Lord, why?…But, I trust you.
I recently preached at The Chapel on one of my favorite chapters in the Bible — John 11.
It’s a story that gives comfort during loss and grief. Or does it?
In this story, Lazarus, a friend of Jesus, gets sick and dies. And when Jesus arrives to the scene, he brings Lazarus back to life.
Is that our normative experience — that Jesus fixes everything?
I assume it’s not.
Another chapter 11 in the scriptures connects to this scene. Hebrews 11:35, part of what’s known as the Hall of Faith, says that:
“Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life.”
Even though this verse is actually referring to a couple Old Testament stories, similarly, Martha and Mary get the miracle that they desire. But “some” don’t. And maybe we’d say most don’t. Or else it wouldn’t be a miracle.
So what do we do when we don’t experience the answer we want from God?
Back to John 11…
When Jesus first gets to Lazarus’ house, his two sisters essentially say the same thing to Jesus:
“Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”
That’s a complex sentence.
It’s a bit of a complaint.
It’s a lament.
But it’s also a statement of faith.
It’s a statement of faith because, among other things, they still claim Jesus as their “Lord” — a word that signifies supreme authority and sovereignty and ownership.
Essentially they’re saying:
“Lord, why?…But, I trust you.”
We’ll never know what their faith would have looked like if Jesus didn’t raise Lazarus from the dead.
But a life of faith in Jesus, is a life of,
“Lord, why?…But I trust you.”
- Why is my life falling apart?
- Why does my mom have cancer?
- Why can’t I find work quickly?
- Why am I lonely?
But I trust you.
Why can we trust him?
Because, for the Christian, there’s a better life on the other side — the other side of trust and the other side of death.
The last clause in Hebrews 11:35 says that these people died for their faith, “so that they might rise again to a better life.”
Even if we don’t experience an earthly resurrection of all the dead and disappointing things in this life, one day we will.
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For further thoughts on faith when we don’t experience a miracle, I recommend Tim Keller’s sermon: A Better Resurrection