Dead Ends

Because of the delay, there were there people who felt “dead”. Dead in their doubts, dead in their discouragement, and dead in their delay.

1 – Thomas was Dead in Doubts

Thomas felt that nothing was going to turn out good. He had prayed a prayer, it didn’t happen, and he was overcome with doubts.

A person who is dead in doubts might be someone who questions why if God is good, bad things happen. 

Then Thomas said to the rest of the disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.” John 11:16

2 – Mary was Dead in Discouragement

Mary stayed at home even though Jesus was coming. She felt stuck in life and didn’t want to leave her house.

A person who is dead in discouragement might be someone who never sees anything good that happens. They might be smiling on the outside, but are hurting on the inside. They are always depressed, feel they will never have a good marriage, always will fail as a parent or feel as though no one loves them.

When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home. John 11:20

3) Martha was Dead in Delay

According to verse 21, Martha felt God took too long. Jesus should have come back earlier, but he didn’t.

A person who is dead in delay might be someone who feels they will never marry, have a baby, or receive healing from a medical issue.

On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days… “Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” John 11:17, 21

God’s delays are not God’s denials.

There are so many different ways we can feel like we are dying on the inside. Trapped. Delayed. Doubts. Thoughts. Depressed. Dysfunctional families. Calloused Heart. Fear. Lonely. Broken Marriages. Unemployment. But, when we seek God we get freedom from all of this.

Even Now

Verse 22 says, “But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.”

So Even Now when something is dead, God can bring it back to life with His resurrection power. Even Now, when we feel dead in our delays, our doubts, our thoughts, our day to day life, God can bring us life! If God can defeat death, He can do anything, including resurrect us from dead ends.

Having an “Even Now” Faith believes that Even now all things are still possible with God – John 11:22

What dead ends are you facing? How have these dead ends affected you? Hold on to the truth that all things are possible with God. Even now when we feel stuck in our delay and still don’t have a baby, we are reminded that God’s delays are not His denials!