Once we are aware of God's power and goodness in the midst of tragedy, we learn that suffering provides an experience of godly worship. The man stood firm to his confession, and the Pharisees remained true to their threats. They expelled the former blind man from the synagogue. They refused to consider his healing as a valid gift from God, and brought swift judgment.
This is an amazing action on the part of these religious leaders. Personally, I am skeptical by nature. I have known of "faith-healers" that stage an event to appear to be a real miracle from God. I have even heard testimonies of people who claim they were miraculously healed at a "miracle service." Often it is a cure for a disease that is unseen, so it is impossible to tell if they were actually healed of anything.
However, in the case of this blind man, everyone knew he had been blind from birth. There was no doubt about his blindness, and no question was ever raised about his ability to see. The Pharisees simply ignored the evidence, and made a judgment based on prejudice. As a result, they missed a tremendous opportunity for worship.
When Jesus heard of the man's expulsion from the synagogue, He came to offer something even more important than restored eyesight. Jesus offered spiritual vision to go with his new found physical vision. "Do you believe in the Son of Man?"
The man answered and said, "And who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?"
Jesus said to him, "You have both seen Him, and He is the one who is talking with you."
Finally, the man said, "Lord, I believe,” and he worshipped Him.
The entire story built to this ending and confession by the blind man. The consequence of this man's suffering was true worship.
As a 13 year-old boy, I remember the beginning of a Sunday night worship service being interrupted by a report that Sam Davis had suffered a serious heart attack. Sam was a favorite of all the kids in church, and the news was a shock to everyone.
Instead of continuing with the planned service, the church held a prayer meeting as Sam was being loaded into the ambulance. Before we left church that evening, word came from the hospital that Sam was fine, and would be sent home very soon. He had miraculously recovered from a serious illness.
Any Christian who has prayed very often can give a similar testimony. Sometimes God breaks into our lives and provides an astounding display of His power. When He does, there is no other response than to give Him glory. At those times, we know the purpose of suffering is that “the works of God might be displayed.”
There is another approach that God often takes in response to our suffering. He does not always alter our situation; sometimes He alters our estimation of our condition.
We can all testify that God does not always bring healing or instant relief from suffering. However, that does not mean that He is not working, or that we cannot see His works displayed. Paul's familiar "thorn in the flesh" experience provides insight into another method of God's operation.
And because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to buffet me --- to keep me from exalting myself! Concerning this I entreated the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness." Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore, I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecution, with difficulties, for Christ's sake; for when I am week, then I am strong (II Corinthians 12:7-10).
Much has been written about Paul's "thorn in the flesh" and I do not know if I can add any additional insight. However, for the purposes of our discussion, let me say a few things about his position in life.
It is called a thorn in the "flesh." The term flesh is used to identify both, the inner, sinful nature of man and the actual physical body. Obviously, if Paul had a thorn in his sinful nature, he would not seek divine deliverance. Within this context, it is the physical flesh. He was suffering from a physical problem.
It is significant that Paul used the term "thorn." This term should not be understood as a sticker or splinter. It described a sharpened spike, buried in the ground, and covered with grass. Approaching soldiers or horses would step on the thorn, piercing their foot or leg. It would incapacitate them for battle. When Paul uses this term he is describing a physically painful condition.
God had a definite purpose in allowing this condition. The purpose was to keep Paul from exalting himself. Apparently, Paul had a great spiritual experience (see 2 Corinthians 12:1-6), the kind that would cause many people to boast. In order to keep Paul humble, he was afflicted with a condition that would keep his pride in check.
When faced with a problem or suffering, Paul knew where to turn. Three times he prayed and asked God to alter his situation. Paul's prayer was very specific and it is not surprising that he asked that this painful condition "might depart from me." That is the natural prayer of a person in the midst of suffering. At the onset of difficulties, our first response is to pray for deliverance. There is nothing unspiritual about such an approach.
It is also important to note that Paul did not beg endlessly. Instead, he prayed three times. There is nothing magical or significant about the number three. He simply prayed until he received God's reply.
God answered Paul's prayer, not by altering his situation, but by altering his estimation of the condition. The memorable response by God contains two critical truths: the sufficiency of grace, and the power of weakness.
What God is saying is that we do not need health when we have the grace of God. In fact, all that we truly need is the grace of God.
Paul had learned this lesson many ways: whether it was sleepless nights agonizing over a painful physical condition, or sleeping on the cold stones of a Roman dungeon. When we have God's grace, there is no other need.
If I am allowed to paraphrase, it can read, God's power is made perfect in man's weakness. It is characteristic of God to work through the weakness of men. Moses, lacking in the ability to speak with confidence, confronted Pharaoh, the mightiest man in the world. He used Samson, the potent man who killed more of God's enemies after he was blinded and chained, than during his whole life. David, the youngest and most unlikely son of Jesse, became the most stalwart king in Israel's history. Jesus cast aside equality with God to crawl into a Bethlehem feed trough, in order to conquer the world. In our weakness, we recognize our need of God. At that moment, God is able to perfect His power within us.
Paul's response to God's answer reveals how we should react when God does not alter our situation. His estimation of his life was characterized by confidence. He had great confidence because he was now boasting in the power of God, not in his own accomplishments and abilities. Essentially, he traded his self-confidence for the power of God. It does not matter what we can do; only what God can do through us.
The word "therefore" signifies a huge change in Paul's thinking. Instead of pleading for God's miraculous healing, he had learned to be content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties . . .
After my serious bout with polio as an infant, I regained some use of my arms and legs, but did not have the strength of a normal child. In spite of constant physical therapy, it seemed that the doctor's prognosis that I would never walk, would be true.
My mother remained hopeful through her prayers and efforts. She cared for my every need, working and praying that I would be able to live a normal life. When I grew up and left home on my own, she wrote these words:
You are an adult now. I can no longer lift you and carry you - and protect you as I had in the past . . .. I am very thankful that you can now take care of yourself both physically and financially. This is what I had hoped you would be able to do. Even though you had not experienced the physical healing I had hoped and prayed for, I am thankful for what you can do. 2 Corinthians 12:9 says that God's grace was sufficient and through our weakness we had to look to His strength. Your personality, your patience, your smile, and concern for others has been an inspiration to many whose life you could never have touched otherwise.
She taught me that there is more than one way to see the works of God. In every problem and experience of suffering, I have seen the power of God. When my wife gave birth to our first son, a thousand miles from the nearest family member, complications called for emergency surgery. As I stood in the hospital hallway, watching them wheel Sharon to surgery, through the tears in my eyes, I saw the power of God.
When a rattlesnake bit my two-year-old son Matthew, and we had to make the 30-mile trip to the nearest hospital, I saw the power of God.
When our youngest son had spinal meningitis at four weeks of age, I saw the power of God.
When doctors told us that Sharon had cancer, in the midst of the most difficult six months of our lives, we saw the power of God.
When a church where I had invested 13 years of my life disappointed me, I saw the power of God.
Sometimes, His power was displayed as He miraculously altered a situation. Other times, His power was recognized simply as He altered my estimation. Every time I have opened myself to the ways of God, His power has been clearly revealed.
In the midst of your suffering, have you seen the power of God? Perhaps God has miraculously intervened, as He did with the blind man, and radically changed your life. More likely, He has spoken the great words of assurance; My grace is sufficient.
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