EP 37 | Finding God When Healing Didn't Look the Way You Prayed

What happens when you prayed for healing, believed God could heal, stood in faith...and still lost someone you love?

How do you reconcile faith and grief when the answer to your prayer looks nothing like what you hoped for?

And perhaps the hardest question:

Where is God when the healing you prayed for doesn't happen?

This is one of the most tender conversations we've had on Healing Through Scripture.

In this episode, we're not trying to explain away loss with a quick Christian answer. We're not pretending grief doesn't hurt. And we're certainly not suggesting that if someone had prayed harder, believed more, or had stronger faith, the outcome would have been different.

Instead, we're going directly to God's Word.

Through the story of Lazarus in John 11, we'll look at Martha and Mary's heartbreaking words to Jesus:

"Lord, if You had been here..."

We'll see something remarkable in Jesus' response.

He doesn't shame their questions.

He doesn't rush their grief.

Jesus weeps with them.

We'll also explore what Scripture teaches about grieving with hope, unanswered prayer, biblical lament, praying for healing after loss, and trusting God's character when we don't understand His ways.

Because faith doesn't mean pretending something doesn't hurt.

Sometimes faith simply sounds like:

"God, I don't understand this...but I'm bringing my broken heart to You."

We talk about:

• What to do when you prayed for healing and someone still died
• Why unanswered prayer doesn't necessarily mean you lacked faith
• Martha and Mary's response to Lazarus' death in John 11
• Why "Jesus wept" matters so deeply when we're grieving
• Whether Christians are allowed to question God
• The biblical difference between grieving and grieving without hope
• What lament looks like in Scripture
• How to trust God when you don't understand what He allowed
• How to pray for healing again after experiencing a devastating loss
• What not to say to someone who's grieving
• How to comfort someone without trying to explain their suffering
• Why we don't have to manufacture answers God hasn't given us
• How resurrection changes the Christian understanding of death
• Practical ways to keep walking with God through grief

John 11:1–44 — Lazarus, Martha, Mary and Jesus

John 11:25 — "I am the resurrection and the life."

John 11:35 — "Jesus wept."

Psalm 34:18 — The Lord is close to the brokenhearted.

1 Thessalonians 4:13–18 — Grieving, but not without hope.

Romans 12:15 — Mourn with those who mourn.

Psalm 13 — Biblical lament and "How long, Lord?"

Job — Trusting God when we don't receive a tidy explanation for suffering.

Revelation 21:4 — The promise of a day with no more death, mourning, crying or pain.

You can have questions...

and still have faith.

You can grieve...

and still trust God.

You can believe God heals...

and still be devastated when healing doesn't look the way you prayed.

Biblical faith doesn't require us to deny our pain.

It teaches us where to take it.

You don't need to figure out the rest of your life today.

Maybe today's faithful step is simply:

"Jesus, I don't understand. Please stay close."

Tell God the truth.

Let people help carry you.

Stay near His Word, even if you can only hold onto one verse today.

Don't turn your loss into guilt.

And leave room for hope.

Because for those who belong to Christ, grief is real...

but so is resurrection.

Healing Through Scripture was born out of my own healing journey after an ovarian cancer diagnosis.

During one of the most uncertain seasons of my life, I began leaning deeply into God's Word—learning to take my fear, questions, thoughts and uncertainty back to Scripture again and again.

I've put together a free resource sharing pieces of my healing journey, along with some of the Scriptures, mindset shifts and daily rhythms that helped keep me anchored in Christ.

This isn't a formula for healing or a promise that your story will look like mine.

It's simply what helped me, and my prayer is that something inside it helps you keep your eyes on Jesus through whatever season you're walking through.

Grab the free resource HERE

When you do, you'll also become part of the Healing Through Scripture email community, where I can continue sharing Scripture, encouragement, resources and conversations with you beyond the podcast.

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Sometimes the person who needs these words most hasn't found us yet. 🤍