But when Jesus heard it he said, “This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”
-John 11:4
I read this and get an uncomfortable twinge in the pit of my stomach. In these verses, Jesus is talking about the illness of Lazarus, one of his good friends. And if you know the story (or have read any of my previous posts), then you know that Lazarus does indeed die. Jesus does not come directly when summoned and told that Lazarus is sick, and when Jesus finally does arrive to help, Lazarus has been dead for four days. His sisters are in the midst of unimaginable grief and feel abandoned by Jesus, the one they call Lord.
And for what? In our pain, we search for meaning, for answers. We want to know why something happened to us. What was the purpose of this suffering that Jesus could have so easily prevented by just showing up on time? “… It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” In this case, Jesus tells us. It is for the glory of God.
Merriam-Webster defines glory as “praise, honor, or distinction extended by common consent: renown.” In other words, Lazarus was sick and died so that God would get praise and honor, that His name would be renowned. Maybe this doesn’t unsettle you as it does me, but to me it feels a little bit… cruel. Or maybe… selfish? But God is not selfish. Out of all the attributes listed about God in the Bible, selfish is not one of them. He is good. He is love. So why does it feel that way?
Of course, if you know the end of this story, you know that Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead, which is how God is glorified. Lazarus lives again and is reunited with his sisters. But he was still dead for four days. His sisters still grieved his death for four days. Sometimes it feels like God’s glory comes at the expense of our good. However, God’s glory and our good are not mutually exclusive. Anything God does for the sake of His glory also benefits us. Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose.”
Before Jesus and his disciples head to Bethany to raise Lazarus, Jesus tells his disciples, “Lazarus has died, and for your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe” (John 11:14, emphasis mine). Here we see that Lazarus’s and his sisters’ suffering was not only for God’s glory, but also for the disciples’ good. That they would believe that Jesus was God. That consequently, they would get to spend eternity in heaven with Him. Of course, as the readers, we know that the disciples were not the only ones affected by this event, because it is recorded in the New Testament, therefore leading people over generations to believe. That it was actually for thousands, if not millions, of people’s good.
I think God allowing suffering can feel cruel because we don’t see how something that is painful in this present moment could possibly be for our good. We want immediate satisfaction. We want our fleshly desires fulfilled. We want to feel better now. But you don’t let a child eat candy for every meal, even though they want to. You make them eat their broccoli even though it tastes bad. Why? Because you know it is good for them. 2 Corinthians tells us that “…this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison” (4:17). Everything that happens to us in this life now is preparing us for something greater. Something beyond comparison. Something worth it.
So as you suffer today, friend, take heart. God will be glorified in your situation, yes. Always. He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords. But He also always has you in mind—His beloved. He cares for you and will not let your suffering go to waste. All things will work together for His glory—and your good.
