A Man Which Was Blind From His Birth

As I was finishing yesterday's post about answering the question of "born that way?", I started thinking of a story in John 9 about a man who was born blind:

1 And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth.
2 And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?
3 Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.
4 I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.
5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.
6 When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay,
7 And said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, (which is by interpretation, Sent.) He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing.

Often we try find someone or something to blame when we or someone else isn't perfect. Those dealing with homosexuality often hear they chose this problem through sin, or that the parents must have done something wrong. In these scriptures, others blamed this man's blindness on his sins (premortal or God's foreknowledge that he would sin?) or his parents' sins--it must be someone's fault! Why would God make this man born blind? Jesus answered that it was neither his sins or his parents' sins, but "that the works of God should be made manifest in him."

This paradigm shift of thought helped me to begin healing. The root of my problem, whatever the actual biological/environmental factors might be, was not my fault or anybody's fault. I do admit that there are cases of abuse or other factors from parents, siblings, or others that definitely contribute to the development of homosexuality. My same-gender attraction may have unhealthily been intensified by my conscious sins and the sins of others, but by the power of the Atonement, Christ has lifted those burdens and helped me to modify my behavior. I've also had the help of my wife, close family members, and loving priesthood leaders and counselors.

I believe through the power of the Atonement, my life has been healed and continues to heal. I'm finding true joy and peace. The same-sex attraction has been diminished, and I was able to fall in love with my now beautiful wife.

Do I blame God or others that I had to go through so much to get here, or that I may have even had these problems or addictive susceptibilities since birth? I have often thought how nice it would be to relive my youth without all of my problems, but then I remember that without these experiences, I would not have come to know my Father and Savior the same. I can also empathize and give a helping hand to those who are struggling on the same path I've been on.

Later in John 9, the Pharisees and others tried to deny that this blind man was really born blind, or that the Savior really didn't heal him. Like the blind man, I have seen the "works of God" manifest in me, and I cannot deny it.