Hope Amid the Grief

The resurrection of our Messiah changed everything, and the apostle Paul later said the same power that raised Jesus from the grave is within each of us (Romans 8:11). It’s as if we each have this V12 supercharged resurrection power flowing through our veins, but we’re driving our lives like a V2, hamster-powered, Cheerios-infested Civic.

I don’t just desire something good. I don’t just believe anything is possible. Resurrection brings the certainty to expect that good is on its way.

Romans 8:28 says, “All things work together for good to them that love God.” All things. Even when we’re grieving, it feels impossible. But slowly, I began to hold space for grief and hope. Hope is the confident expectation that good is on its way.

Paul wrote in Romans 5:2–5, “We boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame.”

When Paul said that we must persevere and prioritize character development, the church in Rome would have nodded in agreement. However, when he said that everything produces a hope that no one can shame, he lost them. A statement like that was groundbreaking. He was reframing, reminding, and reclaiming the sheer goodness of hope. He was daring to hope, and we can too.

D–Desire something good.

A–Anything is possible.

R–Resurrection brings certainty.

E–Expect good is on its way.

Friend, as we dive deeper into our grief stories, I want us to make room for the possibility of hope as we strive for vulnerability. I know this can be scary and difficult at first, but it’s helpful to remember that it is OK to want to hope, heal, be happy again, love again, and try again. I so badly want for you to be able to experience the good in your life again. We can desire something good, decide that anything is possible, trust that the resurrection brings certainty, and expect that good is coming.

Pray with me:

Lord God, thank you for the resurrection of Your Son and the hope it brought both for our life on earth and for our eternal destiny. Fill me afresh with this hope, I pray. Amen.