When It Looks Like the End, But God

In Matthew 9:23–26, we read about a father who is desperate. His little girl is dying, and in a moment of bold faith, he approaches Jesus and pleads with Him to come. Jesus agrees to go—but when they arrive, it's too late. Or so it seems. The crowd has already begun mourning. People are gathered outside the house, grieving. The girl has died.

But then Jesus says something that must have sounded completely ridiculous to everyone standing there: “Go away. The girl is not dead but asleep.”

And they laughed at Him. Let that sink in. They laughed at the Son of God. The same Jesus who had healed the sick, calmed the storm, and cast out demons—they laughed at Him. Why? Because their understanding was limited to what they could see and explain. Death looked final. It felt final. But Jesus wasn’t operating within the limitations of their view. He had come to do something only He could do.

Scripture says He went in, took the girl by the hand, and she got up. Just like that. A miracle—life restored.

It’s not over until God says it’s over.

It sounds simple, but I forget it all the time.

When my mom was diagnosed with cancer. When my daughter was born 3 months early. When health struggles arise. I go straight into research mode. I rely heavily on science. I study every angle, every statistic. I dig through trials and treatments. And in the middle of all that searching, I forget who my God is.

I forget His power.
I forget His authority.
I forget that the One who created life also holds authority over death.

The people outside that house didn’t believe Jesus had the power to change the outcome. Their laughter revealed their unbelief—not just in Jesus, but in the nature of God. They couldn’t see beyond what was already happening in front of them. But Jesus didn’t need their faith to perform a miracle. He gave her life again anyway.

Let that encourage you. Even if people around you doubt. Even if your circumstances look too far gone. Even if your heart feels weary and done.

God is not limited by what looks final.

Here’s something else I’ve learned: Sometimes, you have to tell the doubters to go away—just like Jesus did.

When you are struggling, you don’t need voices in your life that drag you back down to a worldly perspective. You need people who lift your eyes back up to the spiritual. People who remind you what’s actually true, even when your emotions scream otherwise. People who will sit with you in your grief but still point you toward hope. Because friend, hope still lives. And so does He.

If you’re in a place right now where it looks like the story is over—If you’ve been laughed at for believing God can still show up—If you’ve begun to forget His power and authority— Come back to the feet of Jesus. Tell the crowd to quiet down. And ask Him to take your hand.

Because if He says it’s not over, it’s not.