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.’”
Humans long to understand why suffering occurs; we long to think there is a cause to the suffering so that we can avoid those things and thus avoid our own suffering. Jesus’ response to the disciples in this passage negates our best efforts to explain, understand and avoid suffering.
It was not the sin of the blind man nor the sin of his parents that caused his infirmity; instead, it was an opportunity to see the power of God demonstrated in this man’s life. If that is true for this man, can that be true in our lives? Is there suffering in our lives that is out of our control, that has no cause except for us to experience the power of God and to live as testimonies to that power?
I won’t even begin to explain the reason for the coronavirus. I have no idea how it started and how God will use it. However, I know it is not out of his control, and I know that God can use it for his glory and our good.
How do you view suffering? How are you allowing God to work in your life and all the uncertainties of this virus today? Will you spend some time in prayer asking him to use this time to work in you and the world around you? Can you trust him to use the coronavirus as an instrument to showcase his might and glory?