In December 4, 1982, a baby boy named Nicholas Vujicic was born. As he grew, Nick learned to brush his teeth, comb his hair, and dress himself each morning. Like other boys, he learned to swim, fish, and play soccer. But throughout Nick’s life there has always been one big difference between him and those around him. Nick was born with the rare Tetra-amelia disorder—he entered this world without arms or legs.
As you’d imagine, Nick’s life has had its share of pain. His defects were a shock to his parents. How could God have allowed this? Nick was teased at school. So much so, that when he was just 8 years old, he tried to drown himself in a bathtub. He prayed to God every day for a miracle, but never woke up with new limbs.
Nick’s turning point came while reading today’s highlighted Bible verse. Jesus met a man born blind, and His disciples wondered what caused the defect. “Was it because of his own sins or his parents’ sins?” (John 9:1-2). According to traditional wisdom, there was no suffering without sin. Either one’s parents or the person himself had sinned, perhaps even in the womb. Jesus said that sin wasn’t the issue. This man had been born blind, He proclaimed, “so the power of God could be seen in him” (John 9:3).
Nick told me, “Those verses changed my life forever.” His disability has been used to reveal God’s power. Today, he travels the world as an evangelist, and it’s claimed that 200,000 people have given their lives to Jesus through his testimony.
For the blind man, the power of God was seen in him receiving his sight (John 9:7). For Nick, it’s seen in the lives changed through his story. “When God doesn’t give you a miracle,” Nick says, “maybe you’re the miracle God has for someone else.”
NLT 365-day reading plan passage for today: 1 Samuel 18:1-30
More:
Read Romans 5:3-5 to see the good that suffering can produce. Read 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 to see how God can use our weakness for His glory.
Next:
What is your “disability”—the thing you long for God to change in your life? How might the power of God be revealed though your weakness today?
luckyluke on March 29, 2011 at 2:28 am
Sometime in life, people fell into deep regretful feeling of their physical or psychic conditions. Instead of give thanks for what they have, they fill their heart with envy spirit and never stop comparing their possession with other who are better one. They were blind by their own perception, though God must put at least one thousand inside their treasure (Matthew 25:15)
If our mighty God is willing to use imperfect – abnormal Nick to reveal His love to the world, so there is no reason for a normal people like us to do nothing for Him.
(1 Cor 1: 27 KJV) But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are might
What a mighty God we have.
Thanks to Mr Voysey to remind us today
GBU
will77 on March 29, 2011 at 5:15 am
Nick is an amazing story of what God can do in great physical weakness. I have a hard time understandind this area of scripture for myself. Maybe I dont understand what weakness is. I am relativley healthy. When I think of weaknesses I have I think of my sometimes short temper, or my emotional sensitivities as a man,(being more connected with emotion than the average man} my lack of confidence to witness sometimes. Or my inability or sucess in my now 17 year old son who lies steals and seeks to break through all of the securities or codes to view things online he shouldnt. As a father I feel like a failure with my son that he has not folowed after the model of Christ that I and his mother have lived before him. These are the things of weakness that I have no power to change outright by myself…so I continue to cry out to the Lord in my weakness in hope that He will be made strong in all these situations
GChoo on March 30, 2011 at 5:48 pm
Will77, thanks for your personal sharing. It is really not an easy job to be parents, especially to teenagers. I thank God that He has brought us to a church who have a very strong youth ministry. And with God’s blessing, the boys have been able to grow deeper in their relationship with Him. As parents, we have our own weaknesses and it is not easy to understand a teenager. I can only share my own experience with you that we just have to keep praying to God for his wisdom to understand and communicate with them, be aware of our words and actions and be there for them and praying for them. I have had my share of problems with them to.
