, those who consult witches are at risk of losing any faith in God that they may have once had.
Therefore, consulting a witch was wrong and dangerous, but God is willing to forgive all sin. The fact is, “if we acknowledge our sins, He is faithful and just, and will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from every wrongdoing.” (1) No sin whatsoever is excluded; “every wrongdoing” includes all sin. So instead of worrying about what you did, pray and ask God to cleanse you from your sins and from all wrongdoing. Once you ask Him, He will forgive you and cleanse you, and it will be one less thing to worry about.
As for your illness, we commend you for consulting a number of doctors. Medical science constantly makes new discoveries about the way our bodies work, and some doctors are better informed than others.
One of those new discoveries is how our brains affect every other part of our bodies. In your case, for example, the depression that you attribute to the uncertainty of your health condition may also be a factor that negatively affects you physically. The brain and the body are so intricately interwoven that it is impossible to know whether the physical illness caused the depression or whether the depression may have been at least partially responsible for the illness.
You ask if God might one day heal you. Yes, we believe that God sometimes heals diseases supernaturally, and that is why we pray for healing. But we recognize that God more often uses doctors to give us wise medical advice and medicines to control infections and malfunctions.
Keep in mind that many illnesses are affected by our own choices, for better or for worse. Substance abuse, gluttony, unhealthy nutrition, lack of sleep, and stress are all factors that we can choose to control. God gives each of us the ability to make healthy choices. Therefore, ask Him to help you make wise decisions about your illness and your overall health.
We wish you well,
Linda
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1 1Jn 1:9 (NABRE)