trbccoffeebreak

“Jesus answered them, “It was neither that this man sinned, nor his parents, but it was so that the works of God might be displayed in him.” John 9:3

I absolutely love chapter 9 of John’s gospel. It is my salvation chapter—the first time I truly heard the gospel (even after hardly ever missing Mass for 30 years). The event of Jesus healing the blind man is profoundly beautiful. It speaks to the life (and eternity) transformation of faith in Jesus. We were blind and now we see! Dead, now alive in Christ! When questioned by the Pharisees, the transformed man didn’t have all the answers. He was not a seasoned apologist or theologian. He only knew that through Jesus his eyes were opened. (He did get bolder the more he was pressed, which is pretty cool.) For this man, though, it was after his healing and pressing that Jesus revealed Himself as the Son of Man—and he believed, surrendering to Jesus as Lord. We also see how his transformation affected his neighbors and parents. Just like our own salvation and sanctification is a testimony to those who knew us before Jesus…some will want what we have, some will plead ignorance and refuse to celebrate the positive changes.

But it is verse 3 in this chapter that burst off the page for me upon my most recent reading. When Jesus and His disciples initially walked by the blind man, His followers asked, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he would be born blind?” Jesus answered them, “It was neither that this man sinned, nor his parents, but it was so that the works of God might be displayed in him.”

Now, before moving on, it’s imperative to state that the Bible is clear that there are indeed consequences to our sin (Psalm 38:3; John 5:14; Galatians 6:7-8…and most of the OT!). We also must be aware that the enemy of ours—Satan—is relentlessly trying to kill, steal, and destroy (John 10:10; 1 Peter 5:8) the image-bearers of God (keeping the unsaved from surrendering to Him as Lord and keeping His followers ineffective for the Kingdom). Oh, but there is another—unreasonable—reason for suffering given in verse 3 that can be hard to get our minds around: God’s glory.

When we or a loved one (or anyone around the world impacted by this fallen world and sinful people) is struggling, we rightly cry out to God like King David, “Why, oh Lord?” and “How long, oh Lord?” And, like David, sometimes we can totally see the connection to sin…and then, there are times, like with our brother Job, that we simply don’t “get” it. Here in John, Jesus is saying, “Beloved, My thoughts are higher than your thoughts, My ways higher than yours (Isaiah 55:8-9)…this is purposeful to My glory—and You may never see it until you are glorified with Me” (Psalm 115:3; Psalm 131:1; Job).

Oh, sweet friend, what joy it is to wrap our small minds around this concept—a concept that can truly only be grasped through the Holy Spirit living in us. (Ever try to share with an unbeliever that a particular suffering could be for God’s ultimate glory alone? The typical response is something to the effect of, “Well, that’s not a God that I want to believe in”—I know we’ve all heard it.) But we must rest in this truth! If we are continuing in a sinful pattern that is reaping consequences, we must turn (repent) and follow after the Lord’s ways. But if our suffering has no human rhyme or reason, we must trust in the Lord and lean not on our own understanding (Proverbs 3:5-6). We can question God—of course! We can cry out to Him in our frustration and anger—He knows it already and wants to hear it from our own mouths! And then, we trust. We trust that God is Sovereign and Providential. Everything He does—everything—is for His glory…and ultimately our good. Even if we don’t see it until we’re face to face with the Lord. His “why” is always perfect.

“Lord, even as I question the suffering of my loved ones—or even my own—may I land firmly on a trust in Your perfect will that is always for Your glory.”

For His Glory

Julianne Winkler Smith
TRBC Women’s Life