Transforming Pain into Purpose: God's Redemptive Work
Summary
Life is full of moments that feel deeply unfair—circumstances we never asked for, pain we didn’t cause, burdens we never wanted to carry. Whether it’s the heartbreak of a broken family, the sting of betrayal, the weight of illness, or the ache of loss, these experiences can leave us asking, “Why did this happen to me?” But there’s a better question to ask: “What does God want to do with this?” When we shift our focus from the unanswerable “why” to the redemptive “what now,” we open ourselves to the transforming work of God in our lives.
In John 9, Jesus encounters a man blind from birth. The disciples want to know whose sin caused this suffering—his or his parents’. But Jesus redirects their question, saying it’s not about blame or cause, but about the works of God being displayed. The man’s blindness becomes the very place where God’s glory is revealed. Jesus doesn’t just heal the man; He sends him—mud still on his eyes—to the pool called Siloam, which means “sent.” The healing is not just for the man’s benefit, but for the sake of witness and mission.
Our pain and suffering, as unfair as they may seem, are not wasted in God’s hands. When we surrender our need for answers and allow God to work through our brokenness, He brings healing, empathy, and even miracles. Sometimes, the scars remain, but even those can become sources of compassion and ministry to others. We don’t have to have all the answers; sometimes, “I don’t know” is the most honest and freeing response we can give. What matters is that we trust Jesus enough to obey, to go and wash, to step into the unknown, and to let our stories become testimonies of His grace.
The gospel is not just about being saved from something, but being sent for something. God meets us in our pain, transforms us, and then calls us to carry that hope to others. The invitation is to surrender—not just our suffering, but our need to understand it—and to let God use every part of our story for His glory and the good of others.
Key Takeaways
- The question “Why did this happen to me?” often leads to bitterness and a sense of injustice, trapping us in cycles of pain. But when we ask, “What does God want to do with this?” we open ourselves to God’s redemptive work, allowing Him to bring purpose and healing out of our suffering. This shift in perspective is the beginning of freedom. [13:51]
- Our identity is not defined by our wounds, our past, or the labels others have placed on us. Just as the blind man’s entire life was shaped by his condition, Jesus offers a new identity rooted in His love and power. When we encounter Christ, we are no longer defined by what has happened to us, but by what He has done in us. [23:35]
- God does not waste our suffering. Even when healing is partial or scars remain, He uses our pain to cultivate empathy, compassion, and ministry to others. The very places of our deepest hurt can become the places where God’s glory is most powerfully displayed, both in our lives and in the lives of those we serve. [28:28]
- We don’t need to have all the answers to be faithful witnesses. The blind man simply shared what Jesus had done for him, even when he couldn’t explain everything or answer every question. There is freedom in admitting “I don’t know,” trusting that God is big enough to handle the mysteries and questions we cannot resolve. [31:32]
- The gospel is both saving and sending. God’s work in our lives is never meant to end with us; we are called to be conduits, not reservoirs, of His grace. When we surrender our pain and our stories to Him, He sends us out to bring hope and healing to others, turning our suffering into a mission field. [35:57]
Youtube Chapters
[00:00] - Welcome
[01:53] - Introducing My Family and Reflections on Weddings
[07:37] - When Life Feels Unfair
[13:05] - The Wrong Question: Why?
[13:51] - The Trap of Bitterness
[15:18] - Felicia’s Story: Facing the Impossible
[16:36] - Jesus Heals the Blind Man
[17:46] - The Strange Method of Healing
[18:28] - The Journey to Siloam
[19:53] - When God Changes a Life
[23:35] - Identity and Transformation
[25:50] - The Simplicity of Testimony
[27:32] - Miraculous Healing and Lingering Scars
[29:36] - God Uses Our Pain
[31:32] - Freedom in Not Knowing
[32:40] - Surrendering the Why
[35:57] - The Gospel Saves and Sends
[37:42] - Responding to Jesus’ Call
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
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### Bible Reading
John 9:1-12 (ESV)
> 1 As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. 2 And his disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” 3 Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him. 4 We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work. 5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” 6 Having said these things, he spit on the ground and made mud with the saliva. Then he anointed the man's eyes with the mud 7 and said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means Sent). So he went and washed and came back seeing. 8 The neighbors and those who had seen him before as a beggar were saying, “Is this not the man who used to sit and beg?” 9 Some said, “It is he.” Others said, “No, but he is like him.” He kept saying, “I am the man.” 10 So they said to him, “Then how were your eyes opened?” 11 He answered, “The man called Jesus made mud and anointed my eyes and said to me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash.’ So I went and washed and received my sight.” 12 They said to him, “Where is he?” He said, “I do not know.”
