Taken out of context, this verse could just be a "Happy, happy, joy, joy!" warm and fuzzy kind thought.  Not my style.  I don't like to pull punches, and while I will assert that God is good all the time, some pretty bad things still happen in life.

The context of this verse is that Jesus has just shown up in Bethany, after an intentional delay to make sure that his buddy Lazarus, the brother of Mary and Martha had passed away without Jesus healing him.  Both of Lazarus' sisters have unloaded on Jesus for His not intervening.  Lazarus died and had been in the grave for four days.  Decomposition has begun, which is why nobody wanted to open the tomb up; there would be the foul stench of rotting flesh.

Talk about dark and hopeless!

It is to THAT very situation; when all hope was gone, that Jesus speaks the words; "Did I not tell you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?"  And why shouldn't that be the situation; it's not hard to believe in God and Jesus when things are going well.  It's when the road get's a little rough and rocky that doubts can creep in; maybe not doubts about who Jesus is, but about whether or not God is going to come through; whether you're gonna make it through this experience at all, or in one piece, and about if you can adjust to this new reality.

Believe that you will see the glory of God; that God is present in your time when all hope is gone.  If you do, Jesus promises that God will be present!

Right now, the Consistory of our church has put forth a ridiculously low offer to settle my call/contract.  I'm tempted to worry, as Kathy is, that we will wind up penniless and homeless, and it seems that this group of good Christian people would be delighted by that prospect.  Hey Jesus, we followed You, we took You at Your word, we put it all in Your hands, and now ... this.  It's hard to believe that we will see the glory of God in this situation where all hope is gone.  But I cling to belief, I cling to my faith, because I've got nothing else.  And maybe that's the point.  When we've got nothing else, FINALLY, God has a chance with us!