No Explanation Required

Neither he nor his parents sinned; it is so that the works of God might be made visible through him. John 9:3

 We like explanations don’t we.  Our world surrounds us with technology, information and knowledge designed to explain and justify everything…until we hit one of those rough patches that we simply can’t make sense of.  We aren’t so good at meaning the words, “that’s just the way it is”.  We demand proof!  We are a society of highly intelligent humans after all, there should be a way to describe, defend and understand everything.  If there isn’t, then somebody must have lied or done something wrong because all things should make sense! If things don’t make sense, or if we don’t like the explanation we’ve been given, we set out looking for a spot to lay the blame.  I’ve discovered the more out of balance our society’s moral compass becomes; the harder it is to “accept” things we can’t explain.  God’s work included.

 After reading this story from John’s Gospel , I guess the game of prove or blame isn’t new.  The disciples were busy trying to figure out why the blind man was afflicted.  They wanted to lay blame or find fault in order to understand the situation but in a simple yet completely profound way Jesus explained the man’s situation.  His affliction was not to punish or to penalize…his situation was meant to magnify the amazing power of God. I’ve read this story a dozen times before, and I always thought of that man who lived on the streets in darkness with pity and sadness.  This time I saw him with different eyes. My feelings for this Gospel character turned from pity to something more like envy.  God chose the blind man in such a pitiful state to show His glory…what a lucky turn of events for him!  This Gospel reminded me of a conversation I had recently with a woman who just bubbles over with God’s love. She was speaking so tenderly about her brother who had recently lost his battle with cancer.  She shared her admiration and inspiration as she told his story. The part of the conversation that sunk deep into my heart was his reaction to the doctor’s proclamation of his condition…difficult news to say the least!  Upon hearing the news he told his sister how lucky he felt that God wanted him home in heaven at such an early age.  As tears stung in my eyes, it was easy to see why he was such an inspiration to her.  There was no blame, no need for explanation…it was simply a case of “accepting” a situation as the work of the Father.

The trouble with trying to explain and understand everything is that we can only do it through the lens of human knowledge.  God is the one with the wisdom and understanding to see how things are woven together from beginning to end.  We are only capable of seeing what’s right in front of us while God sees so much more. He knows the purpose for each situation…He knows what each event will prepare us for…He knows what will follow each disappointment and sadness… He knows the mighty and glorious ending to all of our stories.  If we are willing to accept the “happy ending” we so desperately look for, then we need to remember that His job is to prepare us for it.  Sickness, death, disappointment and afflictions aren’t meant to punish, they are meant to strengthen and renew and allow Him to show His mighty and powerful love for His children.  In our weakness He shows His strength.  That is the only explanation or understanding we ever need…simple as that!  The glory of His works on the other side of our struggle is more amazing than we can even begin to imagine.  I believe this with all my heart because that’s how much He loves us.  So the next time you’re in the middle of “yuck”,remind yourself that God is the only justification, understanding and explanation you need. Remind yourself that the glory He will show through your strife will be every bit as magnificent as the way the blind man felt the moment he washed the mud from his eyes and could see for the first time. Remember that God’s ways are not our ways...His are best and they don’t require explanation or understanding, just our trust! 
A Seed To Plant:  Read John 9:1-41 and make a list of situations you need to stop trying to understand, justify and explain and simply ask God to make you aware of the ways He’s working in them.​

Blessings on your day!