(John 9:1-3, NLT) 1 As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man who had been blind from birth. 2 “Rabbi,” his disciples asked him, “why was this man born blind? Was it because of his own sins or his parents’ sins?”
3 “It was not because of his sins or his parents’ sins,” Jesus answered. “This happened so the power of God could be seen in him.
Too often, we want to blame sickness, trials, and hardships on sin. We see these things as curses…as punishment for sin. Maybe sometimes our hardships are the results of poor decisions. We absolutely do bring about negative consequences in our lives because of sin, but we also need to learn to trust God in those times when we sincerely wonder why “bad” things happen to “good” people.
We’ve all wondered it. We’ve all seen children suffering from different types of cancer. Many of us have witnessed a loved one become stricken with dementia, and have had to watch the disease slowly dissipate that person whom we love so much. It is hard to understand. Yet I can’t help but go back to this account of Jesus and the blind man, because I think it perfectly explains why we sometimes have to endure things that seem unfair. This man was born blind. He hadn’t yet had the opportunity to make choices between right and wrong, so it wasn’t some sort of consequence. He came into life stricken with disability, and I’m sure he often wondered why himself. Yet in his wondering, God had a purpose that was mapped out from the very start.
You see, everything that happens to us has the possibility to become a victory in our lives and therefore an addition to the great testimony of God’s power and providence in all things.
And what happened to this man who had been without sight all of his life?
10 They asked, “Who healed you? What happened?”
11 He told them, “The man they call Jesus made mud and spread it over my eyes and told me, ‘Go to the pool of Siloam and wash yourself.’ So I went and washed, and now I can see!” (John 9: 10-11, NLT)
Healing and miracles come with responsibility, because we then have to transfer that joy and victory to the rest of the world. That’s the reason for great victories! Sometimes we are afflicted because we are destined to share something miraculous with others…so that they will believe…so that God gets glorified not only with our words but with our lives!
So when you question “why” remember the blind man. Remember that our pain has a purpose. We may not know what it is right now, but we can trust that God is always working for the good of those who love and honor Him.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for every aspect of my life…both the good and the bad. I love You, and I praise You in all circumstances. When I don’t understand, I still choose to love and honor You. I trust You. Amen.
Living The SpiritLife 