Edition 18 - Miracles Happen and Some Don't
The Parable of the Weaver's Tapestry
A young weaver sat before a great loom, watching her master create a magnificent picture with gold and common threads. Most of the cloth was woven slowly, thread by thread, requiring calloused fingers, sore eyes, and patient hours of steady labor.
Every now and then, the master would reach down and tie a brilliant, glowing thread of pure light directly into the pattern—a sudden burst of radiance that changed the shape of the whole design.
The apprentice grew frustrated. "Master," she asked, "why do you use the glowing thread of light to save the cloth in moments of great tearing, yet you let my fingers bleed and ache through the long, dark hours of ordinary weaving? Why do miracles of light happen sometimes, and why do we must work through the quiet dark at other times?"
The master stopped the shuttle and smiled. "If I placed the glowing light at every single cross-stitch, you would never learn the strength of your own hands. You would never look closely at the pattern or know the deep joy of steady endurance. The thread of light comes when the cloth is near ruin and cannot be saved by human craft alone. But the quiet hours are where you are shaped. If the miracle happened for every knot, the tapestry would have no depth, and the gold would lose its shine."
Today at 51 years old, I increasingly realize that age has shown me how much I still do not know. Experience has taught me that growing older is not about becoming less capable, it is about gaining the wisdom to recognize the bigger picture, consider both sides of a story, and understand how context can change meaning.
In the “About Mike Hofer” section of this website, I explain that, when I was younger, my understanding of the world extended little beyond Smith County, Kansas. As my world expanded, so did my curiosity. It motivated me to work hard, continue my education, relocate across the country and around the world, and accept challenging assignments. There were always “trade-offs” = sacrifices, in pursuit of greater knowledge and future. Years ago, a colleague who noticed those sacrifices told me, “Mike, ignorance is bliss.” The friend had a point: sometimes, we simply do not know what we do not know. However, I chose to continue trying to learn and experience new things and to the best of my ability, remove some of my ignorances.
It’s the experiences along the way that make us wise.
I have included Bible verses and parables in earlier Blogs, but this Blog focuses more directly on my Christian faith. If you have read my previous blogs, you know I readily admit that I write as much for myself as for you. Sharing an idea and offering something that costs others only their time makes us feel good. Painfully, that suggests our generosity may contain a high measure of self-interest.
We like to feel good about ourselves.
This week, I am stretching beyond my comfort zone. Miracles and seemingly unanswered prayers have been on my mind for some time, so I began researching the topic online. I also returned to a podcast that I had not listened to in a while and found a sermon series about miracles. When I told a friend I was considering writing about this, I admitted that I did not feel qualified to discuss Christianity or share my faith. He is more knowledgeable about the Bible, preaches at his church, and seems better equipped to speak on the subject. Still, he encouraged me to keep writing and assured me that I was qualified. Soon afterward, the next episode in my automatic Apple podcasts downloads was titled “When You Don’t Feel Qualified.” I am certain my friend would say this was more than a coincidence and that God was showing me the way.
This past week marked the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks. I mention it because tragedies like this lead many of us to ask, “How could God allow this to happen?”
I do not have a clear answer to that question, so I have included links below to other perspectives that may help explain why bad things happen.
People often say, “God works in mysterious ways.” Although that exact phrase may not appear in the Bible, it can offer comfort by reminding us that some things are difficult to explain.
Why, then, do bad things happen?
Are they caused by evil, human imperfection, or something else?
How many harmful outcomes are prevented or overcome and should we view those as miracles?
To consider these questions, we may first need to define a miracle.
A miracle is an extraordinary event beyond natural or human explanation, often attributed to divine or supernatural intervention.
Why do some prayers appear to result in miracles while others do not?
What I found:
“. . . we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” Romans 5:3-5
Inconsistency in Miracles, Healings, and Answers to Prayer - Focus on the Family. This is a “hard saying.” There’s only one way to live with it, and it can be summed up in a single word: trust. We have to believe in the goodness of our sovereign Lord and remember that, even when things seem to be swirling out of control, He is there in the midst of the storm, working out His unique purposes for each and every one of us. For some this will mean physical healing, deliverance and victory. For others it will involve an opportunity to “share in the sufferings of Christ” (Romans 8:17; 2 Corinthians 1:5-7; 1 Peter 4:13). Why the distinction? We don’t know, but someday the master plan will be revealed, and then we’ll have all eternity to talk it over. In the meantime, it’s not our place to reason why, but simply to accept the role assigned to us by the Architect of the universe: “For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure'” (Isaiah 46:9, 10).
Why Some Miracles Are Denied: Understanding God and Our Suffering. If God were to grant every request for a miracle, it would disrupt the natural order and undermine the laws of nature, leading to a chaotic world without consistent consequences for actions. Human freedom would be compromised in such a world, reducing us to mere puppets in a script controlled by divine intervention.
Without the stability of natural law and moral consequences, we would lose the ability to make genuine choices. Our freedom is essential for moral development and for our capacity to extend compassion and support to one another. Suffering often prompts acts of kindness and solidarity—doctors develop new treatments, friends provide comfort, and individuals make selfless sacrifices. These actions are crucial for fostering human connection and compassion.
There are likely many quiet miracles happening every day through coincidences and personal healings that go unnoticed.
This blog holds me accountable to explore new ideas, and this week I chose a particularly difficult topic. That commitment pushed me to examine it more deeply, and I hope it gave you something meaningful to reflect on. For additional perspectives, please explore the links above and podcasts in this Blog-Lessons and Learnings.
Have a great week and I hope you are back October 4th for a Blog on Finance.
Great Books, Podcasts, and Videos:
The Miracle of an Unanswered Prayer
Red Rocks Church Weekend Messages
Pastor Shawn Johnson walks us through the miracle that happens when a prayer is answered, but more importantly, when they are not. When we ask ourselves, "What about my miracle?"—how even an unanswered prayer can be a blessing and that God is with us even in our unbelief.
Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/red-rocks-church-weekend-messages/id303359117?i=1000746568830
Why Some Miracles Happen and Others Don’t
Red Rocks Church Weekend Messages
There is tension living as Christians in the here and now, knowing eternal life is ahead of us, but experiencing hard things in the world we live in today. Some miracles happen and some don’t because we live in the tension of knowing we have salvation now, but not yet living in eternity.
Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/red-rocks-church-weekend-messages/id303359117?i=1000745634222
When You Don’t Feel Qualified
Red Rocks Church Weekend Messages
What do you do when you don’t feel qualified for what God has called you to do? In week one of Imperfect People, we look at the story of Moses and the gap between our weaknesses and God’s calling. Moses asked, “Who am I?” But instead of focusing on who Moses was, God revealed who He is: “I AM WHO I AM.” Our weaknesses do not disqualify us from being used by God. His grace is sufficient, His power is made perfect in weakness, and He is everything we’re not. When you don’t have what it takes, He does.
Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/red-rocks-church-weekend-messages/id303359117?i=1000789249896
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