Today, we reflect on how our problems can sometimes blind us to the miracles God is already working in our lives. This blindness often arises from an overwhelming focus on our difficulties, which prevents us from seeing the miraculous work of God even when it’s right before our eyes.
In Scripture, we are reminded that God’s sovereignty is always at work in our lives, even when we don’t recognize it.
In Romans 8:28, Paul writes,
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose
.” This passage teaches that God’s work is unfolding in all situations, including those times when we cannot immediately see it. It’s crucial for us to trust that He is active and faithful, even in our suffering.
Think about the moment when Christ died and was laid in the tomb. So many things were happening in that moment, but one important lesson comes from Mary Magdalene. When she went to the tomb, she was grieving deeply. She had witnessed Jesus’ miracles, His life of righteousness, His love, and His perfection. Yet now, she saw that He had been crucified and buried. Worse still, His body was gone. This was too much for her. Her sorrow was so overwhelming that she couldn’t leave the tomb—she just stood there, weeping.
But here is where we see God’s redemptive purpose unfolding.
In John 20:11-13, we read:
“But Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot. They asked her, ‘Woman, why are you crying?’ ‘They have taken my Lord away,’ she said, ‘and I don’t know where they have put him.’”
Notice that even though she was face-to-face with heavenly beings, her grief was so overwhelming that she couldn’t see the miraculous nature of the situation. She didn’t recognize the angels for who they were. Angels, in Scripture, are messengers and servants of God, and their presence here was a clear indication that God was about to do something miraculous. Yet, in her sorrow, Mary couldn’t see it. This mirrors how we often miss the work of God in our lives when we are consumed by pain and distress.
As Mary continued to weep, she saw someone else—someone she thought was the gardener. But it was actually Jesus, standing before her, resurrected. He asked her the same question: “Why are you crying?” This is the same question the angels had asked her earlier.
John 20:15-16 says:
“Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?’ Thinking he was the gardener, she said, ‘Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Mary.'”
It was in that moment, when Jesus called her by name, that Mary’s eyes were opened. She recognized Him, and her sorrow was transformed into joy. Theologically, this moment is profound—it reveals the personal, intimate nature of Christ’s relationship with His followers. Jesus did not just appear as a distant figure; He engaged with Mary personally, calling her by name, as He does with each of us.
As John 10:27 tells us,
“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” Jesus knows us intimately, and when He calls us by name, it is a profound reminder of His presence in our lives, even when we are lost in grief.
If Jesus had not called her name, Mary would have continued in her grief, missing the miraculous event before her. This highlights how sometimes our emotions and overwhelming situations can prevent us from recognizing God’s presence in our lives.
This same principle is seen with Balaam in Numbers 22. Balaam was on a journey to curse Israel, but God used his donkey to get his attention. The donkey spoke to him, and Balaam, so consumed by his own mission, didn’t realize this was a miracle. Instead, he argued with the donkey as though it were just a regular conversation. This highlights how we can become so focused on our own plans and problems that we fail to see God’s miraculous intervention in our lives.
Numbers 22:28-31 says:
“Then the Lord opened the donkey’s mouth, and she said to Balaam, ‘What have I done to you to make you beat me these three times?’ Balaam answered the donkey, ‘You have made a fool of me! If I had a sword in my hand, I would kill you right now.’ The donkey said to Balaam, ‘Am I not your own donkey, which you have always ridden, to this day? Have I been in the habit of doing this to you?’ ‘No,’ he said. Then the Lord opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road with his sword drawn. So he bowed low and fell facedown.”
Balaam didn’t recognize the miraculous nature of the moment because his heart was already set on something else. This serves as a caution for us: when we are overly focused on our problems, we may miss the miracles God is already working in our lives.
Theologically, both of these stories—Mary Magdalene’s encounter with the risen Christ and Balaam’s interaction with his donkey—illustrate how easy it is for us to overlook the presence of God when we are consumed by grief, desires, or struggles. Yet, Scripture continually reminds us that God is with us, even in those moments when we fail to recognize Him.
Psalm 34:18 reassures us:
“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”
Today, I encourage you to calm your heart and stop crying where God has already heard you. Instead of remaining in sorrow, turn to Him in gratitude. Look around, and you’ll start to see the many miracles He has already begun in your life.
God bless you.
