One of the most striking verses in the Bible is the shortest, “Jesus wept.” (John 11:35)

Think about that.

The God-man who knows the power of God, who knows heaven, –who knows the ultimate outcome, wept at the tomb of Lazarus.

Jesus, as I call it, “grieved in context”. He was fully God and fully man and therefore fully felt the grief of Mary and Martha, and fully felt His own pain over the loss of someone He calls a friend.

Jesus did not gloss over the grief. He did not ignore it. He did not deny it. He did not overlook it.
He wept.

But, what He did next is key. In verse 41, it says, “And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, ‘Father, I thank You…'”

The confidence that He expresses in the Father is the context that allowed Him (and us) to grieve but not be consumed.

Grieving in context allows us to be fully human while fully having eternal life and enjoying the peace that comes with it.

“… in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”
—Philippians 4:6-7