This month, we will celebrate Easter. Easter is a joyous occasion in the Christian year. But we must also remember that there is no joy without suffering. The celebration that is Easter would not be possible without the death of Jesus. His death was accompanied by suffering, grief, and numerous struggles, from the multiple challenges faced in the Garden of Gethsemane, to his arrest, his “trial”, his abandonment, and his crucifixion.
The popular age-old hymn, It is Well With My Soul by Horatio G. Spafford, has a message for us in our time of suffering. When we dig deeper, we learn all was not well with the author’s soul.[1] This was his prayer – a prayer of hope beyond the grief and pain. Sometimes we must repeat a mantra to make it so, not for God but for us.
As we look forward to Easter, let’s acknowledge the sufferings of ourselves, each other, and Jesus. And let’s celebrate the hope that Jesus provides!
Additional Readings
Matthew 26:36-46