Our Stick of Dynamite

“As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, ‘Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?’ ‘Neither this man nor his parents sinned…but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him.’” John 9:1-3

To God’s glory and grace, it has been over 14 years since we were walking in one of the darkest times of my adulthood with our daughter. Much time has passed, and great healing has occurred, but all it takes is one statement from an unknowing person to feel like my head is going to explode. Whenever I hear a person who has never suffered with my set of past circumstances begin blaming the parents for the child’s behavior, I just about lose it. In all fairness I know that I have been on the other side of the coin judging another in their set of circumstances, so I must remember that we all live in the imperfect flesh of humanity. I thought about those times when I read this passage today and it still brings me comfort in my insecurity from past times. It is so easy to feel like we hold some responsibility in the poor decisions of those we love. In some ways, we might could have done things a little better, but the greatest part of responsibility lies at the end of the day at the feet of the decision maker.

So, what are we left with when our unresolved past wounds are triggered by the present perspective of others? We are left with a stick of dynamite simmering in our hearts. We are left with a listening mind to old records scratched but still playing those haunting songs. Why is it so easy for things to trigger our emotions instead of triggering our faith? There are sometimes when just as the blind man, we are experiencing something by no fault of our own. We are walking out our suffering because others are walking out their rebellion. In other cases, sin ushered in disease and sickness. Whatever suffering we are experiencing is the result of living in a fallen world. We cannot miss the end of our passage this morning or we will miss the end of our purpose in our pain. Jesus made it abundantly clear to His disciples that there was a powerful work being done in the life of the blind man. He explained confidently that this very man, disappointed no doubt by his lot in life, was getting ready to be the vessel of God’s mighty power. How honored that God chose him personally to display His power and presence in His life. How honored we can be that God is going to show His glory through our pain.

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Sometimes hardship happens not because of what you’ve done but because of something God is doing and will eventually make right…This man’s blindness – his own form of hardship and longsuffering – wasn’t because of choices he made…This suffering was placed on him…He was handpicked to display the works of God…God isn’t causing this; He’s allowing it. God isn’t picking on us. He’s handpicked us to be His display…We can trust Him to lead us to it, through it, and past it. What feels horrible this day will be so very honorable that day. Hang on to God’s perspective. Give Jesus the weight of what you are carrying

.’ Lisa TerKeurst, It Wasn’t Supposed to be This Way, pp. 132-134.