When Lazarus became sick, his sisters, Mary and Martha, did what many of us do in times of crisis—they reached out for help. They sent word to Jesus, expecting Him to come immediately. But He didn’t. Instead, He delayed His arrival, and by the time He came, Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days.
Their grief was overwhelming. Their faith was tested. And in their pain, they confronted Jesus:
“Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” (John 11:21, NIV)
When we read this passage, we have the benefit of knowing the ending. We know Jesus is about to perform a miracle. But Mary and Martha didn’t have that certainty. They only knew their brother was gone, and Jesus hadn’t shown up when they thought He should.
I write this while waiting on the Lord myself. Unlike the story of Lazarus, I don’t know how my situation will unfold. I don’t see the ending yet. But like Mary and Martha, I choose to trust Him, even when I don’t have all the answers.
Processing the Pain of Waiting
Mary and Martha’s emotions were raw—just like ours when life doesn’t unfold as expected. When God doesn’t move when we want Him to, it can stir feelings of frustration, sadness, and even doubt. But these emotions are not signs of weak faith—they are part of the journey.
One of the most powerful moments in this story is John 11:35: “Jesus wept.”
Even knowing He would raise Lazarus, Jesus took time to grieve with them. This shows that God does not dismiss our pain. He doesn’t rush us to “move on” or ignore our heartbreak. Instead, He meets us in our sorrow.
Trusting God’s Timing Without Knowing the Outcome
One of the biggest struggles we face is accepting what we cannot control. We set expectations—when we should be healed, when the opportunity should come, when life should get better. And when those timelines pass, it can feel like God has forgotten us.
But God’s timing isn’t our timing.
- When healing takes longer than expected, it doesn’t mean healing isn’t happening.
- When prayers seem unanswered, it doesn’t mean God isn’t working.
- When situations appear hopeless, it doesn’t mean hope is lost.
Jesus wasn’t late—He was intentional. If He had arrived earlier, Lazarus would have been healed. Instead, by waiting, He displayed a greater miracle: resurrection.
And that’s where faith comes in. Because unlike the story of Lazarus, we don’t get to skip ahead to the ending in our own lives. We are living in the in-between—the waiting, the uncertainty, the unknown. But even in this, God is moving.
What to Do While You Wait
If you are in a season of waiting—on healing, restoration, clarity, or breakthrough—remember that waiting is not wasted time. Just as Jesus wept with Mary and Martha before working the miracle, He is present with you now.
What can you do in the waiting?
- Acknowledge your emotions – It’s okay to feel disappointment, sadness, or confusion. Healing starts when we allow ourselves to process what we feel.
- Release control – God sees the full picture, even when we don’t. Trust that He is still working behind the scenes.
- Stay open to greater possibilities – What you expect may be small compared to what God has in store.
I don’t know how my own story will end. But I do know that God is never too late. And when He moves, He does more than we could ever imagine.
So I wait. And I trust.
Because even when I don’t know the ending, I know the One who does.
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