S8.12 | Lessons from Lazarus: Finding Encouragement in Times of Pain and Suffering
Carla dives deep into the biblical story of Lazarus from the book of John, chapter 11. Carla opens up about her own challenging season, offering listeners an intimate and heartfelt reflection on pain, prayer, and perseverance. She explores the profound lessons embedded in the story of Lazarus, encouraging believers to find hope in the midst of suffering and trust in God's greater plans.
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Key Takeaways
Understanding God’s Timing:
Explore why Jesus delayed his journey to Lazarus, emphasizing that God’s timing often has a greater purpose that may not align with our immediate expectations.Identity Rooted in Language:
Embracing Pain and Heartache:
Recognize that experiencing pain and heartache doesn’t mean God is distant. Jesus allows us to go through challenges to prepare us for greater miracles.
Jesus’ Compassion:
Learn about the emotional depth of Jesus, who weeps with us in our suffering, showing immense empathy and compassion even knowing the ultimate victory.
Hope and Resurrection:
No matter what heartache you are walking through, remember that it's never the end of the story. In God's kingdom, pain and suffering ultimately lead to restoration and glory.
Connect With Carla:
Inquire about 1:1 coaching ---> carlaagreswellness@gmail.com
Renewing Hope Course —-> https://www.carlaarges.com/renewing-hope
Come hangout on IG with me @carlaarges
Check out the blog
Resources:
5 Steps to Building Resiliency
Affirming Truths Facebook Community
5 Tips for Overcoming a Negative Body Image
Who You Say I Am Biblical Affirmation Cards
TRANSCRIPT
Carla Arges [00:00:08]:
Hey friends, welcome to affirming truth. I'm your friend and host, Carla arches. This show is a safe place to share our struggles, grow in faith, and root our identity in Christ. My hope is that you will leave each episode feeling encouraged in your journey. Subscribe so you don't miss an episode.
Carla Arges [00:00:27]:
And it would mean the world to.
Carla Arges [00:00:28]:
Me if you would leave a review. I am so glad you're here. Let's get started. Hey friends, it's Carla, and welcome to.
Carla Arges [00:00:38]:
Another episode of affirming Truth. If you are a regular listener, you're going to notice that this isn't coming out on Monday as it normally does. There was no episode on Monday. This is Tuesday and I am free flowing this episode. It's not going to be the normal format of Monday's episodes. And really, the reason is I am going through a challenging season. The last six months have been a challenging season and I'm still going through the challenge, and I'm still figuring out what that looks like for me and how to manage it. And sometimes that means my best intentions of getting a podcast episode recorded and loaded don't happen.
Carla Arges [00:01:35]:
And in this season, I am trying to give myself grace for the challenges that I'm facing and how I am learning to maneuver them and really just lean on Christ in a new way. And my ask of you is that you would give me grace as well. You will always still get your two episodes a week, the affirming truth based episode, and then just my free flow talk episode. But sometimes they're not going to come out on the normal days. And I apologize, but I know you guys love and accept me, and I know that you guys are praying for me and cheering me on. And so we're just going to roll with the punches. We are just going to be flexible together. All right? Okay.
Carla Arges [00:02:39]:
I'm actually really excited to talk to you about what I want to talk to you about today, because this is a Bible story that I have read so many times, and in my current study in the book of John, my personal Bible study that I'm doing, this story just came to life to me in a new way. And so I want to take you to John eleven and the story of Lazarus being raised from the dead. And I'm sure we're all familiar with that story, and it has this feel good ending. God shows his power. Jesus uses it as an opportunity to confirm to the people that he is of God. He is God himself. But I think it's easy to gloss over some of the details and just get to the victorious end. You see, Martha and Mary reached out to Jesus when their brother was sick.
Carla Arges [00:03:46]:
They knew Jesus loved them. Right? We can see in other gospels the story of Mary sitting at Jesus feet. And they were friends. They weren't just mere acquaintances. They were friends. Jesus loved that family. They were friends. They provided for some of Jesus'needs and supported his ministry.
Carla Arges [00:04:10]:
They were friends. And Mary and Martha sent word to Jesus that Lazarus was sick. And they sent word, fully believing and having faith that Jesus could heal Lazarus. They had seen him heal the blind, healed the leper, heal the lame. They knew that Jesus was capable. They knew that Jesus loved them. And they reached out to Jesus with full expectation of how Jesus would respond. They expected Jesus to come and heal Lazarus.
Carla Arges [00:04:53]:
Jesus didn't do that. Jesus waited two days until he knew Lazarus was dead. And then he made the trek to Bethany. You see, you got to think about what was happening with Mary and Martha in that time period that Jesus didn't come, but their brother died. They had to go through that heartache, that deep pain. They had to go through that questioning. Why didn't Jesus come? Why didn't he show his power? Why didn't he heal? They had to wrestle with that doubt, that disappointment, that discouragement, all at the same time is dealing with the very real heartache of losing their beloved brother. There was pain.
