“Rejoice always, pray constantly, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, RSV)
It’s easy to see the good things that come into my life as blessings from God. It’s ‘way harder to recognize the “bad stuff” – problems, frustrations, my own and others’ failures, all manner of pain – as actual blessings from a good God who is all love and wants only my best. The God who was able to bring the greatest blessing ever (the salvation of mankind and all of creation!) from the worst injustice imaginable (the murder of Jesus Christ, the spotless Son of God!) is certainly able to “make all things work for [my] good”! I believe this truth theologically; however I often fail to react accordingly when these unwelcome things arrive in my life, for I’m frequently irritable and sometimes self-pitying.
In the Gospel of John chapter 9, Jesus heals the man born blind. That fellow stands for all of us, for every one of us is born unable to see spiritually, hampered as we are by original sin. Only as we receive the healing touch of Jesus, and the Holy Spirit opens our hearts and minds to the Truth are we actually able to see beyond our mundane, earthbound perspective. I may be wrong, but I don’t think there are any other instances of people born blind acquiring vision in the Scriptures besides those involving the Son of God. Only Jesus heals blindness.
I also am in need of Jesus’s touch to cure my own “blindness”, my spiritual vision which is so often cloudy and distorted. I’m so often unable to really see, to view the things happening in my life as actual blessings, for they all are opportunities for God to demonstrate his power, love, wisdom and mercy.
My personal suffering on its own has no intrinsic value; it is merely the fruit of a fallen world and perhaps even my own sin. It is only as I by faith choose to unite my suffering with his that the transformative power and love of the Cross of Jesus Christ gives it any redemptive value. This is part of the privilege – and burden – of being a member of Christ’s very own Body. He expects me to take up my cross and follow him. He bore the Cross for me; I can choose to carry my own for love of him, choosing to trust his wisdom and goodness despite what things look like on the face of it.
And I can even learn to thank him in the midst of everything. I can remind myself of the infinite love, power and goodness of the One who seeks only to transform my suffering through his Cross of infinite Love into something good, something beyond my limited vision, something like a resurrection.
Lessons From Love School 
Hi Chris,
Thanks again for sharing your wisdom. Sometimes people tend to interpret Paul’s words as giving thanks “for” all circumstances instead of “in” all circumstances. Sometimes believers declare they are holding on to the promises of God or state, “I’m standing on the promises of God” (BTW there’s an old hymn with that same title, “Standing On The Promises”) The expectation is focused on all the good and positive promises. However, if we declare we are standing on God’s promises, that means all of them. Jesus stated in John 16:33 that in this world we will have trouble. Are we willing to claim that promise? How about James 1:2, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds..” (NIV) Are we willing to embrace those trials? When Ananias was sent to heal Paul, he was scared to go rightly so because of Paul’s reputation as a persecutor of the followers of Christ. Jesus responded, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. I will show him how much he must suffer for My name.” (Acts 9:15-16 NIV) As you wisely pointed out, suffering for Christ is not about punishment but the privilege of learning to trust Him more and more while waiting for His return and our eternal reward.
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