God is with us

John 11:17–27 places the ache of grief next to the claim of Christ: “I am the resurrection and the life.” The scene with Martha exposes a common tension—confidence in God’s power yet confusion about His timing and intention. The teaching frames that tension under three truths about God—He is everywhere, all-powerful, and all-knowing—and then asks the honest question many carry: If God is good and able, why does He allow suffering? Scripture’s answer is not simplistic or man-centered. Suffering is not wasted; God weaves it into His purposes: salvation, deeper intimacy, and His own glory.

First, God can use trauma to save. Corrie ten Boom’s wartime suffering culminated in a moment where a former guard sought forgiveness, and the gospel broke open a heart under conviction. That is not spectacle; it is redemption’s shockwave reaching into impossible places. The Lazarus account carries this same pattern—Jesus delays, not from indifference, but to reveal the glory of God in a way that rescues faith, widens vision, and anticipates the final resurrection found only in Him.

Second, trials draw God’s people back from distraction and pride into dependence. Israel’s cycles in Judges, the Father’s loving discipline in Hebrews 12, and Paul’s thorn show the severe mercy that weakens self-reliance so grace can be our strength. Joni Eareckson Tada’s testimony embodies this: when weakness is offered to God, it becomes a platform for durable joy and holy usefulness, not a reason for bitterness.

Third, God sometimes permits suffering for His glory alone. This counters man-centered versions of faith that reduce God to a dispenser of comfort and success. Scripture re-centers the story: all things are by Christ and for Christ. Jesus’ own prayer, “Father, glorify Your name,” before the cross clarifies the pattern: cruciform glory, not convenience. Richard Wurmbrand’s gratitude for God’s presence in a communist prison illustrates the deeper gift—God with us in the fire, not merely God removing the fire. Such a vision frees believers to lay down bitterness, ask for daily guidance, and receive the peace, comfort, and assurance that are better than immediate relief. Present sufferings are real and costly, but they are not the last word; the coming glory outweighs them, and Christ’s people can walk through pain with honesty, hope, and a readiness to forgive.

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Key Takeaways

• 1. Trust God’s omniscience, not just power Martha believed Jesus could prevent death, yet struggled with His delay. Faith matures when it rests not only in what God can do, but in what God knows and wills for His glory and our ultimate good. Trust moves from “Why didn’t You?” to “What are You doing here?”—a surrender that enlarges hope beyond immediate outcomes. [12:12]
• 2. Suffering draws us back to intimacy Distraction erodes prayer; trials reawaken it. God’s loving discipline is not punitive cruelty but relational rescue, turning us from self-made paths back to dependence and communion. Pain becomes a wake-up call that recalibrates desires and restores first love. [16:01]
• 3. Weakness can be God’s severe mercy Paul’s thorn was not removed; grace was supplied. When strength is taken, self-sufficiency loosens its grip, and Christ becomes the sufficiency we actually need. In that exchange, weakness ceases to be wasted—God refashions it into humility, perseverance, and fruit that could not grow in ease. [21:42]
• 4. All things exist for God’s glory Christian hope is not a promise of unbroken comfort but of God’s reign revealed through and beyond suffering. We are not the center; Christ is, and His glory reinterprets our pain without diminishing it. Yielded lives say, “Your will be done,” and find deeper peace than untroubled circumstances can offer. [28:40]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [00:24] - Scripture reading: John 11:17–27
• [02:34] - Why does God allow suffering?
• [03:39] - God’s omnipresence, power, and knowledge
• [06:57] - Purpose 1: Salvation through suffering
• [08:32] - Corrie ten Boom and costly forgiveness
• [11:23] - Lazarus: delay, trust, and resurrection
• [15:40] - Purpose 2: Trials that draw us close
• [19:56] - Paul’s thorn: strength in weakness
• [22:33] - Choosing trust over bitterness
• [24:44] - Rethinking hyper-charismatic assumptions
• [26:43] - Purpose 3: For God’s glory alone
• [28:40] - Made by Christ and for Christ
• [33:32] - Wurmbrand: God’s presence in prison
• [36:35] - Hope beyond present suffering

Bible reading

- John 11:17–27

On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days.
Now Bethany was less than two miles from Jerusalem,
and many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them in the loss of their brother.
When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home.
“Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died.
But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.”
Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”
Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life.
The one who believes in me will live, even though they die;
and whoever lives by believing in me will never die.
Do you believe this?”
“Yes, Lord,” she replied, “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”

Observation questions

1. In John 11:17–27, what does Martha affirm about Jesus, and what tension do you see in her words and hopes?
2. When Jesus says, “I am the resurrection and the life,” what response does He call for right there in the story?
3. What is significant about the timing in the Lazarus story? How does the line “Jesus purposely delayed his trip” shape the scene? “Jesus purposely delayed his trip” [11:48]
4. From the stories shared, what are concrete examples of God using suffering for salvation, growth, or His glory (e.g., Corrie ten Boom, Paul’s thorn, Wurmbrand)?

Interpretation questions

1. “She trusted in God’s omnipotence, but she did not trust in his omniscience.” What might it look like to trust both what God can do and what God knows and wills? [12:12]
2. “For whom the Lord loves, he chastens.” How does loving discipline (not cruelty) change how a believer understands hard seasons and their purpose? [17:39]
3. “Sometimes the blessing is found in the suffering.” How does that confront ideas of comfort-first faith, and what kind of fruit could only grow in weakness? [25:59]
4. “Sometimes God allows circumstances for his glory.” How does putting God’s glory at the center reframe expectations about healing, timing, success, or relief? [26:43]

Application questions

1. Martha said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” Where have you said something similar to God, and what would it look like to ask, “Lord, what are You doing here?” this week? [01:25]
2. “We neglect prayer. We neglect our intimacy with God.” What specific distraction most drains your prayer life right now, and what small, concrete step will you take this week to reawaken daily communion? [16:01]
3. Regarding the “thorn,” God’s word to Paul was “his grace is sufficient.” Where is God not removing a thorn in your life, and how could you practice receiving His daily grace there (not just asking for removal)? [21:42]
4. “Sometimes God will allow a person to do these terrible things and then bring about reconciliation and healing through it.” Is there someone you need to move toward with costly forgiveness? What would a first step look like? [10:42]
5. “What if we stop being bitter?” If bitterness has been growing in any area of your life, what honest prayer of surrender could you bring to God today, and who can walk with you in it? [32:04]
6. Jesus prayed, “Father, glorify Your name.” What is one current trial where you could begin praying that prayer each day, and what change of posture might that bring? [35:50]
7. “You don’t have to come to church and put on a fake smile.” What real pain or unresolved question could you share with this group so we can pray and walk with you honestly? [38:45]