Real Belief

Real Belief

[Jesus said,] “Lazarus is dead. And for your sakes, I’m glad I wasn’t there, for now you will really believe.” John 11:14-15

ONE OF THE MORE FAITH-STRETCHING EXPERIENCES of the New Testament began with Jesus learning of a good friend’s life-threatening illness but then remaining where he was for two more days. The Savior who could heal with a touch or even just a word said and did nothing—at first. He even reassured his followers that his friend’s illness would not end in death. So when Lazarus died, they had a crisis of faith. Was Jesus finally wrong about something? They couldn’t imagine that death wasn’t the end.

But Jesus was never out of control in this story or blind to the reality of the situation. In fact, he allowed the crisis to continue for a very specific reason: “So that the Son of God will receive glory from this” (verse 4). All of Mary’s and Martha’s tears, all of the pointed questions about why he had not come earlier, all of the strange looks he received when he requested that the stone be rolled away from the stench-filled tomb were orchestrated for one overriding purpose: for the disciples to “really believe.” Jesus used a dark situation as a backdrop for his brilliance.

You’ll find that same dynamic at work in your life. In the midst of dark situations, you’ll wonder what went wrong, why God was late, and how he could possibly redeem a situation after its “end.” Even when we don’t understand, we can trust that God knows what he is doing and walks with us in our pain. But we can also take it a step further and actively exercise faith that God is eventually going to do something powerful and unusual. Just as Martha affirmed Jesus’ statement that he is the resurrection and the life (verses 25–27), even though she didn’t know what was coming, we can affirm that Jesus is who he says he is and has not lost control of the situation. We can expect him to continue working in ways we don’t comprehend. We can see the light at the end. And as he intended, we can affirm that we “really believe.”

Faith is like radar that sees through the fog.