Are You Struggling to Believe that God Loves You?
(This devotional is from my new eBook “Rooted and Grounded” coming out March 2nd. If you are not a subscriber, use the sign-up link below to make sure you get your free copy!)
Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So, when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was.
John 11:5-6
Have you ever read the story of Lazarus in the gospel of John? It is one of my favorite stories in all of Scripture. When we read verses 5 and 6 though, it sounds like the author made a mistake.
Martha and Mary’s brother Lazarus is dying, and they send word to their friend Jesus. When he heard the news, he chose to stay where he was. Huh? Shouldn’t it read, “And because Jesus loved his friend, he raced off to heal him”? Isn’t that the LOVING thing to do?
Our western culture is quick to tell us that God’s love is intertwined with prosperity, health, wealth, and happiness. If things are going badly, then God must be mad at us. If things are going well, then God must be showing us his favor.
But in the story of Lazarus, we see that pain, suffering, even grief and death do not separate us from God’s love – and in fact God is so mighty, that he uses the darkest of moments (the death of his friend, the death of his own Son) to display the deepest parts of his love.
A few verses later, Jesus will weep with his friends. If Jesus had rushed off and healed his friend in our preferred timing, we wouldn’t have gotten to see this side of God’s heart. We wouldn’t get this window into the anger God has over how sin has broken the world he created. We wouldn’t get the comforting message of Jesus weeping alongside us in whatever suffering we are facing today.
As you walk your hard road. As you cry out to God to rescue, save, heal, and provide. As you bring your
suffering to Jesus… remember this story of Lazarus. Remember that God’s timing isn’t the same as ours. His ways are different than ours. But just because things aren’t going the way we want, doesn’t mean that God doesn’t love us.
John 3:16 tells us just how far God was willing to go to demonstrate his love. Will you be honest with the Lord today and ask him to show you how much he loves you?
Reflection Questions: Where are you struggling to believe that God loves you? Read Ephesians 3:14-19 and use it to pray. Ask the Lord to help you see how he is revealing the breadth and length and height and depth of his love for you.
Sign-up here to get your free eBook on March 2nd!
2 Comments
Sheila Ryan
This is so true! I never felt the love of Jesus so intensely until he carried me through the most intense pain I’ve ever been through. If it were not for that terrible hard season, I would never really have understood the deep deep love he has for me. Not just everyone else, like I’ve always proclaimed, but for me personally. Thank you for your careful and encouraging words, Marissa! ♥
Marissa
Thank you for sharing this with me! What an encouragement to my heart!