From Pain to Purpose

His disciples asked Him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” 

Has God ever answered your prayer by saying, “Neither?” It is definitely a more frustrating answer than “yes” or “no”. We are ingrained to want immediate answers to our tough questions, especially if we are in pain. When the disciples asked about the blind man they were surprised with this answer: “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.” v.3.   

We need to be open to the prospect that we may not see the purpose of a difficult situation until God, in His grace, chooses to reveal His plan. We must be open to the fact that in many situations our rational minds are not going to be able to identify His purpose. We are wiser to question our own hearts and motives rather than questioning God’s timing and plan. In this case, God had something glorious to say through a man born blind, but neither this man, his parents, or the Pharisees around him could come close to foreseeing God’s purpose. God chose to heal a man’s eyes both to show His mercy and to condemn the self-righteous actions of the religious elite.

God continually proves that He has much to say to us through our pain. So many times, we must hit rock bottom before we can realize that the only way to discover our purpose is by pursuing genuine faith in a loving God. He promises that “in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28) He does this to show us that He is in control even when life seems out of control. It took waiting a lifetime for this blind man to see the purpose that God had for him, and then, in an instant, he was healed!

Are you in a season that leaves you stumped to figure out God’s plan for your life?  Put yourself in the path of Jesus and wait on His timing. God can take us from pain to purpose in a matter of moments!