--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A great many people wonder why it was…" description: "\"A great many people wonder why it was that Christ did not come at once to Martha and Mary, whom He loved, whenever He heard of their affliction. It was..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/458/dwight-l-moody-1085_affliction_a-great-many-people-wonder-why-it-was-th_974206.jpg" --- # A great many people wonder why it was that Christ did not… ![“A great many people wonder why it was that Christ did not come at once to Martha and Mary, whom He loved, whenever He heard of their affliction. It was to try them, and it is the same with His dealings toward us. If He seems not to come to us in our affliction, it is only to test us.” quote by Dwight L. Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/458/dwight-l-moody-1085_affliction_a-great-many-people-wonder-why-it-was-th_974206.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/458/dwight-l-moody-1085_affliction_a-great-many-people-wonder-why-it-was-th_974206.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/458/dwight-l-moody-1085_affliction_a-great-many-people-wonder-why-it-was-th_974206.jpg) > “A great many people wonder why it was that Christ did not come at once to Martha and Mary, whom He loved, whenever He heard of their affliction. It was to try them, and it is the same with His dealings toward us. If He seems not to come to us in our affliction, it is only to test us.” [Dwight L. Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-l-moody/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Christ’s delayed help serves as a test of faith, not neglect. **In simple terms:** God tests us through hardship. Key Takeaway Trust that trials have purpose. Themes faith testing patience Mood reflective hopeful Type scriptural inspirational When to use this quote - personal loss - illness - family crisis - spiritual doubt Key Concepts theodicy spiritual growth Questions to Reflect On - How do you respond when help feels delayed? - What can you learn from waiting? A Different Perspective Interpretation may overlook divine timing and human agency. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Affliction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/affliction/) [Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christ/) [Christian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christian/) [Great man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-man/) [Great men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-men/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Tests](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tests/) [Wonder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wonder/) ## Related quotes > [Action and contemplation are very close companions; they live together in one house on equal terms. Martha and Mary are sisters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-of-clairvaux/action-and-contemplation-are-very-close-companions-they-live-together/) [Bernard of Clairvaux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-of-clairvaux/) > [Martha says the interesting thing about fly fishing is that it's two lives connected by a thin strand. Come on, Martha. Grow up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/martha-says-the-interesting-thing-about-fly-fishing-is-that-it-s-two/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [We are on the cusp of the emergence of a company of hidden men and women who with all faith and patience have been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-chironna/we-are-on-the-cusp-of-the-emergence-of-a-company-of-hidden-men-and/) Mark Chironna > [We can stand affliction better than we can prosperity, for in prosperity we forget God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-l-moody/we-can-stand-affliction-better-than-we-can-prosperity-for-in/) [Dwight L. Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-l-moody/) > [My Mother set me on the right track, Marty Robbins made me want to write songs, and Jesus Christ did the rest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-taupin/my-mother-set-me-on-the-right-track-marty-robbins-made-me-want-to/) [Bernie Taupin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-taupin/) > [Christ did not make the atonement when he shed his blood upon the cross. Let this fact be fixed forever in the mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/uriah-smith/christ-did-not-make-the-atonement-when-he-shed-his-blood-upon-the/) Uriah Smith > [There is nothing more certain in Time or Eternity than what Jesus Christ did on the Cross.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/there-is-nothing-more-certain-in-time-or-eternity-than-what-jesus/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [“Christ did not descend from the cross except into the grave. And why not otherwise? Wouldn’t it have put fine comical expressions on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/christ-did-not-descend-from-the-cross-except-into-the-grave-and-why/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [All that Christ did and suffered would have been necessary had only one human soul been the object of redemption; and nothing different and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-hodge/all-that-christ-did-and-suffered-would-have-been-necessary-had-only/) [Charles Hodge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-hodge/) > [Christ did not die to make good works merely possible or to produce a half-hearted pursuit. He died to produce in us a