John 9:1-3 – As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. And his disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him.”
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This piece of text shatters for us two bits of false thinking that are quite common among those who believe themselves to believe the Bible. Jesus’ disciples, while walking with him in the temple area, point out to him a blind man—blind from birth. The apostles wonder if he is blind because of his own sin, or if it is the sin of his parents that has caused the man to be born blind. But Jesus lets the disciples know that it is not due to either the man’s nor his parents’ sin that he is blind. The reason that the man is blind is so that the works, the power, the glory of God might be displayed in this man’s life.
The first piece of false thinking that this passage does away with for us is the notion that all of our suffering is the direct result of our own sin or the sin of someone connected to us. I am not, by any means, arguing that never do we suffer as a direct result of our own sin. Suffering the consequences of sin is suffering that directly results from sin. So, a person who loses an arm because of an accident he had while driving under the influence of alcohol is suffering direct results of sin. I am also not arguing that no person suffers the chastisement of God for sins they commit, even if that chastisement does not appear to be connected to the sin in any way. And, of course, all human suffering is the result of man’s original sin in the garden. But what is clear in this passage is that we can never look at a person’s suffering and assume that their particular suffering is because of their particular sin. WE simply do not have that kind of insight into the plans and purposes of God.
The second false thought that this passage dispels is the one that I find more interesting. This passage takes away from us the notion that God would never allow his people to suffer. Many teachers and pew-sitters believe that, if they are good people who strive to live their best lives now, they will most certainly not suffer. They believe that God would never allow them to suffer blindness or some other form of disease if they are wholeheartedly devoted to him. However, this passage denies such a thought. God allowed this man to live a life of blindness. Why? Not out of the man’s sin, nor out of the man’s lack of faith; rather, God allowed this man to be born and live to adulthood as a blind person in order that God’s works might be seen in his life. God determined that it is better that this man suffer the difficulties of being a blind person in that first century culture if, by doing so, God might display to the man and to the world around him God’s own mighty power and awesome glory.
So, are you suffering? Two things you can not assume. First, you can not assume that you are suffering because God is punishing you or someone you know for sin. Second, you can not assume that God has nothing to do with your suffering. Instead, you should recognize that God, the very God who is in total control, has chosen to allow you this time of suffering in order that you might somehow demonstrate the glory of God. God wants us to realize that this world is not our home and its comforts are not ours. We are not made to exist for this mere 70 years of life. Instead, he has created us as instruments through which his glory will be displayed. When we experience that glory, we get a taste of the wonder and beauty of eternity; we get a glimpse of why we are created.
No one, at least no one normal, enjoys suffering. I’m certainly not trying to imply that we should either. But, if we will realize that our suffering is neither a punishment from God nor a sign that we have somehow missed his will, we will better be able to grasp that we can suffer to his glory. Since God’s glory is our souls’ satisfaction, the glory we experience outweighs even the pain.
Finally, if you do not know me, you might wonder how I could write such a thing. It certainly may seem that I am taking suffering like the man’s blindness and giving it very little attention. So, though I seldom point to my own life as an example of anything, I will be sure that you understand that I write this as a blind person. I was born legally blind, and my vision greatly diminished in my college years. At this point in life, I can not see my wife or children, and I do not use my eyes to accomplish any form of work. Yet, I understand, by God’s grace, that this slight and momentary affliction will be far outweighed by the surpassing glory of eternity. If I suffer, I suffer in order that the glory of God might be displayed. Such suffering is something I will willingly undergo if only I can be a part of displaying for the world the glorious works of my God.
What about you? What are you willing to suffer if only God’s glory might be revealed?
Pastor Travis Peterson 
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You say in your article that no one normal enjoys suffering. I would heartily agree with that. The apostle Paul was certainly not normal, so it comes as no surprise when he says, “I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake” (Colossians 1:24). I would posit, however, that Christians should seek to grow in their walk with Christ to the point that they would enjoy suffering for the cause of Christ.In the great martyrdom tale of Perpetua and Felicitas, Perpetua is put into the arena with a ferocious cow for the crime of converting to Christ. After the cow throws her through the air, her hair comes down. She calls for a halt to the proceedings and asks to retie her hair, because loose hair was a sign of mourning, and this day was to be a joyful day for her.Oh for the day when Christians in America can recapture the joy in taking up our crosses and following Christ. And we should rejoice because his glory is being displayed in our suffering.
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i am very encouraged by your post travis…just what i needed to hear now…=)
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