Hope In The Midst Of Pain

“For if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, then all our preaching is useless, and your faith is useless… But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead. He is the first of a great harvest of all who have died.” (1 Corinthians 15:13-14, 20, NLT)

“For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives. Since we have been united with him in his death, we will also be raised to life as he was.” (Romans 6:4-5, NLT)

“I am the Alpha and the Omega—the beginning and the end,” says the Lord God. “I am the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come—the Almighty One.” (Revelation 1:8, NLT)

Have you ever watched someone cling to hope against all odds? The story of my (Doug’s) first wife, Becky, is heart-wrenching. Becky died in 2018 from dementia at age 63. The journey of dementia is dark and excruciating. Perhaps you have walked this road with someone in your own life.

Despite this trial, Becky and I held fast to Christ because he held fast to us. No small part of our encouragement came from knowing through our study and life experiences that Jesus is who he said he was. We knew that Becky would be healed and fully restored in the new heaven and new Earth (Revelation 21–22).

Hope is something every person longs for, and every worldview offers some version of it. But not all hope is the same. Peter reminds believers, “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have” (1 Peter 3:15). Can you explain the hope within you?

Christianity offers a hope unlike any other. It’s not wishful thinking, positive vibes, or self-confidence. Our hope rests on a supernatural and historical reality: the life, death, and physical resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Because he conquered sin and death, our hope is secure, both for this life and for eternity.

Some deny miracles as possible, but there are solid arguments from philosophy and science that a supernatural Creator exists. If so, that Being could work miracles. In fact, many credibly report that miracles happen today. Perhaps you have experienced a miracle or know someone who has. The resurrection of Jesus is what C. S. Lewis called “the grand miracle” because Christianity as the true religion depends on it and because our hope in eternal life hinges on it.

As you read through the apostle Paul’s account of the resurrection of Jesus and its implications in 1 Corinthians 15, consider how serious Paul is about the fact that Jesus died and rose again from the dead in real history. If he did not, then preaching Christ and having faith is pointless; we are not saved, and the dead stay dead. Take a moment to think about how different your life would be if Christ did not rise again!

Christianity would never have gotten started without the resurrection, since it was the most significant belief of first-century Christians like Paul. It was a public truth that was verified by many witnesses.

How might the truth of Jesus Christ encourage you through a trial you are going through? Have you seen Christians persevere under difficulties because of their faith in Jesus Christ? Which claims of Christ give you the most hope and encouragement through life’s difficulties?