A couple of weeks ago I heard a lesson taught on the following passage and in reading through it again something kept coming back to me and I thought I'd share. The passage is from the 11th chapter of The Gospel according to John and I've pulled out the following verses to highlight my thoughts.

From John 11

11 After he had said this, he went on to tell them, "Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going there to wake him up."

12 His disciples replied, "Lord, if he sleeps, he will get better." 13Jesus had been speaking of his death, but his disciples thought he meant natural sleep.

14 So then he told them plainly, "Lazarus is dead, 15and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him."

...

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

21 "Lord," Martha said to Jesus, "if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask."

23 Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again."

24 Martha answered, "I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day."

25 Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; 26and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?"

27 "Yes, Lord," she told him, "I believe that you are the Christ,[b] the Son of God, who was to come into the world."

...

32 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."

33 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. 34"Where have you laid him?" he asked.
"Come and see, Lord," they replied.

35 Jesus wept.

There are times in life when we will walk through life's valleys and we find ourselves in a place where all we seem to feel is the pain and grief. Comfort feels really far away and there is nothing anyone can say to bring relief. At times like this, remember - God shares in your grief and your pain. Even when He knows that His sovereign plan will shortly be bringing new life out of the graveyard of our sorrows, He still takes a moment to share in our pain and grief. To weep with us and let us know that we are His beloved. And because we are His beloved He is fully present in the times we cry out in pain and He laughs with us in our moments of joy.

So that is part of our calling as His followers to live this out -

9 Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 10Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. 11Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. 12Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. 13Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality.

14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. 16Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.