passion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/christ-did-not-die-to-make-good-works-merely-possible-or-to-produce-a/) [John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/) > [If you knew that only a few would care that you came, would you still come? If you knew that those you loved would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/if-you-knew-that-only-a-few-would-care-that-you-came-would-you-still/) [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) > [The religion of a sinner stands on two pillars; namely, what Christ did for us in the flesh, and what he performs in us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-cecil/the-religion-of-a-sinner-stands-on-two-pillars-namely-what-christ-did/) [Richard Cecil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-cecil/) > [“Christ did not exalt himself in a world full of self-promotion; rather he stepped down and served others, which most, especially the elite, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-witherington-iii/christ-did-not-exalt-himself-in-a-world-full-of-self-promotion-rather/) [Ben Witherington III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-witherington-iii/) > [But following the only true and stedfast Teacher, the Word of God, our Lord Jesus Christ, who did, through His transcendent love, become what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irenaeus-of-lyons/but-following-the-only-true-and-stedfast-teacher-the-word-of-god-our/) [Irenaeus of Lyons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irenaeus-of-lyons/) > [Christ did not die to give people a career but to save the lost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reinhard-bonnke/christ-did-not-die-to-give-people-a-career-but-to-save-the-lost/) [Reinhard Bonnke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reinhard-bonnke/) ## More by Dwight L. Moody > [Christ never preached any funeral sermons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-l-moody/christ-never-preached-any-funeral-sermons/) [Dwight L. Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-l-moody/) > [What makes the Dead Sea dead? Because it is all the time receiving, never giving out anything. Why is it that many Christians are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-l-moody/what-makes-the-dead-sea-dead-because-it-is-all-the-time-receiving/) [Dwight L. Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-l-moody/) > [Many a professing Christian is a stumbling-block because his worship is divided. On Sunday he worships God; on weekdays God has little or no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-l-moody/many-a-professing-christian-is-a-stumbling-block-because-his-worship/) [Dwight L. Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-l-moody/) > [I never yet have known the Spirit of God to work where the Lord's people were divided.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-l-moody/i-never-yet-have-known-the-spirit-of-god-to-work-where-the-lord-s/) [Dwight L. Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-l-moody/) > [I believe many a man is praying to God to fill him, when he is full already with something else. Before we pray that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-l-moody/i-believe-many-a-man-is-praying-to-god-to-fill-him-when-he-is-full/) [Dwight L. Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-l-moody/) > [If Jesus bore the cross, and died on it for me, ought I not to be willing to take it up for Him?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-l-moody/if-jesus-bore-the-cross-and-died-on-it-for-me-ought-i-not-to-be/) [Dwight L. Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-l-moody/) > [The voice of sin is loud, but the voice of forgiveness is louder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-l-moody/the-voice-of-sin-is-loud-but-the-voice-of-forgiveness-is-louder/) [Dwight L. Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-l-moody/) > [To be tempted is not to sin. The strongest attacks are made on the strongest forts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-l-moody/to-be-tempted-is-not-to-sin-the-strongest-attacks-are-made-on-the/) [Dwight L. Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-l-moody/) > [If you have so much business to attend to that you have no time to pray, depend upon it that you have more business…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-l-moody/if-you-have-so-much-business-to-attend-to-that-you-have-no-time-to/) [Dwight L. Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-l-moody/) > [“God has left us down here to shine. We are not here to buy and sell and get gain, to accumulate wealth, to acquire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-l-moody/god-has-left-us-down-here-to-shine-we-are-not-here-to-buy-and-sell/) [Dwight L. Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-l-moody/) > [Right now I'm having so much trouble with D.L. Moody that I don't have time to find fault with the other fellow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-l-moody/right-now-i-m-having-so-much-trouble-with-d-l-moody-that-i-don-t-have/) [Dwight L. Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-l-moody/) > [There is no better evangelist in the world than the Holy Spirit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-l-moody/there-is-no-better-evangelist-in-the-world-than-the-holy-spirit/) [Dwight L. Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-l-moody/) > [Faith makes all things possible. Love makes them easy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-l-moody/faith-makes-all-things-possible-love-makes-them-easy/) [Dwight L. Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-l-moody/) > [Excuses are the cradle ... that Satan rocks men off to sleep in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-l-moody/excuses-are-the-cradle-that-satan-rocks-men-off-to-sleep-in/) [Dwight L. Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-l-moody/) > [If you do not feel a fervent love and profound pity for humanity, be assured that the gift of Christian eloquence has been denied…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-l-moody/if-you-do-not-feel-a-fervent-love-and-profound-pity-for-humanity-be/) [Dwight L. Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-l-moody/) [Explore all 295 Dwight L. Moody quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-l-moody/) ## More Affliction quotes > [I don't feel insecure about any of this work anymore. Maybe I don't have what I had when I was younger. I'm not really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-norton/i-don-t-feel-insecure-about-any-of-this-work-anymore-maybe-i-don-t/) [Edward Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-norton/) > [Every man will have his own criterion in forming his judgment of others. I depend very much on the effect of affliction. I consider…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-cecil/every-man-will-have-his-own-criterion-in-forming-his-judgment-of/) [Richard Cecil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-cecil/) > [WHANGDEPOOTENAWAH, n. In the Ojibwa tongue, disaster; an unexpected affliction that strikes hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/whangdepootenawah-n-in-the-ojibwa-tongue-disaster-an-unexpected/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [There is nothing in afflictions which ought to disturb our joy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/there-is-nothing-in-afflictions-which-ought-to-disturb-our-joy/) [John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/) > [Come, then, affliction, if my Father wills, and be my frowning friend. A friend that frowns is better than a smiling enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/come-then-affliction-if-my-father-wills-and-be-my-frowning-friend-a/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [Henceforth, I'll bear Affliction till it do cry out itself, 'Enough, enough, and die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/henceforth-i-ll-bear-affliction-till-it-do-cry-out-itself-enough/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [New materials are one of the great afflictions of contemporary art. Some artists confuse new materials with new ideas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sol-lewitt/new-materials-are-one-of-the-great-afflictions-of-contemporary-art/) [Sol LeWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sol-lewitt/) > [Aimee Parkison offers a distinct new voice to contemporary fiction. Her seductive stories explore childhood as a realm of sorrows, and reveal the afflictions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-anshaw/aimee-parkison-offers-a-distinct-new-voice-to-contemporary-fiction/) [Carol Anshaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-anshaw/) > [May I strike my heart's keys clearly, and may none fail because of slack, uncertain, or fraying strings. May the tears that stream down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainer-maria-rilke/may-i-strike-my-heart-s-keys-clearly-and-may-none-fail-because-of/) [Rainer Maria Rilke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainer-maria-rilke/) > [We are infinitely more than our limitations and afflictions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/we-are-infinitely-more-than-our-limitations-and-afflictions/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [God measures out affliction to our need.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-john-chrysostom/god-measures-out-affliction-to-our-need/) [Saint John Chrysostom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-john-chrysostom/) > [Afflictions make the heart more deep, more experimental, more knowing and profound, and so, more able to hold, to contain, and beat more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bunyan/afflictions-make-the-heart-more-deep-more-experimental-more-knowing/) [John Bunyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bunyan/) > [Religion prescribes to every miserable man the means of bettering his condition; nay, it shows him that the bearing of his afflictions as he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/religion-prescribes-to-every-miserable-man-the-means-of-bettering-his/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [Short-term amnesia is not the worst affliction if you have an Irish flair for the sauce.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-mailer/short-term-amnesia-is-not-the-worst-affliction-if-you-have-an-irish/) [Norman Mailer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-mailer/) > [Revolution will free society of its afflictions, while science will free the individual of his.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-vargas-llosa/revolution-will-free-society-of-its-afflictions-while-science-will/) [Mario Vargas Llosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-vargas-llosa/) [Browse all 598 Affliction quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/affliction/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A great many people wonder why it was that Christ did not come at once to Martha and Mary, whom He loved, whenever He heard of their affliction. 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