Why Did Jesus Weep?

Jesus wept.

John 11:35

Someone needs to read that verse today. It’s really short- read it a couple times.

Do you know why Jesus was weeping in John 11? At first, I thought He was weeping because His friend, Lazarus, had died. But if you read the whole chapter you’ll see that before Jesus even went to meet them, He knew Lazarus was dead. He had every intention of resurrecting him upon arrival. He even told His disciples that before they got there.

But it’s not until Jesus goes to speak to Lazarus’s sister, Mary, who has now been grieving her brother’s death for four days, that He weeps.

“When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, ‘Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.’

When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. ‘Where have you laid him?’ he asked.

‘Come and see, Lord,’ they replied. Jesus wept.” John 11:32-35

Jesus wept with Mary. Jesus wept with Mary knowing good and well that He was going to bring Lazarus back to life. Jesus wept with Mary with full and total knowledge that everything was going to be okay in a matter of minutes.

Jesus wept- because Mary wept.

He didn’t belittle her pain just because He knew how to fix it. He didn’t scold her for her unbelief. He wasn’t angry that she was disappointed in Him. Before He fixed everything- He sat there with Mary in the middle of her sorrow and felt it too.

He does the same for you.

Please don’t think for one moment that God is negligent to your pain. Don’t think that He doesn’t hurt when you do. When you are going through the dark valleys in life, He is there, too. He is not oblivious or anesthetized to your suffering. He’s there, in the midst of it all.

The worst time in my life was when my daughter was three weeks old and in critical condition with some serious health issues. I remember sitting in the hospital room holding her, silently sobbing as not to wake her. I was praying asking God why in the world this was happening. I could barely whisper, “God, this hurts.”

He felt a million miles away. It seemed like my prayers were hitting the ceiling. I’d never felt pain like I had that day.

I believe He was weeping with me in that hospital room. Knowing good and well my daughter was going to leave there perfectly healthy and wonderful. I believe He held my breaking momma heart and felt every ounce of my agony with me.

I believe God feels our pain- even though He knows it’s going to get better. Maybe you need to know today that whatever you are going through, God sees you. He knows your pain. He is feeling it too. He is with you in the fire. He hasn’t turned away or forgotten to be faithful to you.

This too shall pass. There is resurrection coming in your life. But in the meantime, it’s okay to sit with Jesus and weep.

I find great comfort in knowing that Jesus doesn’t write off our pain just because it’s temporary.

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“You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book. My enemies will retreat when I call to you for help. This I know: God is on my side!” Psalm 56:8-9 (NLT)

God not only feels your pain, but He also doesn’t let it go to waste. I love how this verse says He collects my tears and then makes my enemy pay for them. He is on your side. He is fighting for you. He will not let your pain be purposeless.

He cares for you. He weeps for you. He fights for you. He died for you.

When you are hurting, remember- Jesus wept, too.

Be Blessed!