When Our Timing Doesn't Match

"When he heard this, Jesus said, 'this sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God's glory so that God's son may be glorified through it.' Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days." - John 11: 4-6

He stayed two more days . . . Can we please not overlook these five words? Lazarus, a man whom Jesus loved, was dying! He needed help and he needed it pronto, but Jesus stayed where He was for an entire two days. In fact, he stayed because he loved Lazarus and his family ("Jesus loved Martha and Lazarus. So . . . he stayed where he was two more days"). Why is this you may ask? Well, Jesus does not always "heal" us in the timing we deem correct or even necessary. Sometimes Jesus' timing in His faithfulness is just a little different than ours (or a lot different). However, in His time, Jesus healed Lazarus, proving that even death had no power over God's power, and brought God glory. Furthermore, the timing for the "delay" was out of love - Jesus waited because he loved Lazarus.

"At this they tried to seize him, but no one laid a hand on him, because his hour had not yet come." - John 7:30

We see in this verse that God's timing supersedes the timing of us measly humans. The Pharisees wanted to grab hold of God and arrest Him, in fact they even physically tried to. However, it was not Jesus' time (God's timing) and because of this nobody even laid a hand on Him. God had his timing for Jesus' life and His death, and no Pharisee (or us for that manner) was going to stop that. When our timing is in conflict with God's timing, God's timing is going to win out.

"and for your sake I am glad I was not there [with Lazarus], so that you may believe" - John 11:15

Back to the Lazarus story, we see yet another reason for God's timing over what we saw as the obvious timing of  "Jesus get over there now!" God's timing led to the good of others, here the disciples. We see a markedly better outcome here for the disciples when Jesus waited. And if we are to love others, the fact that one result of a continuing struggle we are going through may in fact be the belief of others should bring us at least some amount of joy. I'm not saying it's the only reason for our struggle, or that we should wish to continually struggle just for the good of others, but it can definitely be comforting.

"'Neither this man nor his parents sinned,' said Jesus, 'but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him.'" - John 9:3

When we are in pain, confusion, doubt, or a combination of them all, and God doesn't seem to be helping us, take comfort in this! As a young, immature boy I would read this and see a suffering man that was used so God could show His power to others. As a slightly older, immature "man" who knows a little something about hard times, I see this verse a different way; one's suffering can be used to show God's power to that specific individual. God will use our suffering to show us His power in our lives.

"Let us go back to Judea. But Rabbi . . . the Jews there tried to stone you . . . Jesus answered . . . Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep [died]; but I am going there to wake him up." - John 11: 7b-8, 11b

Simply put, Jesus went back to an area filled with people trying to kill Him in order to heal Lazarus. Why did He do this? Well, I'm sure love played a factor (as it usually does), but also the fact that Jesus had the faith to know that God wanted Him to heal Lazarus and no ticked off Jew with a stone was going to stop that plan. Both these qualities seem to be one's we should strive to emulate.

My timing does not always match up with God's. If I had my way, my struggle would have ended the second I left behind the sins that plagued me and began striving to become closer to God. I mean, doesn't that make sense? Isn't that fair? Well maybe it seems so to me, but God's timing didn't match. God has a reason for this ongoing struggle. He is showing His power to me and using this struggle to obtain a greater good and teach me about Him and His way. And hopefully He is using this situation to show others Himself through me. I know God has a reason for this time in my life, and that timing supersedes any timing I may have had. I continue to try and learn as much as possible, striving to desire God, want Him, and love Him with all my heart. When that struggle ends, I will come forth as gold . . . so you better bring your sunglasses, cuz it's gonna be bright!