A repeated phrase often heard lately is,
“We had hoped…” This is followed by an aspiration that has suddenly vaporized
in the chaos of a world that feels like it is in freefall into an abyss of
despair. Two years ago it was, “We had hoped to celebrate our anniversary in a
special way.” That hope morphed into a backyard cookout for two and a zoom call
from family and friends garbed in individual masks. Last year we had hoped the
Covid catastrophe would be over. That hope also vanished as stage two of the
pandemic kicked in and restrictions continued, and uncertainty reigned. This
year the normalcy we anticipated was trashed by hyperinflation, war, and
worldwide gloom. Now we simply hope to pull up to the gas pump and fill up the
tank without taking a second mortgage on our house. Hope has pretty much been absent
in our vocabulary in recent years. It now is something we dream may once again
emerge in our world.
The effects of this lost hope have emerged
in numerous ways. The Harris Poll, compiled March 1-3 for the American
Psychological Association’s (APA), found events such as Russia’s invasion of
Ukraine, the COVID-19 pandemic, and inflation are causing significant stress
among the American public. APA CEO Arthur C. Evans Jr. concludes. “But these
data suggest that we’re now reaching unprecedented levels of stress that will
challenge our ability to cope.” Larger stresses have bred numerous individual
stressors such as short tempers (“Get off the road stupid!”), fractured
communication (“Think like me or you are an idiot!”), increased family
dysfunction (“What do you mean I am hard to live with?), engaged in poor health
practices (“Pass me another sleeve of Oreos now!”), and dozens of other such indicators.
The same APA poll reported that a high percentage said their mental health was
greatly affected by what has felt like a "constant stream of crises
without a break over the last two years" (nbcnews.com/health/health-news).
Perhaps the most obvious malaise is the
depressive state many people feel when hope vanishes. The World Health
Organization found a “global prevalence of anxiety and depression increased by
a massive 25%” since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Imagine what the
percentage might be now with all the other negative issues around the world. Lindsey
McKernan, an associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at
Vanderbilt University Medical Center, observes Americans were "already in
an overwhelmed and depleted place." Now she observes there exists a
"new threat to our safety."
When hope is lost, despair quickly fills
the void. While we often think of the Easter as a glorious event filled with
hope. Remember that first Easter did not start out that way. The biblical
records women very early in the morning coming to the tomb where Jesus had been
hastily buried. They were not coming with hope. They had come with all the
essentials to deal with the dead body of Jesus (Luke 24:1). When they entered
the tomb, they were perplexed not finding the body of Jesus (24:3-4). An
angelic being had to remind them of what Jesus had been saying – he would be raised
on the third day (24:5-8). This hope-filled reminder infused them with renewed hope,
and they returned to doubtful disciples who dismissed their report (24:9-11).
Later that same day two disciples walked on the road to Emmaus and discussed
what had happened and were sad faced (24:13-15, 17). Jesus appearing
clandestinely among them asked what was discouraging them. They shared the information,
but the crucifixion part of the account had so overwhelmed them that the news
of Jesus being risen was not even embraced (24:19-24). Their summation for their
depression is encapsulated in their words, “But we had hoped that it was he who
should redeem Israel” (24:21). Their hope was gone. Defeat and depression ruled.
It took the intervention of Jesus by his teaching of the Scriptures and fellowship
in a meal to open their defeated lives to recognize the risen Christ (24:25-32).
Hope reentered their lives. They retraced
their steps and returned to their fellow disciples to give the hope-filled
announcement, “The Lord is risen indeed!” (24:34-35). Moments later Jesus appeared
confirming their report and underscored that, “These are the words which I
spoke to you when I was with you” (24:38-46). Hope can be restored when people
are reminded of what Jesus has said and embrace his promises. The disciples
were overcome by the trauma of the horrible crucifixion. Now once again they became
hope-filled individuals.
The perils we face in this world are real. The person, promises, and power of Jesus are also real. They can transform the bleak circumstances and prospects we confront in this conflicted world. One promise should stand out like a beacon to us, (John 16:33) “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” Easter displays the success of his overcoming work. This Easter season focus your eyes on a triumphant, risen Savior, and not on the bleakness of a broken world. Remember the transformed message the hope-restored disciples proclaimed, “He is risen indeed!” (Luke 24:34). May this assist us to remove the gloomy clouds that might be overwhelming us.
