Today, we continue our series, The Power of Your Pain, reflecting on the story of Lazarus from John 11. For two weeks, we’ve explored this powerful narrative, and today, we delve into the emotional journey of Mary and Martha, their grief, and how Jesus meets them in their suffering.
In the first part of the story, we saw Martha’s intellectual and theological response to her brother's death. When Jesus arrived after Lazarus’ passing, Martha sought comfort in understanding, relying on logic and faith. Yet, today, we focus on Mary’s very different approach to the same grief. While Martha processed her pain through answers and theology, Mary wept, overwhelmed with emotion. She fell at Jesus' feet, crying out, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died!” Her raw emotion paints a picture of someone expressing their grief fully, without holding back.
Here, we see a profound truth: in our pain, Jesus doesn’t always offer us theological answers. Sometimes, as He did with Mary, He simply weeps with us. Jesus didn’t give Mary the same response He gave Martha. Instead, He met her where she was, fully present in her pain. When the tears flow, when the pain seems unbearable, Jesus shows us that He is right there, sitting with us, weeping with us, and comforting us.
Jesus’ response to Mary shows us the depth of His compassion. In our hardest moments, He doesn’t demand that we “dry it up” or move past our pain. Instead, He dignifies our tears and meets us in the messiness of our emotions. Whether you resonate more with Martha’s approach of seeking answers or Mary’s expressive grief, the beauty of the story is that Jesus knows exactly what we need and responds accordingly.
In life, we face moments where we feel like those around Mary and Martha, questioning God’s plan. We wonder why He answers some prayers and not others. But as we learn from this story, God’s delay is not a denial. Jesus didn’t prevent Lazarus from dying, not because He couldn’t, but because He had a greater purpose – to deepen the faith of those who loved Lazarus and to show that He is present in both our joy and pain.
This story is a reminder that God doesn’t just rescue us from pain; He uses it to shape us. As Oswald Chambers said, “The things we are going through are either making us sweeter, better, and nobler men and women, or they are making us critical and faultfinding… depending entirely on our relationship with God and its level of intimacy.” In our suffering, we have a choice: to let it drive us closer to God or to allow it to make us bitter.
Just like Jesus wept with Mary, He meets us where we are, offering comfort in our lowest moments. Whether we need reassurance of His plan or simply a shoulder to cry on, Jesus is always with us in our pain, using it to deepen our relationship with Him.
If you find yourself in a season of suffering, take heart in knowing that Jesus is present with you. He doesn’t rush you through your pain but sits with you, weeps with you, and leads you toward a deeper, more intimate relationship with Him.
