Gospel of John - John 9

Jobey McGinty

We quickly ask "why me?!" when bad things happen to us. And it makes sense, given our finiteness and limited perspective that we would wonder this. Often, we make assumptions about God and about suffering. In this story, Jesus' own disciples, when they happened upon a man who was born blind, asked, "why was this man born blind? Was it because of his own sin, or the sins of his parents?"  Their question reveals their assumptions, but Jesus says "neither," and offers a third way. He says that his suffering had meaning and purpose, and that it was mean to "display the work of God in him."  Suffering and trials and hardships have purposes and meaning. What you are going through is not random or a mistake, but has a divine purpose.