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### Observation Questions
1. What question did the disciples ask Jesus about the blind man, and how did Jesus respond? (John 9:2-3)
2. What did Jesus do to heal the blind man, and what instructions did he give him? (John 9:6-7)
3. How did the people who knew the blind man react after he was healed? (John 9:8-9)
4. In the sermon, what does the pastor say is the “wrong question” to ask when we face suffering? [13:05]
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### Interpretation Questions
1. Why do you think Jesus refused to answer the disciples’ question about blame and instead focused on what God wanted to do through the man’s suffering? [13:05]
2. The sermon says that asking “Why did this happen to me?” can lead to bitterness. Why is this, and how does changing the question to “What does God want to do with this?” change our perspective? [13:51]
3. The blind man didn’t have all the answers about his healing—he simply shared what Jesus did for him. What does this teach us about sharing our own stories of faith, even when we don’t have everything figured out? [31:32]
4. The sermon mentions that our identity is not defined by our wounds or our past, but by what Jesus has done in us. What does this mean for how we see ourselves and others? [23:35]
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### Application Questions
1. Think about a time in your life when something unfair or painful happened to you. Did you find yourself asking “Why me?” How did that affect your heart and your relationship with God? [13:51]
2. Is there a situation right now where you are stuck in the “why” question? What would it look like to surrender that question and instead ask, “God, what do you want to do with this?” [33:58]
3. The blind man obeyed Jesus’ strange instructions, even though he didn’t understand everything. Is there something God is asking you to do that doesn’t make sense right now? What would it take to trust and obey? [16:36]
4. The sermon shared how scars and ongoing struggles can become places where God uses us to help others. Can you think of a pain or struggle in your life that God might want to use to encourage or minister to someone else? [28:28]
5. The pastor said, “We don’t have to have all the answers; sometimes, ‘I don’t know’ is the most honest and freeing response.” Are you comfortable admitting when you don’t know something about faith or your story? Why or why not? [31:32]
6. The gospel is not just about being saved, but about being sent. Who in your life might need to hear your story of what Jesus has done for you? How could you share it simply, like the blind man did? [35:57]
7. The sermon invites us to surrender not just our suffering, but our need to understand it. What is one step you can take this week to surrender control and trust God with your story? [32:40]
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Devotional
Day 1: God’s Purpose in Our Suffering
When we encounter pain, loss, or unfair circumstances, it’s easy to get trapped in the question of “why”—why did this happen to me? But Jesus redirects us to a better question: “What does God want to do with this?” Shifting our focus from the cause of our suffering to God’s purpose in it opens us up to hope, healing, and transformation. Instead of letting bitterness take root, we can trust that God desires to display His works in and through our struggles, using even our deepest wounds for His glory and our good. [13:51]
John 9:1-3 (ESV)
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.”
Reflection: What is one area of pain or unfairness in your life where you can stop asking “why” and begin asking, “God, what do you want to do with this?” Pray and listen for His answer today.
Day 2: Obedience in the Unknown
Sometimes, Jesus calls us to take steps of faith that don’t make sense, or that feel uncomfortable and confusing. The blind man in John 9 didn’t ask for healing, yet Jesus put mud on his eyes and told him to go wash in a distant pool. He obeyed, even though he couldn’t see the outcome, and his obedience led to transformation. God often asks us to trust Him in the unknown, to move forward even when we don’t have all the answers, believing that He is working for our good. [18:28]
John 9:6-7 (ESV)
Having said these things, he spit on the ground and made mud with the saliva. Then he anointed the man’s eyes with the mud and said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means Sent). So he went and washed and came back seeing.
Reflection: Where is God asking you to take a step of obedience today, even if you don’t fully understand why? What would it look like to trust Him and move forward?
Day 3: Your Story is Powerful
The man who was healed didn’t have a complicated testimony or all the theological answers—he simply shared what Jesus had done for him. “I was blind, now I see.” Our stories of encountering Jesus, no matter how simple, are powerful and can point others to Him. You don’t have to have it all figured out to be a witness; just share honestly what God has done in your life and let Him use your story to impact others. [25:50]
John 9:10-11 (ESV)
So they said to him, “Then how were your eyes opened?” He answered, “The man called Jesus made mud and anointed my eyes and said to me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash.’ So I went and washed and received my sight.”
Reflection: What is your “I was… but now…” story with Jesus? Who is one person you can share this with this week?
Day 4: God Redeems Our Pain for Others
God never wastes our suffering. When we surrender our pain to Him, He can use it to bring comfort, empathy, and healing to others who are walking through similar struggles. The scars and stories we carry can become bridges of hope for those around us, as God redeems what was broken and uses it for His purposes. Instead of letting your pain define you, let God use it to serve and bless others. [28:28]
2 Corinthians 1:3-4 (ESV)
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.
Reflection: Who in your life is walking through a pain you understand? How can you reach out to them and offer comfort or encouragement from your own experience?
Day 5: The Gospel Saves and Sends
The good news of Jesus is not just for us to receive and hold onto—it’s meant to move through us to others. Just as the blind man was healed and then sent, we are called to be part of God’s mission, sharing the hope and freedom we’ve found in Christ. Don’t let your life become a reservoir that holds the gospel in; let it be a river that carries God’s love and redemption to those around you. [36:55]
John 9:4-5 (ESV)
We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.
Reflection: In what specific way can you share the hope of the gospel with someone this week—through words, actions, or service? Ask God to show you who He is sending you to.
Quotes
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