Life makes so much more sense looking back from down the road, doesn’t it? For instance, when I think back to experiences from my past sometimes I have these “Ah Ha” moments where my world comes together. Suddenly they make sense. They have purpose. It’s like they’re pieces of a puzzle that fit together creating a picture that I never even considered.
Sometimes the picture is a better glimpse of my true self. Sometimes the picture explains some sort of training I needed to accomplish something now. Sometimes the picture shows a hedge of protection encircling me on all sides.
But, I tell you, just as often the picture isn’t so clear.
Looking back at the past there are still “Why?” and “Why not?” questions and “What if?” and “If only . . . “. There is regret and resentment. If I think about these experiences too long I find myself asking God, yet again, why He didn’t spare me from what I went through.
And better yet, why isn’t He sparing me from what I’m going through now?
I’m sure Mary and Martha felt the same way when their brother, Lazarus, died. Lazarus had been in the tomb for four days when Jesus finally arrived to him. You can imagine that Mary and Martha must have thought that saving their brother’s life was a lost cause. Questions must have pounded their heads. Anger and resentment surely wanted to well up in their hearts. I mean Jesus was flesh and blood to them, but He did not come immediately to help Lazarus.
Fortunately for us, Jesus gives an answer for His seeming hesitancy. Recently I read this story again in John 11, and one small, inconspicuous word stood out to me for the first time. The word “so”.
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 ESV)
Jesus’ delay was out of His love for Mary, Martha, and Lazarus.
Often times I see God’s delay in answering my prayers as some sort of anger towards me. I start thinking that I must have done something wrong to keep God from blessing me in the way I’m asking. I don’t think of His waiting as love.
What I have to remember, though, is that God is much less concerned with my happiness and contentment as He is with His purposes. Unlike myself, He is in the past, present, and future and makes decisions based on all of that infinite wisdom.
This is God’s true love for us.
Further down we see this little word “so” again. This time Jesus uses it with His disciples.
Then Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus has died, and for your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.” (John 11:14-15)
Jesus’ delay benefited the disciples’ faith.
The whole time Jesus delayed going to Lazarus He had a greater purpose in mind. He didn’t make the decision haphazardly out of disinterest or laziness. He didn’t delay because of Mary and Martha’s sin or to punish them. In fact, verse 35 tells us that Jesus wept. It never satisfies Jesus to see us in pain. He shares in our distress to the same extent that we feel it. However, because of His infinite love and wisdom, He knows His eternal purpose will outweigh our present heartache.
In the same way, Jesus has an eternal purpose for your singleness. You may not know what it is right now, and honestly you may never know what it is, but this story of Lazarus should encourage you that the purpose is out of His love for you and to benefit your faith.
How do you feel about the possibility that God could be keeping you single on purpose? Does it leave you angry, resentful, or hopeful? Leave a comment and let us know!
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