Why did this happen to my child?

Nathan Blakeney walks for the first time after spinal fusion surgery. In this moment, he was finding his courage.

If you have a child with a congenital heart defect or any other birth defect or illness, you have silently asked,”Why did this happen to my child?”

Sometimes we ask the question because we wonder if we were exposed to something toxic:  Fumes from fresh paint?  Bug spray?  Medicine taken before we knew we were pregnant?  Sometimes we wonder if we were negligent:  Did I eat too much of this?  Not enough of that?  I asked all of those questions and more after Nathan’s birth.

But oftentimes, we are asking a bigger question.  God, why did you allow this to happen to my child?

I believe the first few verses of John 9 are meant for us:

As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth.  His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?”  “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.

I don’t believe Jesus is saying that these parents and this man lived completely sin-free lives – He’s saying sin is not the reason for the affliction.  A child with health challenges is a gift, not a punishment.

Before Nathan was born, we were aware that he was not perfect.  Some parents, I’m sure, would have made the decision to terminate.  And what a terrible shame.  Nathan has been a great joy to our entire family.  We have seen “the work of God…displayed in his life.”

Walk and listen. Pray and learn.  God  has a plan for every little life.

Tags: congenital heart defect, Nathan, Nathan Blakeney, spinal fusion surgery