John 11:5-6 Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. Yet when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days.

The NIV does a disservice by changing “so” to “yet” at the beginning of verse 6. It is a very important principle that sometimes God allows us to go through difficult trials precisely because He loves us. Jesus made that very clear in verse 15, saying that His love for His disciples was also a motive for His actions. Humanly speaking, we are very prone to equate “pleasant” with “good.” That is a major hindrance to good parenting, because parents tend to give their children what they enjoy rather than what is best. That’s not to say that pleasant things are never good, or that parents shouldn’t do or give delightful things to their children, but it is to say that if things are always easy, we won’t grow. It is well known that if you “help” a butterfly by cutting open its chrysalis, it will never fly. It needs the exertion of coming out on its own to pump fluids into its wings and make them expand and grow rigid. Depriving it of the struggle is no kindness at all. God never picks on us, but He knows what struggles we need to go through to expand our faith and make it strong, so in love, that’s what He gives us. When we moan and groan and complain about what we’re going through, we often prolong the process!

I have certainly done my share of complaining, but I’ve walked with the Lord long enough to be able to recognize this pattern in my own life. The more I choose to look to the Lord and thank Him for whatever circumstances I find myself in, the more quickly I get through the hard parts and enjoy the benefits. This is something I have tried again and again to teach people, but its reception has been spotty at best. For my efforts I have been accused of being uncaring and worse. I must be very careful that I always speak the truth in love and without pride, but that does not mean I am not to speak the truth. I am to pray that those I speak to would have hearing ears, and I am to exercise wisdom in timing, but by the grace and power of the Holy Spirit I am to point people to Christ regardless of their circumstances.

Father, thank You for the practicum on this point in the middle of the night, when the phone ringing woke us up and I was awake for over an hour. Thank You for that training in forgiving and releasing. Help me grow more and more in thanking You for all things, knowing and trusting that You will never allow anything that can’t be used for my good. I ask You to keep me from the sin that brings needless suffering. May I be an effective instrument of Your grace and blessing to all I encounter, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!