When we hurt we look for relief. Pain control is a major factor in medical protocol. No one expects pain that does not respond to treatment. There are so many options, so many approaches. There must be something that will work.

Pain that does not respond is hard to watch, especially if you have a face for the one who suffers and the one who suffers is your friend. When pain prevails, the one who is helplessly watching looks in desperation to the stories of Jesus in the hope of reconciling suffering and faith.

Is there something to learn from the story of Mary, Martha and Lazarus, close friends of Jesus? The sisters, Mary and Martha, say to Jesus, “Lord, the one (Lazarus) you love so well is sick.” The response of Jesus is stunning. He does nothing.

There is much more to the story, but for now, let’s remind ourselves of the sentence structure. The order of the words enable us to grieve, but not as those who have no hope.

LORD: Risen, Powerful, Sovereign, Omnipresent, Omniscient.

The one you love so well: the father loves the one I love in the same way as He loves Jesus (John 15:9). 

Is sick: For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.

The enemy of our souls would turn this focus on its head by saying,

Is sick: this sickness produces questions that have no answer. Therefore, God is neither powerful nor caring.

Is sick: The one you let slip through the cracks. This sickness is a measuring stick for determining God’s love and love fails.

Lord: Impotent, Distracted, Distant, Unknowing, Uncaring.

The content of this post expresses my daily struggle. I cannot yet say I have won the emotional victory, but my fervent prayer is Lord, May the size of the words and the order of their utterance express my faith and your faithfulness.