Seeking Jesus First - April 14, 2026
“Who Sinned?”Please Read John 9:1–5 (NKJV)
Reflection
As Jesus passed by, He saw a man who had been blind from birth. The disciples immediately asked a question that many still ask today when they see suffering: “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”
They assumed the blindness had to be someone’s fault. In their minds, suffering was always the direct result of personal sin. While it is true that our own choices and lifestyle can sometimes bring trouble and even sickness upon us, not every hardship or affliction is the direct result of someone’s sin. Many things come through unexplained circumstances, the brokenness of this fallen world, or forces outside our control.
Jesus gave a surprising and freeing answer:
“Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him.”
He shifted the focus away from blame and fault-finding and placed it on purpose and glory. This man’s long years of darkness were not meaningless. They were about to become the stage on which the power and mercy of God would be displayed for all to see.
Jesus then declared, “I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”
In the Kingdom life, we are invited to stop spending so much energy asking “Who sinned?” and start asking “How can God be glorified in this?” Even the hardest, most unexplained circumstances in our lives can become the very place where the works of God are revealed — if we will bring them to Jesus.
Application
Today, bring before the Lord any area of your life where you have been asking “Why is this happening?” or “Whose fault is this?” Renew your mind with this truth: Not every difficulty is the result of personal sin, and even the hardest situations can become the stage for God’s glory. Release the need to assign blame. Instead, ask the Holy Spirit, “Lord, how do You want to be glorified in this?” Then take one step of obedience today — whether it is praying in faith, forgiving someone, or simply trusting Jesus as the Light in your darkness. Watch and expect God to reveal His works in your situation.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank You that Jesus does not leave us stuck in blame and fault-finding. Thank You that even in situations we cannot explain, You can still be glorified. Forgive us for the times we have focused more on assigning blame than on looking for Your glory. Renew our minds today. Help us bring every hardship, every unanswered question, and every area of suffering to Jesus, the Light of the World. Work Your works in us and through us so that Your glory may be revealed. In Jesus’ name, giving thanks for the living Word of the Lord. Amen.