When God Is Late but Never Absent

God’s delays, detours, and disruptions are often part of a greater redemptive design.

THIS WEEK’S BOLD STEP DEVOTION

“When he heard this, Jesus said, ‘This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.’”
(John 11:4)

There are moments when life feels confusing and painful. I remember getting a call that my father was critically ill. My brother and I dropped everything and flew to Spain as fast as we could. We arrived in time to be with him but not in time to change the outcome. He passed away shortly after we arrived. Those moments force us to wrestle with questions we don’t want to ask: Where was God? Why didn’t He intervene?

In John 11, Jesus receives word that His close friend Lazarus is sick in Bethany. What Jesus says next is shocking. He tells them the illness will not end in death but will bring glory to God. Then Scripture makes unmistakably clear that Jesus loves Martha, Mary, and Lazarus but instead of rushing to Bethany, Jesus stays where He is for two more days. That delay is confusing because by the time Jesus arrives, Lazarus has been dead for four days. The mourning has run its course, and from every human perspective, hope is gone, but Jesus sees what we can’t. For those who believe and have put their faith in Jesus, death is never final. He even refers to it as sleep, because He knows that life continues beyond the moment that feels unbearable.

Then comes the emotional turning point. Jesus sees Mary and the mourners weeping, and He is deeply moved. Even knowing resurrection is moments away, Jesus wept. He enters fully into their grief before He displays His power. And in that place of sorrow, He reveals something profound: God’s delays, detours, and disruptions are often part of a greater redemptive design. In Jesus, dead dreams can live again, dead faith can be restored, and dead hope can be resurrected, reminding us that we don’t have to stay the same. Resurrection power is present even when God’s timing has disappointed you.

Bold Step Challenge:
Bring your disappointment with God honestly to Him this week. Name the delay, the unanswered prayer, or the disruption you don’t understand. Then choose to trust that God is still working, even when you can’t see it. Take one bold step of faith by surrendering what feels dead and inviting Jesus to speak life again.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, I confess that Your timing often confuses me. Forgive me when disappointment hardens my heart or weakens my faith. Thank You that You are not distant from my pain and that You weep with me even before You work for me. Help me trust Your delays, believe in Your power, and hope again where I’ve grown weary. I receive Your resurrection life today. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Listen to the sermon: When Life Doesn’t Make Sense

Part 1Part 2

Ministry Update from Mark

A few weeks ago at the Walk Worthy Men’s Conference in Akron, Ohio, I watched God move in powerful ways. In a culture that pulls men downstream, it was encouraging to see so many men gather hungry for truth, unity, and spiritual strength. As we opened God’s Word in Ephesians 4, I was reminded again that walking worthy of our calling isn’t about self-effort but about surrender to Jesus and commitment to one another.

I’m grateful for what God did through the teaching, the conversations, and the brotherhood that filled the room. My prayer is that what began will continue to shape how these men lead their homes, serve their churches, and stand firm in their faith. Let’s keep walking worthy together!