When God Doesn’t Arrive on Our Schedule: Learning to Trust Christ When Life Doesn’t Make Sense

By - Pastor-Teacher Freddy Cortez, National Capital Bible Church
Steadfast in the Word…

Adapted and expanded from our recent Men’s Prayer Breakfast study.

Scripture Focus: John 11:21

“Now Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.”

Few experiences test faith like waiting on God. We pray, trust, and know what He can do. Yet the answer may not come when we expected it. In John 11, Martha stands in that painful place.

Lazarus had been dead four days when Jesus arrived in Bethany (John 11:17). The family had sent word because they knew Jesus loved Lazarus and could heal him. Yet Jesus remained where He was for two more days (John 11:5–6). When He came, Martha met Him with words that were both honest and wounded: “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.”

Her statement gives us a realistic picture of biblical faith. Martha trusted Christ, but she did not understand His timing. Faith and sorrow were present in the same heart. Scripture teaches us to bring disappointment to the Lord who is worthy of our trust.

Three Key Words

First, Martha says, “Lord”—κύριε (kyrie). The word comes from κύριος (kyrios), meaning Lord, Master, or one with rightful authority. Before she speaks of her loss, she acknowledges who Jesus is. She questions His timing without rejecting His authority.

That is a needed lesson when life is confusing. Begin with what you know about the Lord rather than with what you cannot explain about your circumstances. Martha’s heart was broken, but her recognition of Jesus as Lord had not changed.

Second, she says, “if You had been here.” The Greek word ἦς (ēs), from εἰμί (eimi), means “you were” or “you had been.” Martha was looking back. She believed Jesus’ presence before Lazarus died would have changed everything.

Her confidence in Christ’s healing power was genuine. She did not think He lacked power; she thought the opportunity had passed. We can do the same, affirming God’s power while assuming that our situation is beyond His help. God’s delay is never evidence of God’s inability.

Third, John records that Lazarus “died”—ἀπέθανεν (apethanen), from ἀποθνῄσκω (apothnēskō), “to die.” From Martha’s perspective, the matter was settled. The funeral was over, and the tomb was sealed. But what appeared final to her was not final to Christ.

See What Is There—and What Is Not There

Martha’s sentence calls for careful reading. She believed Jesus could have prevented Lazarus’ death; her words assume His ability. Yet she never says, “You could not have helped him.” Her struggle concerned timing, not Christ’s power.

She also does not accuse Jesus of failing to love them. John has already told us that Jesus loved Martha, Mary, and Lazarus (John 11:5). The tension lies between that known love and the delay she could not understand. Her words look backward: “You could have prevented this.” She does not yet anticipate what Jesus is about to do.

This gives us a useful safeguard in Bible study. Observe what the text says, notice what it does not say, and refuse to invent meanings the context does not support. Implications should be tested by the words and setting of the passage.

Four Truths for the Waiting Season

Faith and sorrow can exist together. Trusting Christ does not mean a believer never grieves. Martha’s grief was real, and Jesus did not rebuke her for bringing it to Him.

God’s delays are connected to His purposes. A delay may feel like denial, but they are not the same. Jesus’ delay was not indifference; it prepared the setting for a greater display of His glory.

We often underestimate who Christ is. Martha knew that Jesus could heal. Soon she would see that He is the resurrection and the life. Our confidence grows as Scripture enlarges our understanding of Him.

God’s work often begins where human hope ends. We see the limits of our resources and understanding. God sees the whole story. What looks like a closed door may become the place where His wisdom and power are displayed.

The Central Question: Who Is Jesus?

Jesus did not merely answer Martha’s grief with an explanation. He directed her to Himself: “I am the resurrection and the life” (John 11:25). The deepest issue was who Jesus is and what He promises to the one who believes in Him.

Jesus said, “He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live” (John 11:25). John 3:16 gives the same gracious promise: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” Everlasting life is not earned by good works, religious effort, reforming one’s life, or promises of future faithfulness. It is God’s free gift, received by believing in Jesus Christ for the everlasting life He promises.

If you have never believed in Christ for everlasting life, you can take Him at His word today. The moment you believe in Him, you possess the everlasting life He promises.

For Those Who Already Believe

For the believer, John 11 calls us to keep growing in confidence in Christ. When God seems late, remember His character. When you cannot trace His plan, trust His wisdom. His wisdom remains steady when our sight is limited and hearts grow weary. When circumstances feel final, do not place human limits on divine power. Keep walking by faith.

Martha believed Jesus could have changed the past. Jesus came to show her that He is Lord over the future as well. His timing is never accidental. The strongest faith is faith that continues trusting the Lord when His timing makes no sense.

This post was written by Pastor Freddy Cortez of National Capital Bible Church in Springfield, VA. If you have questions about this post or Christianity in general, please contact us today!