The women who headed for Jesus’s tomb the Sunday after His crucifixion had seen where Jesus’s body had been entombed, so when Sabbath ended, they wanted to honor Jesus by anointing His body with a spice mixture (Luke 23:55–56).
One very large problem, though.
A huge stone had been rolled over the tomb’s entrance. As Mary Magdalene and two other women hurried toward the tomb Sunday morning, “they asked each other, ‘Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?’” (Mark 16:3).
They realized they couldn’t move the stone, yet they didn’t turn back. They didn’t let the very large problem deter them. When they arrived, “the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away” (Mark 16:4). They entered the tomb, encountered an angel, and were the first to learn Jesus had risen from the dead (Mark 16:5–6).
At first, they were so stunned “they said nothing to anyone” (Mark 16:8). But Luke tells us they returned to Jerusalem and told the Eleven and other disciples Jesus had risen from the dead! (Luke 24:9).
The situation with your LGBT loved one may seem very large—as unlikely to budge as the stone in front of Jesus’s tomb. What can you do?
Like the women, admit you cannot move the stone. Matthew tells us “an angel of the Lord rolled back the stone” (28:2). Likewise, until we admit we cannot “fix” our LGBT loved one or force them to turn to God, our stone will remain unmovable. God must do the work in our heart and in theirs.
Second, the women were concerned about a situation they wouldn’t have to face; God had already remedied their very large problem. Think about that when the what-if and could-have scenarios run rampant in your mind. God may already have removed that obstacle or solved the problem.
Third, continue your journey—regardless of how impossible a positive outcome may seem. Continue to pray for loved ones. Ask God to bring people into their lives who can speak truth and to open their eyes to the lies they’re clinging to. Ask God for the strength to stand firm on His Word and to set boundaries that honor Him. Pray that He will reveal and root out any unforgiveness or bitterness lingering in your heart toward your loved one.
You may be bewildered by what God is or isn’t doing in your LGBT loved one’s life. But when God demonstrates He is at work, share that good news with others. Who are you sharing your heartache with? Who is praying for you and your loved one? Share good news with them.
Why was a very large stone rolled in front of the tomb’s entrance? Maybe to prove that only divine intervention could move it. The impossibility of your current situation doesn’t have to mire you in fear, confusion, or despair. Keep heading in the right direction—toward Jesus. He will roll away your very large stone at the most opportune time.