Not What You Expected, But Exactly What You Needed

"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

If you ever wonder why God hasn’t moved yet, you’re not the first. Mary and Martha had sent word that their brother Lazarus was dying, and they expected Jesus to come immediately. Instead, He waited. On purpose. Jesus stayed where He was for two more days, allowing the situation to get worse before He ever made a move. That may sound strange, but His delay was not neglect. It was a strategy. His love for them wasn’t proven by how fast He fixed things, but by what He was preparing to reveal about Himself through it all.

Jesus eventually showed up, and when He did, Lazarus had already been dead four days. Martha said what we often feel, “Lord, if you had been here, this wouldn’t have happened.” But what she didn’t know was that Jesus hadn’t missed it. He was right on time. He hadn’t come to prevent a death. He came to reverse one. That was the plan all along.

When you trust God, you have to trust Him on His terms. Sometimes that means He waits. Sometimes that means it looks like He’s late. But He isn’t. And just because it doesn’t go the way you expected doesn’t mean He’s not doing exactly what is needed.

God is not obligated to follow your timeline. He’s not scrambling to fix something He forgot. He’s working behind the scenes. And when the time is right, He will move in a way that leaves no question who did it. The story of Lazarus reminds us that God’s delays are not denials. They are often setups for something greater.

Don’t lose hope if things haven’t turned around yet. You might be looking for a quick fix, but God is planning a resurrection. His timing, His way, for His glory. And when it happens, you’ll realize it was better than anything you were asking for in the first place.