Was it Something I Did?

“Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.” Romans 8:35,37

I’m always shocked when people consider the calamity in their lives and assume God must be punishing them for something they did. I even heard someone say that their handicapped child was that way because of their sin. I shudder at the thought of that, even as I write these words. This kind of thinking is so inconsistent with the teaching of Jesus and the incredible love he has for humanity. 

In John 9, we read about a time when Jesus encountered a man who had been blind from birth. His disciples asked him, “Why was this man born blind?” Assuming there could be no other options, they continued, “Was it because of his own sins or his parents’ sins?”

It was neither. “This happened so the power of God could be seen in him,“ Jesus told them right before he healed the man. We may not understand it this side of heaven, but even calamity has a higher purpose. God is not using it to punish us for our sins and shortcomings. Jesus took the punishment for us when he voluntarily went to the cross. 

Trouble, calamity, persecution, hunger, and danger are all a result of living in a fallen world. They are not an indication that God no longer loves us or is punishing us. No, despite these things, Romans 8 says, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ. God is not punishing you. He punished Jesus. Nothing can ever separate you from the love of Christ.