Articles

When God Doesn’t Come in Time: John 11 and Your Story When it feels like God is running late, John 11 reminds us that Jesus is still the resurrection and the life. Sometimes he allows us to face the very things we fear most, and even there, we can come to know him more deeply. That doesn’t make the pain easy, but it gives us hope; even when death has written a chapter, Jesus isn’t finished with the story. John places the story of Lazarus near the end of his “book of signs," the miracles that help us see who Jesus is. This sign points ahead to Jesus’ own cross and empty tomb. But first, we face something hard to understand: Jesus chooses to wait, and Lazarus dies. Many of us quietly assume, “God loves this person, and they need help, so surely he’ll step in the way I hope.” When that doesn’t happen, it can leave us hurting and unsure of what to believe.

Some of the hardest questions people ask pastors don’t start with a Bible verse; they start with an MRI result, a child’s diagnosis, a divorce filing, or a group of people that let them down. John chapter 9 invites us into the story of a man who suffers, a community that lets him down, and a God who draws near with compassion. When Suffering Makes You Question God John 9 offers a comforting reminder: suffering doesn’t mean God has left you. Even in the hardest moments, Jesus draws near. He sees you as a person to love, not a problem to solve, and meets you with truth and compassion. When others pull away, he comes closer, inviting you to walk with him. You don’t have to face this alone.

Exploring Honest Questions About Faith In chapter 6 of the book of John, we meet many people who are struggling to make sense of Jesus’ words, “I am the bread of life” (John 6:35). The setting is not a quiet retreat but a packed synagogue in Capernaum. Thousands have followed Jesus after the feeding of the 5,000. They’ve seen the miracle of the loaves and fish multiplied, heard about the storm stilled, and now gather to hear Jesus, bringing their curiosity and questions with them. We may recognize something of ourselves in that crowd. Maybe you’re just getting to know Jesus, working through hurt from a previous church, or hoping to find a community where you can belong. John 6 makes room for honest questions without pretending the answers are easy, and it doesn’t hide the painful reality that some people walk away.

Have you ever looked at your own version of five loaves and two fish (from the feeding of the 5,000 in John 6) and thought, “How could this possibly be enough?” Most of us have been there. Whether it’s a tight budget, low energy, a distracted mind, or hope that feels a little worn, the needs in front of us can seem bigger than what we have to offer. If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone. The story in John 6 invites us to bring that feeling with us as we discover what Jesus does with what seems too small.