Introduction
The purpose of this article is to shed light on some bad situations others have been in and how they got through it with their relationship with GOD. It is my prayer that in some ways you can identify with a few of these people and draw strength from their stories.
IN NO WAY is this study designed to make you feel guilty for the thoughts and feelings you have had during and after your difficult situation. We are people who are designed to think and feel, and often we can’t help how we feel, so we acknowledge them and filter them through the lens of scripture to gain the proper perspective. Additionally, this is IN NO WAY an article for you to compare your circumstances with the circumstances of those presented here. What is bad to you is bad to you, there is no need to compare your situation to that of another for the purposes of some sort of pain gauge. Maybe there are appropriate times to say, “What I went through is nothing compared to what this other person went through,” but that is not the purpose of this particular set of articles. As stated earlier it is my hope that you are able to identify with the people of GOD and reason through “The Why” in order to help the healing process.
Lastly, often it is “The Why” that troubles us the most. There are times things happen and we can work through the actual happening, but we struggle when “The Why” is not readily available to be understood. Normally, we can come to grips with a bad situation when we understand the cause of that situation was our own doing; but when bad things happen in which we feel like we did nothing to deserve such, it can be really difficult to deal with. Even if “The Why” is because of our own mistake, we deal with it better than when no rhyme or reason is presented.
Dear LORD, please use these articles to heal the heart of your child reading this. May they see that YOU are the GOD of the valleys and the GOD of the hills; that YOU are the GOD of the bright colors and the muted tones; that YOU, GOD, make the sun rise on the evil and on the good, and send rain on the just and on the unjust. In JESUS’ name I pray, Amen.
A Man Born Blind (John 9:1-41)
This narrative begins with JESUS walking with HIS disciples and they passed a man that was “blind from birth.” So, the disciples asked JESUS, “…who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”
I suppose this is the line of thinking for, if not all, most of humanity. When unfortunate things take place and we search for “the why,” sin, or some “bad” thing, is normally the first place we begin. We wonder what we or somebody else did to deserve that circumstance. Some will prescribe it to the workings of “karma,” or the biblical principle of reaping and sowing. This ideology is ingrained in us, as we feel that bad stuff should only happen to bad people and good stuff should only happen to good people. Who has the proper definition of good and bad – mankind or GOD? (I will explore this a little more in a following article) Even the disciples of JESUS had this mindset. And hey, sometimes that may be the case; it could be that sin was the cause, but not always.
JESUS responded to the question from HIS disciples by saying, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of GOD should be revealed in him.” Sin was not the reason behind this man being born blind. Sin was not the reason behind this man enduring a bad circumstance. No, rather it was so that GOD’s work would be revealed in him; it was so that GOD would be glorified – and when GOD is glorified, lives are changed.
The scene begins to come to an end in verse 38 when the man (who can now see) believed, confessed, and worshiped JESUS! Praise GOD! This man had to endure tough circumstances, but in the end that was the very thing that caused his life’s path to cross with JESUS. His tough circumstance was something that only GOD could handle. In verse 32 the man stated, “ Since the world began it has been unheard of that anyone opened the eyes of one who was born blind.” This man testified to the fact that only GOD could do what JESUS did by giving him sight.
I truly believe that GOD will allow us to get in certain situations that only HE can get us out of, so that we may know that HE is GOD; so that we may know HIS power; so that we may know HIM; so that we may believe. GOD was not just glorified when the man was able to see physically; GOD was glorified when the man was able to see spiritually – when he believed, confessed, and worshiped JESUS. GOD works in our life, for that response.
Maybe, just maybe, GOD has allowed you to endure this tough circumstance because HE is going to do something big, something amazing, maybe something that “since the world began it has been unheard.” Maybe. Whatever happens, I believe it will lead to the same response of the man born blind – belief, confession, and worship.
It may be hard to see now, but GOD has a way of softening the heart of man; for HE has done that to every follower of CHRIST.
Grace and peace.
