When Grief Distorts Vision
Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it that you are seeking?” Supposing he was the gardener, she replied, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will take him away.” - John 20:15
When Mary saw Jesus standing in front of her, she assumed He was the gardener. That detail is easy to overlook, but it is incredibly revealing.
Grief narrows perspective. It limits imagination. It makes us assume the worst and overlook the miraculous. Mary was not foolish. She was heartbroken. Her expectations were rooted in loss, not hope.
Jesus asked her two questions. Why are you crying? Who are you seeking?
Those questions were not harsh. They were compassionate. Jesus was inviting Mary to examine what her heart was holding onto. She was seeking a dead body, not a risen Savior. Her sorrow had anchored her to what she had lost rather than what God had done.
Many people experience this same tension. They are seeking Jesus, but they are seeking Him through the lens of disappointment. They expect Him to look a certain way, act a certain way, or show up on their terms. When He does not match those expectations, they assume He must be someone else.
Mary was standing face to face with the answer to her deepest grief and did not recognize Him.
This moment reminds us that spiritual blindness is not always rebellion. Sometimes it is sorrow. Sometimes pain makes it difficult to see what God is doing right in front of us.
Jesus did not shame Mary for her misunderstanding. He stayed. He spoke gently. He waited for her heart to be ready to recognize the truth.
Jesus often stands closer than we realize. Even when grief clouds vision, His presence does not waver. He meets us patiently, knowing that recognition comes in time.
When Mary saw Jesus standing in front of her, she assumed He was the gardener. That detail is easy to overlook, but it is incredibly revealing.
Grief narrows perspective. It limits imagination. It makes us assume the worst and overlook the miraculous. Mary was not foolish. She was heartbroken. Her expectations were rooted in loss, not hope.
Jesus asked her two questions. Why are you crying? Who are you seeking?
Those questions were not harsh. They were compassionate. Jesus was inviting Mary to examine what her heart was holding onto. She was seeking a dead body, not a risen Savior. Her sorrow had anchored her to what she had lost rather than what God had done.
Many people experience this same tension. They are seeking Jesus, but they are seeking Him through the lens of disappointment. They expect Him to look a certain way, act a certain way, or show up on their terms. When He does not match those expectations, they assume He must be someone else.
Mary was standing face to face with the answer to her deepest grief and did not recognize Him.
This moment reminds us that spiritual blindness is not always rebellion. Sometimes it is sorrow. Sometimes pain makes it difficult to see what God is doing right in front of us.
Jesus did not shame Mary for her misunderstanding. He stayed. He spoke gently. He waited for her heart to be ready to recognize the truth.
Jesus often stands closer than we realize. Even when grief clouds vision, His presence does not waver. He meets us patiently, knowing that recognition comes in time.
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