Carla Arges [00:05:51]:
When Jesus finally arrives, Lazarus has been dead four days. The sisters are like Jesus. If you had been here, if you had been here, this wouldn't have happened. And they tried to still hold on to a mustard seed of faith, but they were heartbroken. Jesus didn't spare them going through the heartbreak. And I want to encourage you right now where you feel like Jesus hasn't answered your prayer, where you feel like you're walking through heartbreak that Jesus could have spared you from. I want you to remember this story. Jesus came after the heartbreak, after they had to walk through the pain, after they had to walk through the questioning.
Carla Arges [00:06:48]:
And he came with an even bigger miracle. Yeah, he could have healed Lazarus, but he raised Lazarus from the dead. He showed the fullness of why he had come. To beat death in the grave, to overcome death in the grave, to set us free from death in the grave. He had a bigger miracle in store. He had a bigger way to display his glory. And Jesus wept when he got there. He wept.
Carla Arges [00:07:29]:
He wept not just as a human who had lost his friend. He wept even knowing. Even knowing he was going to raise Lazarus from the dead, even knowing that wasn't the end of the story. He wept. He wept at the impacts of sin on his beloved people. He wept at the impacts of death. He wept. Even knowing the miracle he was about to perform, he wept.
Carla Arges [00:08:01]:
And so there's a few things I want you to take with you from this story, that in your pain, in your suffering, Jesus weeps with you, even though he knows he has already overcome death in the grave, even though he knows the victory is ultimately won, even though he knows you will be rejoicing with him in paradise one day, even though he knows all of that, in your pain and suffering, he weeps. He weeps. That sin still has this after effect while we live in the in between of already done, but not yet fully completed, not yet fully manifest. He weeps. He is not a distant, cold God. He's compassionate. He empathizes. He has experienced anything that you have experienced as he lived as a man on earth.
Carla Arges [00:09:07]:
The pain, the temptation. He saw death. He saw pain. He wept. Even knowing that that wasn't the end of the story. The other thing I want you to take away is that Jesus did not spare Mary and Martha the heartache. Sometimes we're asking God to spare us the pain, but in allowing us to walk through the pain, he actually has a bigger miracle in store. Like, sometimes we ask for things and we feel like they're big, but our God is so much bigger and can do so much more than we can ever ask or imagine.
Carla Arges [00:09:57]:
And yes, sometimes he allows us to taste the heartache. Sometimes he allows us to taste the pain. But it's not because he doesn't care. It's not because he's not answering prayer. It's not because he doesn't hear you. It's because his plan is greater and how he's going to show his glory is greater. And what he wants to do in your life is greater. And the testimony he wants to give you is greater.
Carla Arges [00:10:27]:
What an amazing God we serve. What an amazing God we serve. So if you are struggling right now through the pain, if you are wrestling with the fact that you have been praying for something and it doesn't seem like Jesus is responding, if it seems like Jesus is allowing something horrible, allowing pain, allowing suffering, I want you to hold on to this story of hope and really see God's character in it. Really see the character of Jesus. His plans are greater. His redemption is greater. His restoration is greater. His glory is greater.
Carla Arges [00:11:12]:
He's working out something greater for you. Martha and Mary had the opportunity to see the power of God in ways that they could not even imagine. Their testimony is far greater. Their gratitude is far greater. Yeah, they would have been happy. They would have been thankful. If Jesus had come and healed Lazarus while they were sick. That would have been meeting their expectations.
Carla Arges [00:11:52]:
But how much more grateful? How much more in awe? How much more praise? How much more glory did they give him when they thought the end was over and Jesus came and restored it and raised Lazarus from the dead? How much more did they pour out their heart in praise and worship? How much more is Jesus going to do in your life? Yeah, you may have to deal with the heartache, but the heartache is never the end of the story. In the kingdom of God, the heartache is never the end. It may be the middle, it may be a chapter in your book of your life, but it is not the end. The end is always resulting in glory to God. The end is always resulting in a magnificent display of the power of God. So maybe you are walking through something hard. Maybe you feel like you're walking through a death, but a resurrection is coming. Amen.
Carla Arges [00:13:02]:
A resurrection is coming. Hold on to that truth. Hold on to that hope. Hold on to the character of God. He does big things far beyond we could ever ask or imagine. There may be mourning in the night, but joy, thanksgiving, power, restoration, all of that is coming in the morning. God bless you guys.
Carla Arges [00:13:41]:
Thanks for joining me today. I hope we're already friends on social media, but for not come find me on Instagram at Carla Arges or at affirming truth. Can't wait to see you back here next week. Bye, friends.