"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 would be born blind ?" Jesus answered, "It was neither that this man sinned, nor his parents ; but it was so that the works of God might be displayed in him." --John 9: 1-3
In this amazing New Testament story, a man's sight is given to him by Jesus after he's lived his whole life thus far blind. At this time, the Pharisees told people that if they committed certain sins, then God would give them certain illnesses as punishments. So Jesus' disciples wanted to know why this man was born blind; could it have been in punishment of something his parents did before he was born? Jesus' answer reveals a wonderful truth about God in our lives:
In this amazing New Testament story, a man's sight is given to him by Jesus after he's lived his whole life thus far blind. At this time, the Pharisees told people that if they committed certain sins, then God would give them certain illnesses as punishments. So Jesus' disciples wanted to know why this man was born blind; could it have been in punishment of something his parents did before he was born? Jesus' answer reveals a wonderful truth about God in our lives:
Everything is for the glory of God. It's not about you.
That man was not blind through a certain fault that he had; after all, everyone sins! He was blind "so that the works of God might be displayed in him." And God used this circumstance in the man's life to lead him to a knowledge of Jesus Christ. It was also for the man's own good that he was blind.
I'm absolutely certain that the blind man was not happy about being blind. He didn't think, "Hurray! God made me blind for a wonderful reason that I just don't know yet. I must be so special." I'm sure that he did not want to be blind. Yet God used that circumstance for great good, and that man's healing and faith are still witnesses to people today.
That man was not blind through a certain fault that he had; after all, everyone sins! He was blind "so that the works of God might be displayed in him." And God used this circumstance in the man's life to lead him to a knowledge of Jesus Christ. It was also for the man's own good that he was blind.
I'm absolutely certain that the blind man was not happy about being blind. He didn't think, "Hurray! God made me blind for a wonderful reason that I just don't know yet. I must be so special." I'm sure that he did not want to be blind. Yet God used that circumstance for great good, and that man's healing and faith are still witnesses to people today.
God's plans for out lives are good, even when we can't see why. And they are meant to give glory to God while helping His chosen people to grow closer to Him. I was struck with another example of this while reading the story of Joseph.
Do you remember what happened to Joseph? It all started when Jacob, Joseph's father, was tricked into marrying Leah instead of Rachel. He got to marry Rachel too eventually, but then the two sisters were stuck in an impossible situation. Leah knew that Jacob loved Rachel more than her. And Rachel was barren, while Leah easily gave birth to numerous sons to carry on Jacob's seed. So of course it was very natural for their children to hate each other. Rachel finally gave birth (to Joseph), and Jacob made him his favorite child, simply because he was Rachel's. Now Leah's sons had two reasons to hate Joseph: He was Rachel's son, and their father loved him more than them.
This sets the stage for Joseph's life story. Through interesting circumstances, Leah's sons are alone with Joseph out in the middle of nowhere. And they're more than normally angry with him. They almost decide to kill him, but then determine that selling him into slavery is a better idea.
Do you remember what happened to Joseph? It all started when Jacob, Joseph's father, was tricked into marrying Leah instead of Rachel. He got to marry Rachel too eventually, but then the two sisters were stuck in an impossible situation. Leah knew that Jacob loved Rachel more than her. And Rachel was barren, while Leah easily gave birth to numerous sons to carry on Jacob's seed. So of course it was very natural for their children to hate each other. Rachel finally gave birth (to Joseph), and Jacob made him his favorite child, simply because he was Rachel's. Now Leah's sons had two reasons to hate Joseph: He was Rachel's son, and their father loved him more than them.
This sets the stage for Joseph's life story. Through interesting circumstances, Leah's sons are alone with Joseph out in the middle of nowhere. And they're more than normally angry with him. They almost decide to kill him, but then determine that selling him into slavery is a better idea.
So they do.
He was sold by his own brothers into slavery. Can you imagine your siblings doing that to you? This turns out pretty well, however, considering the circumstances. A good man (Potiphar) buys Joseph and treats him well, and pretty soon he's in charge of Potiphar's whole household, because he is blessed by God in everything he does. But then, through no fault of his own, he's thrown into prison.
