Amid turmoil, remember the Easter promise

In times of hardship and confusion, we face one essential choice: Trust God, or doubt Him. 

And there’s a lot of hardship and confusion for Christians in America right now. Our country is going down a dark, difficult path. Radical pro-abortion legislation is on the table. Parents are increasingly barred by schools from rearing their own children, whether it’s about wearing a mask at school or undergoing irreversible gender-based medical alterations.

The world abroad seems grim, as well. China is committing genocide. Russia is waging a brutal war on Ukraine. International politics are slipping into a state of fear and wariness, if not outright hostility.

Yet amid this turmoil, Christians persist in charity and hope. Ukrainian Christians have been a powerful witness in particular. Before the war broke out, they sang a prayer of mercy, of forgiveness, of hope. After the war broke out, they prayed fervently for peace — sometimes even while sitting in bomb shelters.

But Palm Sunday and Easter hold an important lesson for us as American citizens and, of course, for all of us as Christians. There are two kingdoms: One of God, and one of man. We belong to God’s Kingdom — and that kingdom is our ultimate, unshakeable hope.

“We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure,” the Bible tells us in Hebrews. “It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf.”

We cannot forget this, no matter how dark things may seem. We must trust in God’s providence and can take great comfort from Him. After all, God made a covenant with us. God is our peace, and He has promised Himself to us to the very end. 

Christ is “firstborn from among the dead,” the principle, redemption and fulfillment of all Creation. We cannot look to man for peace or wisdom in this life. We must look to God, even to the end of time, even when the world falls in upon itself. 

“Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away,” God tells us in Matthew.

I understand the temptation to doubt, especially in the face of disorder and evil. But it is just that: a temptation. Put it aside and cling to the Gospel truth. We Christians celebrate and worship a God who accomplished the only thing more astounding and improbable than creation itself: salvation. 

He brought us to life and now, through His death, has conquered our death. If God is with us — and He is, always — then who can be against us? 

Christ resurrected stands above and against whatever evil or confusion men may sow. He stands above and against our worries, our fears and our despair. He is our eternal hope. And He must be our guide, as well. 

He must be our guide even when we are shaken by our doubts and fears. In the grip of despair, the choice we must make to trust God often seems far less obvious than it does in times of happiness. Doubt is compelling. We are easily captured by sin and fear.

But this is when He extends His hand and His promises to us. In our moments of weakness, we may be made strong through Him. So, surrender whatever darkness is in your life to His light. Pray that the darkness which abides in the world will eventually be overcome in His name. 

Pray for this, and worship in joy as we celebrate the resurrection this Sunday. Know that in Him, all will be well. Trust God in everything. He is our hope, a firm and secure anchor for our souls.