WEEKLY DEVOTIONAL: Beyond the Why

As Jesus and His disciples encountered a man who had been blind since birth (John 9), the disciples immediately asked a theological question: “Who did sin?” (v. 2). Their question reflected a common belief in first-century Judaism that suffering was often the direct result of personal or familial sin. While Scripture teaches that sin brought brokenness into the world (Genesis 3:17–19; Romans 5:12), many in Jesus’ day assumed that every affliction could be traced to a specific act of wrongdoing. Rather than seeing a person in need, the disciples saw a problem to solve. Yet Jesus would soon redirect their thinking from blame to purpose.

In the next verse, Jesus responds, “Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents, but that the works of God should be made manifest in him” (John 9:3). Christ was not denying the reality of sin’s effects on the world. Rather, He was correcting the assumption that every hardship is a direct punishment for a specific sin. Theologically, this reveals an important truth: God can work through suffering in ways we do not immediately understand. Joseph expressed a similar truth when he told his brothers, “Ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good” (Genesis 50:20). What appears meaningless to us may become a stage upon which God’s grace, power, and glory are displayed.

This passage challenges believers to be careful in the conclusions they draw about the struggles of others. Like the disciples, we are often tempted to ask “Why?” before asking “How can God be glorified?” Not every difficulty has a simple explanation. The book of Job reminds us that suffering is often more complex than human reasoning can comprehend (Job 42:1–3). It is important to look beyond the why. God’s perspective is higher than ours (Isaiah 55:8–9), and His purposes frequently extend beyond what we can see in the moment.

For believers today, this story offers both comfort and perspective. When facing hardship, we do not need to assume God is punishing us. Instead, we can look beyond the why, and we can trust that He is present and at work, even in circumstances we do not understand. Romans 8:28 assures us that God works all things together for good for those who love Him. Sometimes the greatest act of faith is to stop demanding explanations and start trusting that God can bring purpose out of pain and light out of darkness. Praise the Lord.