Easter is one of my favorite holidays. It is a day that our whole nation knows about with companies changing business hours, stores are decorated, and don’t get me started on how good Easter candy is. The world celebrates it as the beginning of spring. The flowers are returning, grass is green, trees are blooming, and life is returning to nature (and bunnies?), but then it’s over and focus goes to something else. We know that Easter is so much more than spring. Jesus brought more than an earthly life to us— He gave us eternal life. Easter may be over, but the joy of the Lord and our salvation will never be.

Well everyone, we made it to Sunday. The tomb is empty, and HE IS RISEN! Up to this point the world has been grieving the loss of Jesus, even though we were told this was not even remotely close to the end by the prophets of the old testament (Isaiah 53), and by Jesus Himself on at least three separate occasions (Matt 16: 21, 17:22-23, 20:18-19). But, we are human. We are fickle, forgetful beings that have a tendency to forget the sun exists during the night. In the same way we can forget God’s promises to us when we are going through tough times.

Jesus’ entire life on earth was in preparation for the day of his crucifixion. Jesus came “to seek and save that which is lost” (Luke 19:10) He came as a babe, lived a sinless life, and eventually gave his life as a sacrifice so that we can have forgiveness. But what do we need forgiveness from? The bible tells us that all have sinned are separate from God. “For all have sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Before we knew Christ, we were not only separate from God but the wrath of God was upon us and we were destined for eternal separation from him.

If you look to the gospel of John you will see that “light” and “walking in the light” is a common theme, which is rooted in the old testament, “Oh house of Jacob let us walk in the light of the Lord” (Isaiah 2:5). Later in Isaiah 9, there is a promise of light in the form of a savior who would be born to Earth “the people walking in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone” (v2). That promise is fulfilled in John 8:12 when Jesus declares “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

There is a time for death, a time to weep, a time to mourn, a time to give up what is lost. Solomon tempers these points with an uplifting note of their antitheses, but there will still be times when we walk through seasons of darkness. Moments of despair come in countless forms. Throughout scripture, we have no shortage of paragons of anguish. Individuals like Job, who suffered unimaginable loss and grief (Job 1:18-19).

Have you ever felt like nothing you do turns out right? I remember a time when I was thrilled about a hiking trip to Yosemite National Park. Growing up in the mountainous terrains of Bluffton made me think an 8 mile hike up a mountain would be a breeze. My excitement began to wane halfway through, and doubt crept in. At one point, I half-jokingly told myself I should have written my will before starting this adventure. Then, spotting what seemed like a "shortcut" on the map, I thought, "Why not?" I did not fully grasp the challenge that lay ahead. My casual map checks turned into frantic glances every few steps. Stranded on this "shortcut," I hoped for a glimpse of a trail. My heart raced, not from fatigue but from the realization that I had veered off the main path alone.

As we trace Jesus’ journey toward the cross through the Scripture, the triumphal entry has an enormous mix of emotion. The crowd is delirious with excitement over this coming “King of Israel”, while Jesus, in sorrow, weeps over Jerusalem and the spiritual blindness of God’s chosen people. But there is one other emotion that, while unstated, must have been felt deeply, loneliness. Imagine how lonely Jesus felt, knowing He was the only person in the entire world at that time that actually understood what was unfolding. He knew where He was headed, what He would face, the brutal price that He would shortly be paying. Even His closest friends didn’t understand. How isolated He must have felt, how hollow the joyous cries of the people must have sounded on that day. I wonder how deeply He longed to leave that place and return to the Father? Yet He went, faithfully fulfilling the prophecies, in a crowd, all alone.

A dear friend of mine has been dealing with infertility since her marriage started 6 years ago. In a recent conversation with her she said “infertility feels like you are putting your life on pause and watching everyone else around you move forward leaving you behind.”

Not all of us experience infertility, but how do we cope with life-changing challenges like a serious illness, a move across the country, or a painful separation or divorce? We often find ourselves waiting on God and taking steps of faith, only to come up feeling lost and confused.

Proverbs 3:5-6; asks us to trust in the Lord — to put our confidence in Him and not in ourselves. This means relinquishing control and choosing to entrust our well-being to Him continuously.

So often we want to understand why the situation is happening in order to trust the outcome. However, understanding is not a prerequisite for trust. Choosing to place our trust in God rather than relying solely on our own understanding leads to peace. By recognizing His presence and inviting Him into the situation, we can surrender our concerns and anxieties, allowing His peace to replace them. How can we be certain that we can rely on God? We turn to His Word, His character, and His faithfulness in our lives.