Matthew 11:6
“And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.”
Some seasons, we feel we have done our best to follow the Lord, yet the circumstances around us seem to stay the same. We keep praying, but the problems don’t end. We try to remain obedient, but it always feels like we hit a dead end. Even the strongest person can reach their lowest point and ask, “Lord, have I really known You all this time?”
John the Baptist once stood at that point. He pointed to Jesus, prepared the way for Him, and boldly called for repentance. Yet in Matthew 11, John hears of Christ’s works from behind prison bars. He then sends his disciples to ask, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?” (Matthew 11:3). This question does not mean John’s faith utterly collapsed; rather, it describes the tension between his expectation of the Messiah and the reality he observed. When John was imprisoned after strongly proclaiming judgment, Jesus instead served the sick, restored the weak, and brought good news to the poor. The clash between expectation and reality often tests a person’s faith.
We often experience a similar clash. Obedience does not always make the path smooth; sincere service often draws criticism, and long prayers for family may seem to bear no fruit. In these moments, we are quick to think God is silent, when in fact He may be working on a timetable different from the one we expect. Jesus’ answer to John’s question is worth studying. He does not say, “Why do you doubt Me?” He asks John’s disciples to report what they have heard and seen: the blind receive sight, the lame can walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor are told the good news. Jesus directs John’s attention to the tangible works God is doing through Him as the Messiah. Then He says something very important: “Blessed is the one who is not offended by Me.”
Sometimes we waver not because God has stopped working, but because He acts outside the scenario we wrote. Unconsciously, we have already constructed our own ideal picture: how prayer should be answered, when help should arrive, who He should use, and where our life should go. When reality doesn’t align with those expectations, our hearts begin to doubt His goodness and presence.
In this place of struggle, our faith must grow. Faith isn’t about forcing God’s will to meet our expectations, but about learning to read His footsteps with a surrendered heart. Sometimes the Father is not quick to change circumstances because He prefers to change our hearts. Even though the way out remains shrouded in fog, our character is actually being shaped. When the answer to prayer does not match our wishes, there we are being guided to become more patient, humble, pure, and obedient—more like Christ.
Today, do not measure God’s faithfulness only by one situation that has not changed. Recall again the help, correction, the Word, and the opportunities to grow that He has already given. Learn to see God’s whole work, not just the one unanswered prayer. We must also be honest with ourselves. Often what we call “faith” is merely a personal desire wrapped in spiritual language. We set the outcome, then ask God to sanction it. True faith, however, says, “Father, I have hopes, but Your will is foremost.”
Decide today not to stumble when God’s plan differs from our own. Keep doing what is right, guard your speech, work responsibly, love, and keep seeking the Father’s will. Even if we do not yet understand His entire way today, do not let our limitations become unbelief. The purest faith is seen when we remain obedient even though God has not explained everything.