30/08/2026
Martha, Mary, Lazarus and Disappointment
Martha and Mary – Choosing God's Presence
In Luke 10:38–42, we read about Martha and Mary.
Martha was always busy.
She was the one who was doing.
She was serving and making sure that everything was in order.
But Mary sat at the feet of Jesus.
The Bible says:
Luke 10:39–40:
“She had a sister called Mary, who was seated at the Lord’s feet, listening to His word. But Martha was distracted with all her preparations.”
Martha eventually became frustrated. She felt as though she had to do everything alone.
The Bible says:
Luke 10:40:
“Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Then tell her to help me.”
But Jesus answered her:
Luke 10:41–42:
“Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”
Mary chose to sit at the feet of the Master.
Martha was busy.
But Mary was in His presence.
How often are we like Martha?
We become so busy with the problems and disappointments of life that we forget to become still before God.
We try to fix everything ourselves.
We try to find the answers.
We try to understand.
We try to control the situation.
But sometimes God simply calls us and says:
“Come and sit at My feet.”
What Is Disappointment?
Disappointment happens when reality does not meet our expectations.
It happens when we expected something to happen, but it did not.
We prayed, but the answer did not come when we expected.
We trusted someone, but they hurt us.
We believed for something, but things turned out differently.
Disappointment can leave us feeling:
Hurt
Confused
Angry
Sad
Forgotten
Discouraged
And sometimes disappointment makes us question God.
We may ask:
“God, where were You?”
“Why did You allow this?”
“Why did You not answer me?”
“Why did You not come sooner?”
Martha and Mary experienced this kind of disappointment.
When Disappointment Comes
In John 11, Lazarus became sick.
Mary and Martha knew Jesus loved their brother.
They believed that Jesus could heal him.
So they sent a message to Jesus.
John 11:3:
“Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick.”
They expected Jesus to come immediately.
But Jesus did not come when they expected Him to.
Lazarus died.
By the time Jesus arrived, Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days.
Martha was disappointed.
She said to Jesus:
John 11:21:
“Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.”
Mary said the very same thing:
John 11:32:
“Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.”
Have you ever felt like that?
“Lord, if You had only come sooner.”
“Lord, if You had only answered my prayer earlier.”
“Lord, if You had only changed the situation.”
They believed Jesus could help.
They sent Him a message.
They waited.
But from their perspective, it seemed as though Jesus had arrived too late.
This is what disappointment can do.
It can cause us to focus on what God did not do instead of trusting Him for what He is still able to do.
How Do We Deal With Disappointment?
1. Bring Your Disappointment to Jesus
Martha did not hide how she felt.
She spoke to Jesus.
She said:
“Lord, if You had been here…”
Martha was honest about her pain.
Sometimes we think we have to hide our disappointment from God.
But God already knows how we feel.
We can bring Him our questions.
We can bring Him our tears.
We can bring Him our pain.
The Bible says:
1 Peter 5:7:
“Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.”
Do not carry disappointment alone. Bring it to Jesus.
2. Do Not Allow Disappointment to Take You Away From God's Presence
When we are disappointed, we can become distant.
We stop praying.
We stop worshipping.
We stop reading God's Word.
We become discouraged.
But Mary teaches us something important.
She chose to sit at the feet of Jesus.
When life is confusing, we need God's presence even more.
We may not always understand the situation.
But we can still sit at His feet.
When you do not understand God's hand, trust His heart.
3. Trust God Even When You Do Not Understand
Martha could not understand why Jesus had delayed.
But Jesus had a greater plan.
Jesus said:
John 11:25:
“I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me will live, even if he dies.”
Martha thought the situation was finished.
But Jesus was about to show her that He was still in control.
We may not understand:
Why it happened.
Why it took so long.
Why the answer has not come yet.
But faith says:
“Lord, I do not understand it, but I trust You.”
The Bible says:
Proverbs 3:5–6:
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.”
4. Remember That God's Delay Is Not God's Denial
Jesus did not come when Martha and Mary expected Him.
But He was not absent.
He had not forgotten them.
He had not stopped loving them.
The delay had a purpose.
Sometimes we think:
“Because God has not answered yet, He will never answer.”
But that is not always true.
What looks like a delay to us does not mean that God has forgotten us.
God sees what we cannot see.
Jesus said:
John 11:40:
“Did I not say to you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?”
Sometimes, we have to keep believing even when we cannot yet see.
5. Do Not Bury Your Faith in Disappointment
This brings us back to our theme:
PLANTED, NOT BURIED
Martha and Mary believed that Lazarus' story was over.
He was in the tomb.
There was a stone in front of the grave.
From their perspective, everything was finished.
But Jesus had the final word.
Jesus said:
John 11:43:
“Lazarus, come forth!”
And Lazarus came out.
What they thought was finished was not finished.
What they thought was dead was not beyond the power of Jesus.
And perhaps today you feel as though something in your life has been buried.
Your dream.
Your hope.
Your joy.
Your faith.
Your expectation.
But I want to remind you:
What looks dead to you is not dead to God.
What looks impossible to you is not impossible for God.
What looks like the end may simply be the beginning of something new.
The Bible says:
Romans 8:28:
“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”
The Difference Between Being Buried and Being Planted
When something is buried, we think it is the end.
But when a seed is planted, something is about to grow.
The seed is placed under the soil.
It is covered by darkness.
It cannot see the sun.
It may look as though nothing is happening.
But underneath the soil, something is happening.
Roots are developing.
Life is beginning.
Growth is taking place.
And one day, that seed will break through the ground.
Perhaps your disappointment feels like darkness.
Perhaps you feel covered by circumstances.
Perhaps you feel forgotten.
But God says:
“You are planted, not buried.”
You are not under the ground because your life is over.
You may be in a season where God is preparing you.
Strengthening you.
Growing your faith.
Deepening your roots.
Preparing you for what is ahead.
Conclusion: How Do We Deal With Disappointment?
When disappointment comes:
1. Be honest with God.
Tell Him how you feel.
2. Bring your pain to Jesus.
Do not carry it alone.
3. Sit at His feet.
Like Mary, choose His presence.
4. Trust Him when you do not understand.
You may not know why, but God sees the whole picture.
5. Do not give up because of a delay.
God is never too late.
6. Keep your faith alive.
Do not allow disappointment to bury your hope.
7. Remember that Jesus has the final word.
Just as Jesus called Lazarus out of the tomb, He is still able to bring life to the places where we have lost hope.
So today, if you are facing disappointment, do not give up.
Do not allow your circumstances to convince you that God has forgotten you.
You may not understand the process.
You may not understand the delay.
You may not understand the pain.
But you can still say:
“Lord, I do not understand it, but I trust You.”
And remember:
YOU ARE PLANTED, NOT BURIED.
You are planted to grow.
You are planted to become stronger.
You are planted to produce something new.
The darkness is not your final destination.
The disappointment is not the end of your story.
Because when Jesus speaks, dead things can live again.
And when God has a purpose for your life:
No disappointment, no delay, and no darkness can destroy what God has planted.
