SCRIPTURE: Psalm 38
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
My wounds fester and stink because of my foolish sins. [Psalms 38:5]
As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man who had been blind from birth. “Rabbi,” his disciples asked him, “why was this man born blind? Was it because of his own sins or his parents’ sins?” “It was not because of his sins or his parents’ sins,” Jesus answered. “This happened so the power of God could be seen in him. [John 9:1-3]
In Psalm 38, David connects his physical suffering to “foolish sins” that he committed.
In John 9, Jesus says that the physical suffering of the blind man is not because of his (or his parents’) sins.
We need to acknowledge both of these possibilities: sometimes physical suffering is the result of our sinful choices, sometimes it is not.
In a general sense, all suffering is the result of sin; because we live in a sin-twisted world, things are not as they are supposed to be, and among other things this also means sickness and suffering.
But when it comes to specific instances of suffering, sometimes there is a direct correlation between a person’s choices, and sometimes there is not.
If I smoke all my life and get lung cancer, it is related to my choices; if I am diagnosed with prostate cancer, there is no obvious connection to my actions.
The interesting thing to note in regards to our health today is that most of the diseases facing us are lifestyle related.
In this twisted, messed up world, God allows us to freely choose, and to freely experience the consequences of those choices; He uses our choices and their consequences for His purpose , to get our attention and to draw us back.
God works through all suffering – whether self-imposed or not – to bring glory to Himself and help to us!
God uses David’s sin, and his repentance, to help him and others reach out to Him; God uses the blind man’s condition to help him and others reach out to Him.
Everything that happens, whether directly the consequence of our sin, or something that happens to us beyond our control, is designed by God to get our attention, to reveal our dependence on Him and to prompt us to look to Him!
As I look at my own life, at what I may be struggling with, I need to be open to the possibility that some of my struggle comes from my foolish choices.
Like David, I need to come clean, to be honest, to admit that I am doing stupid things – and ask for mercy and help.
And where my suffering is not related to my choices, there too I need to look to God, pray for His power to come to my aid, so that He may be glorified and I may be helped.
Either way, whatever happens, it ought to draw me closer to Him, more dependent on Him!
PRAYER:
Lord, like David I am aware of how choices I am making today are having negative consequences for my health (lack of exercise, proper diet, too much coffee, poor use of time, mixed priorities, etc). Help me not to blame You, but to come clean before You… Then show Your power and help me!