Finding Good in Suffering

​In John 9 we read that Jesus “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.’” (vv.1-3)  This is an important point to remember because when things go wrong in life, it can be easy and tempting to think that God is punishing us or that he is angry with us for some reason.  We can begin to wonder what we’ve done wrong.  But the reality is that most of the time we’ve done nothing wrong.  This is because throughout scripture when God punishes people for their sin or disobedience, he makes it clear to them that this is the case (see Num. 20:8-12; 2 Sam. 12:1-23; Acts 5:1-11).  Those God punishes for sin are never left wondering ‘why is this happening to me?’  Thus, as Jesus says regarding the blind man, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him.”  More often than not what God does in our lives—whether good or bad—is for our good and for his glory--that the works of God might be displayed.  This is especially true for believers.  We may not always know how the works of God are being displayed through what God is bringing us through or causing us to experience but be assured, if you are a believer, God is working everything in your life for your good and for his glory.  Trust that.  Rest in that.  Find peace and comfort in that.