March 28

and His disciples asked Him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but this happened so that the works of God would be displayed in him. — John 9:2-3 BSB

Are troubles sent to punish us for our sins? The people in Christ’s time thought so. But Jesus offered a different explanation. He said the man was blind so that the works of God might be displayed in his life. His blindness brought him into contact with Jesus, which led to a double blessing—the opening of his physical eyes and the opening of his soul’s eyes. Without his blindness, he may never have met Jesus or experienced this miracle.

Many blessings come through troubles. Jesus said Lazarus’s sickness was for God’s glory, that the Son of God might be glorified through it. Every sickness can be an opportunity for blessing, both for the person who is sick and for their friends. Every loss we suffer holds the potential for a gain that will more than compensate for what was lost. Every disappointment in life is meant to lead us to something better than what we had hoped for.