I have been given this book by Rob Parsons ‘Teenagers’ for my birthday by one of my sons. It has helped me to understand them more, but definitely seeking God for wisdom and discernment will always be most important. God bless.
winn collier on March 29, 2011 at 6:20 am
What a beautiful story. How differently would we engage our world and our God if we followed Nick’s path of loving God amid our struggles…
eppistle on March 29, 2011 at 8:10 am
When Job suffered from his disease, he wanted God to answer the question “Why?”. But when God showed up He talked about His control over the weather, dinosaurs and mountain goats. Why didn’t He answer “Why?” Because God knew that Job needed the answer to “Who?” And His answer was, “I am a powerful, wise God, so trust me.” Once we trust God’s answer to “Who?”, we can seek the answer to “How?” And then the rest of our lives we can live out the answer to “How can I reveal God’s power through my weakness?”
sheridan voysey on March 30, 2011 at 1:39 am
Nicely put!
sowharvest on March 29, 2011 at 10:51 am
Thanks Sheridan for an awesome word of encouragement today.
As I read the scripture and devotional I was struck by this point— Jesus never focused on the problem “neither hath this man nor his parents: but that the works of GOD should be made manifest in him” v. 3. It a testament again that Jesus came to save us not to have us so wrapped up in the struggle that we forget there is an Answer–His name is JESUS. And like Paul- Nic’s disability was not removed but GOD works through our difficulties so that we get the picture—-that despite the trials GOD is greater and “He will never leave us or forsake us”Deut. 31:8. Thanks be to GOD.
sheridan voysey on March 30, 2011 at 1:39 am
And I wonder if we learn that He is *really* with us through those difficult, painful, confusing times. That was Job’s experience in the end.
Thanks sowharvest.
daisymarygoldr on March 29, 2011 at 4:46 pm
Nick’s story is so inspiring. He is one living example of how God chooses to get glory even in human disabilities.
In my life, there were times when the Lord did not remove the thorn in my flesh. And at one time I did experience the miraculous healing touch of His hands. It was not a life-threatening disorder but something that I had struggled with for four long years. This miracle happened not because I had great faith but for one and only one reason. It is to accomplish His predetermined purposes in and through my life. That is why, every living moment of my life is spent in acute awareness that I am not my own. My physical body is not for self or sinful pleasure. Clearly, I exist to do His will. Healed or sick—my body is meant to bring Him all the glory He rightly deserves.
Spiritually speaking, I was born with a “disability” that was much dreadful than Nick’s. I was born blind but my blindness was far worse than the man that Jesus healed. Mine was a serious disorder which the Bible diagnoses as spiritual blindness. It was not because of my sins or the sins of my parents. This happened for the power of God to be displayed in me.
And just like that blind man I did not ask Jesus to open my eyes. But He did open my eyes. This miracle changed my life forever. Those who knew me couldn’t believe… and often I had to insist “I am the same one”. I really don’t know how Jesus restored my sight. This I know that once I was blind but now by His amazing grace, I see—all of God’s wonderful truths (Psalm 119:18).
Now that I am seeing it, I want to be careful lest I sin and lose my sight. Pride and arrogance can cause me to go blind. The Pharisees and Laodiceans both claimed they could see. To have eyes but no sight is more awful than being born blind. It is my prayer that God will guard my eyes for the rest of my life—for His glory. Thanks for an enlightening post!
sheridan voysey on March 30, 2011 at 1:33 am
Thanks for the probing thoughts daisymarygoldr.
joo_sg on March 29, 2011 at 8:30 pm
Thanks for the encouraging post. I was just feeling upset and wretched this morning again, comparing my lot with someone else who does not need to work and yet seems to have it all going well with her life. God seemed to chide me and brought to my mind His word to Peter – “what is that to you?” when Peter asked Him about John’s lot (John 21:21-23). So I repented and ask God to renew a right spirit in me.
Truly each of us have our lot (think parable of the talents). God has allocated a place for each of us and we are to be contented and remain in it and not complain, gripe about our lot and compare it with someone else’s who is better. This will be an offence to God.
Nick’s story reminds me today to be thankful and not complain. Sorry Lord!
sheridan voysey on March 30, 2011 at 1:37 am
Thanks joo_sg. That word of Jesus to Peter is so penetrating, isn’t it. How often do we compare ourselves with others!
Here’s praying that you will be content in your ‘place’ in life right now, and recognise when God’s hand is with you to make any appropriate changes.