Following Jesus doesn’t always lead to comfort, clarity, or rescue. Just ask John the Baptist—the fiery prophet who paved the way for the Messiah, only to find himself locked away in a prison cell, wondering if he got it all wrong. His honest question—“Are you the one, or should we expect someone else?”—echoes through the hearts of every believer who has ever wrestled with doubt in the dark. But Jesus didn’t rebuke him. He reminded him. And maybe that’s what we all need when faith gets heavy: not a dramatic rescue, but a gentle reassurance that yes, He is still the One.
John had done everything right. He’d prepared the way, spoken the truth, baptized the Savior, and watched the heavens open. But now, with shackles on his wrists and silence from the sky, he starts to wonder if he misunderstood the mission. This isn’t how the story was supposed to go. The Messiah was supposed to bring justice, not just healing. And yet, in his moment of doubt, John doesn’t curse the darkness—he sends word to the Light. That’s the kind of faith Jesus praises—not the kind that never questions, but the kind that still reaches for Him when nothing makes sense.
John’s question—“Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?” (Luke 7:19)—wasn’t just a personal crisis. It was a collision between expectation and reality, something every follower of Jesus eventually faces. We think God will move in one way—clear, powerful, immediate—and He often moves in another—slow, quiet, and surprising. John had declared the coming judgment (Luke 3:16–17), yet Jesus was healing the sick, raising the dead, and forgiving sinners (Luke 7:22). It didn’t look like fire from heaven; it looked like mercy on earth.
And that’s when Jesus sends back this word:
“Blessed is the one who is not offended by me.” (Luke 7:23)
It’s His gentle way of saying, “John, I know this doesn’t look like what you expected. But trust me—I am the One.”
Sometimes Jesus doesn’t explain Himself; He just shows us the evidence of His faithfulness. He points to the lives transformed, the hearts restored, the peace that doesn’t make sense. And in doing so, He calls us not to understand everything—but to keep believing anyway.
Even Jesus’ later words to the crowd carry weight:
“Among those born of women, none is greater than John…” (Luke 7:28)
He didn’t cancel John for doubting. He honored him for his courage, for his honesty, and for the faith it took to send the question.
“Let this devotional guide your next quiet time. Use it to bring your questions, your heart, and your hope before God.”
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