♥ ♥ Day 6 ♥ ♥
God’s view of suffering
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 in him.” (John 9:1-3)
In His Sovereignty, God gave this man the condition of blindness at birth. He was unable to change his situation without God’s direct intervention.
In the suffering we see and experience, we don’t have Jesus standing there, explaining the purpose for the suffering. In fact, in the moment, it is very hard to see how suffering can bring God glory.
In Growing Your Faith, Jerry Bridges sums up three truths God’s Word teaches us about God and our adversities in this way:
God is completely sovereign. God is infinite in wisdom. God is perfect in love. God in His love always wills what is best for us. In His wisdom, He always knows what is best. And in His sovereignty, He has the power to bring it about.
These assurances can change the way we react to suffering. They give us the ability to look for evidence of God working in the darkness. They give us confidence to pray God’s words back to Him.
We can respectfully say, “Your Word says that You are the helper of the fatherless. It says that You have not forsaken the needy.” And we can pray for God to act.
In His Sovereignty He places each of us right where we are.
In His Sovereignty He uses suffering in our stories to bring us to Himself.
What is God’s view of suffering? What is His goal?
Romans 8:28
Psalm 40:1-3
2 Corinthians 4:17-18
Romans 5:1-11
James 1:2-4
1 Peter 1:3-7
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This is Day 6 of The Hope of the Helpless, a 7-day devotional I wrote as a guide for praying for orphans.
The Hope of the Helpless walks us through God’s heart for the helpless, His vision for their future, and His gracious invitation to join Him in caring for them.
In honor of the International Day of Prayer for Orphans, I am posting a devotional from The Hope of the Helpless each day this week.
I am looking forward to your responses, to having real conversations about orphan care, and to talking through your questions.
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