Summary

When grief settles in, it has a way of making you feel like you’ve been stranded in a place you never wanted to go—a place where hope feels distant, prayers feel heavy, and God can seem painfully quiet.

Sermon Questions

1. What has grief revealed about the things you tend to trust besides God? Jairus discovered that his position, influence, and resources could not save his daughter. How has a season of loss or disappointment exposed your need to depend more fully on Christ?
2. How do you typically respond when God’s timing does not match your expectations? Jairus experienced what felt like a devastating delay while Jesus stopped to minister to another person. Have you ever felt that God was late, and what did that experience teach you about faith?
3. What fear is currently competing with your faith? Jesus spoke directly to Jairus after the worst news imaginable: “Do not fear, only believe.” What circumstance in your life is tempting you to listen to fear more than to the voice of Jesus?
4. Are there areas of your life where grief has convinced you that hope is gone? The mourners believed the story was over, but Jesus stepped into what everyone else considered final. Where do you need to trust that Jesus still has authority over what seems hopeless or beyond repair?
5. What would it look like to bring your grief honestly to Jesus this week? Jairus did not approach Jesus with polished words or perfect faith—he came desperate and broken. What burdens, questions, disappointments, or sorrows do you need to stop carrying alone and place before Christ?

Bonus Reflection Question