What Did I Do Wrong?
Have you ever had something happen in your life that left you wondering, What did I do wrong to deserve this? If you haven’t yet, I can assure you that eventually you will. Life can be cruel like that.
Disappointments, sickness, loss, and tragedy are a part of life. It’s not something we talk about often, but the truth is when those things happen, most of us find ourselves asking the question: God, where are You?
In my 20+ years of pastoring people, and in my own personal journey, I’ve seen the same question surface time and again: What did I do wrong?
“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 (NLT)
The disciples asked what seemed like a valid question: Whose fault is it? Someone must be to blame. Some sin, some curse, some mistake must explain it. Help us make sense of it, Jesus.
But Jesus’ answer doesn’t follow their logic: “This happened so the power of God could be seen in him.”
That answer can feel hard at first. It doesn’t give us a quick resolution. Yet, it points us to a greater reality: brokenness is not always the result of personal sin. We live in a fallen world, and sometimes pain, disease, and tragedy are simply part of that reality. But even there, God’s power can be revealed.
What I’ve come to know in my own journey is that God’s power shines brightest in my weakest moments. When I’ve faced my deepest doubts and most painful losses, that’s where His love has shown up most clearly. When my faith was exhausted, He met me with grace and mercy.
Faith is only theory until it’s tested. And life will test our faith. The truth is, no one has to sin for brokenness to exist. It’s the condition of the world we live in. In John 9, yes, Jesus healed the blind man, but that man and his parents still had to live in brokenness until the healing came.
Part of discipleship is learning to surrender to this reality: following Jesus means it’s not all about me; it’s all about Him. His glory, His purpose, His presence, even in hardship.
“This happened so the power of God could be seen in him.” —Jesus
Following Jesus is not the wide path, but the narrow one. It’s not the easy path, but the hard one. It doesn’t guarantee wealth or comfort in this life, but it does promise His presence, His strength, and His faithfulness through every trial.
So when we ask, What did I do wrong? Maybe the answer is: nothing. Maybe God is using the very place of your pain to reveal Himself in ways greater than you could imagine.
Religion will always put the spotlight back on us: on our performance, our worthiness, our effort. But the gospel puts the spotlight on Jesus. His love is not earned. His presence is not purchased. His grace is not dependent on how well we perform.
And that is good news when life leaves us asking hard questions.
Journal: Where in my life am I assuming pain or hardship is my fault, when it may actually be an invitation to see God’s power more clearly?
Prayer: Father, thank You that my pain and hardships are not wasted. Forgive me for the times I’ve assumed that every difficulty was somehow my fault. Help me see my struggles through the lens of Your love and purpose. Remind me that You are present in weakness, that You bring healing in Your time, and that Your power is made perfect when I surrender to You. Teach me to trust You, even when I don’t understand. Amen.
Disappointments, sickness, loss, and tragedy are a part of life. It’s not something we talk about often, but the truth is when those things happen, most of us find ourselves asking the question: God, where are You?
In my 20+ years of pastoring people, and in my own personal journey, I’ve seen the same question surface time and again: What did I do wrong?
“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 (NLT)
The disciples asked what seemed like a valid question: Whose fault is it? Someone must be to blame. Some sin, some curse, some mistake must explain it. Help us make sense of it, Jesus.
But Jesus’ answer doesn’t follow their logic: “This happened so the power of God could be seen in him.”
That answer can feel hard at first. It doesn’t give us a quick resolution. Yet, it points us to a greater reality: brokenness is not always the result of personal sin. We live in a fallen world, and sometimes pain, disease, and tragedy are simply part of that reality. But even there, God’s power can be revealed.
What I’ve come to know in my own journey is that God’s power shines brightest in my weakest moments. When I’ve faced my deepest doubts and most painful losses, that’s where His love has shown up most clearly. When my faith was exhausted, He met me with grace and mercy.
Faith is only theory until it’s tested. And life will test our faith. The truth is, no one has to sin for brokenness to exist. It’s the condition of the world we live in. In John 9, yes, Jesus healed the blind man, but that man and his parents still had to live in brokenness until the healing came.
Part of discipleship is learning to surrender to this reality: following Jesus means it’s not all about me; it’s all about Him. His glory, His purpose, His presence, even in hardship.
“This happened so the power of God could be seen in him.” —Jesus
Following Jesus is not the wide path, but the narrow one. It’s not the easy path, but the hard one. It doesn’t guarantee wealth or comfort in this life, but it does promise His presence, His strength, and His faithfulness through every trial.
So when we ask, What did I do wrong? Maybe the answer is: nothing. Maybe God is using the very place of your pain to reveal Himself in ways greater than you could imagine.
Religion will always put the spotlight back on us: on our performance, our worthiness, our effort. But the gospel puts the spotlight on Jesus. His love is not earned. His presence is not purchased. His grace is not dependent on how well we perform.
And that is good news when life leaves us asking hard questions.
Journal: Where in my life am I assuming pain or hardship is my fault, when it may actually be an invitation to see God’s power more clearly?
Prayer: Father, thank You that my pain and hardships are not wasted. Forgive me for the times I’ve assumed that every difficulty was somehow my fault. Help me see my struggles through the lens of Your love and purpose. Remind me that You are present in weakness, that You bring healing in Your time, and that Your power is made perfect when I surrender to You. Teach me to trust You, even when I don’t understand. Amen.
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