The same thing happens in the prison that happened in Potiphar's house: Joseph is promoted over and over again until he's in a good position in the prison. He continues to honor God and do good things through this whole ordeal, and eventually he is second in command to Pharoh. Because of his obedience to God, he is able to save many people from starving to death when a great famine comes over the land. And after all that, this is what Joseph has to say about what God has done with his life:
"Then Joseph said to his brothers, "Please come closer to me." And they came closer. And he said, "I am your brother Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. "Now do not be grieved or angry with yourselves, because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life. "For the famine has been in the land these two years, and there are still five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvesting. "God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant in the earth, and to keep you alive by a great deliverance. "Now, therefore, it was not you who sent me here, but God ; and He has made me a father to Pharaoh and lord of all his household and ruler over all the land of Egypt." --Genesis 45:4-8
I don't know about you, but Joseph's words here always blow me out of the water! Joseph truly got it; he understood why his life had unfolded a certain way. Eventually, Joseph's father is reunited with him. Jacob is overjoyed to see his son again, and Joseph introduces his father to Pharoh:
He was sold by his own brothers into slavery. Can you imagine your siblings doing that to you? This turns out pretty well, however, considering the circumstances. A good man (Potiphar) buys Joseph and treats him well, and pretty soon he's in charge of Potiphar's whole household, because he is blessed by God in everything he does. But then, through no fault of his own, he's thrown into prison.
The same thing happens in the prison that happened in Potiphar's house: Joseph is promoted over and over again until he's in a good position in the prison. He continues to honor God and do good things through this whole ordeal, and eventually he is second in command to Pharoh. Because of his obedience to God, he is able to save many people from starving to death when a great famine comes over the land. And after all that, this is what Joseph has to say about what God has done with his life:
"Then Joseph said to his brothers, "Please come closer to me." And they came closer. And he said, "I am your brother Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. "Now do not be grieved or angry with yourselves, because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life. "For the famine has been in the land these two years, and there are still five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvesting. "God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant in the earth, and to keep you alive by a great deliverance. "Now, therefore, it was not you who sent me here, but God ; and He has made me a father to Pharaoh and lord of all his household and ruler over all the land of Egypt." --Genesis 45:4-8
I don't know about you, but Joseph's words here always blow me out of the water! Joseph truly got it; he understood why his life had unfolded a certain way. Eventually, Joseph's father is reunited with him. Jacob is overjoyed to see his son again, and Joseph introduces his father to Pharoh:
"Then Joseph brought his father Jacob and presented him to Pharaoh ; and Jacob blessed Pharaoh. Pharaoh said to Jacob, "How many years have you lived ?" So Jacob said to Pharaoh, "The years of my sojourning are one hundred and thirty ; few and unpleasant have been the years of my life, nor have they attained the years that my fathers lived during the days of their sojourning." "--Genesis 47:7-9
"Few and unpleasant have been the days of my life"?! What a contrast! Whose life seems harder to you, Joseph's or Jacob's? I would definitely say Joseph's. And yet who is complaining? Jacob. Joseph is busy glorifying God.
"Few and unpleasant have been the days of my life"?! What a contrast! Whose life seems harder to you, Joseph's or Jacob's? I would definitely say Joseph's. And yet who is complaining? Jacob. Joseph is busy glorifying God.
Challenges and trials shape us into the people that God wants us to be. Joseph had learned through his troubles that God worked everything in his life for good. (Romans 8:28) He was able to look at the brothers who sold him into slavery in a foreign land and say, "Now do not be grieved or angry with yourselves, because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life." Most of us will never be sold into slavery, but imagine what would happen if we were able to look at seemingly huge disappointments and thank God for them instead of complaining about them? Jacob chose to sit in misery and slowly waste away once he reached difficulties. He said ,"...few and unpleasant have been the years of my life...". How have you chosen to react in your life?
In every life there are trials and seasons of tribulation. Even if they're not direct, we all experience watching others go through them. But the plans that God has for our lives are good. (Jeremiah 29:11, Romans 8:28) We can grow through the trials God allows, remembering that God works for our good, or we can waste away complaining like Jacob. What will you choose? Are you going to be a Joseph or a Jacob?
In every life there are trials and seasons of tribulation. Even if they're not direct, we all experience watching others go through them. But the plans that God has for our lives are good. (Jeremiah 29:11, Romans 8:28) We can grow through the trials God allows, remembering that God works for our good, or we can waste away complaining like Jacob. What will you choose? Are you going to be a Joseph or a Jacob?
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