“When Jesus saw her weeping and saw the other people wailing with her, a deep anger welled up within him, and he was deeply troubled.”
John 11:33 (NLT)
The grief in this moment is real. Mary is hurting. The crowd is weeping. Death feels final. Yet standing right in the middle of their sorrow is the One who holds power over the grave. Their emotion is honest, but it is aimed at what feels final instead of Who is eternal.
Jesus is not troubled because they are sad—He is troubled because their sorrow is settling on death instead of rising in faith. Resurrection is standing in front of them, yet their hearts are bowed under the weight of loss. Their tears are genuine, but their hope is still learning where to rest.
We often do the same thing. We place our confidence in plans, outcomes, timing, provision, and people—and when those things shake, our hearts shake with them. Meanwhile, Jesus stands steady, inviting us to trust not just what He can do, but who He is.
Jesus is patient with our tears, but He gently calls our faith higher. He does not shame our grief—He redirects our hope. Today, He is lovingly asking us to lift our eyes from what feels final and rest our trust in the One who holds resurrection power.