What Lent Teaches Us About Hope

This Week’s Reading: 

“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.”  

– Romans 8:18

Reflection: 

Jesus is Our Anchor 

What if our struggles are the birthplace of hope? 

Just three weeks ago, I received a phone call that stopped me in my tracks. My grandfather, a man who meant the world to me, had passed away.  

I keep thinking about the hours-long phone calls I received from him, his courageous journey from South Carolina to Michigan, the stories of his upward mobility at General Motors during the segregation of the 1950s, the memories of picnics on Belle Isle, endless summer road trips when I was a child, him picking me and my cousin up from school each day and holding our hands as we crossed those busy Detroit streets, and above all, how he kept Jesus first through it all, remaining a faithful and active Christian from his childhood to the very day he passed. 

Now more than ever, Paul’s words in Romans 8:18 resonate with me: “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.” What gives me comfort is that the Apostle Paul knew suffering firsthand. Yet, he was confident that every ounce of pain in this life pales in comparison to what God has in store for us.  

That’s the hope of Lent. Not that we won’t suffer pain in this life, but that our suffering is never wasted or ignored by God.  

No matter how heavy pain feels, it’s never permanent. Whatever you’re carrying right now, it’s not the end of your story. What God is preparing for you is far greater than anything this world has ever taken away. 

My grandpa lived through decades of radical change and uncertainty, but his hope remained anchored in Christ. Today, as we face our own sets of global anxieties and personal fears, that same anchor is available to us. Lent reminds us that even when the world feels chaotic, we aren’t left to navigate it alone. The same God who walked through the wilderness and endured the cross is still walking with us today.  

We Don’t Need to Face Pain Alone 

The hope of Lent isn’t about avoiding struggle or pretending that pain isn’t there. God has shown me that sometimes it’s in our darkest moments, in the places where we feel most broken, that hope begins to grow.  

As painful as losing my grandpa has been, God has used this time of grief to draw my family closer together. And for the first time in my life, I didn’t have to carry the weight of that pain alone. I used to think I had to carry my grief in silence, but the cards, flowers, and thoughtful prayers from my Woodside family changed that. I experienced how God comforts us through the people He puts in our lives. 

For the first time in my life, I understood I wasn’t alone. 

Lent reminds us that everything Jesus suffered has led to the hope that our faith gives us to this day. I encourage you to bring any loss or grief to God during this season of Lent. The days leading up to Easter have a way of reminding us that no matter what we carry, there is always hope through Christ. 

I still catch myself waiting for my grandpa to call me again. He told me once that hearing the choir sing at his church made him want to call me. I think about that now. I think about what he must have heard when he stepped into heaven. I wonder if, just for a moment, he thought about reaching for the phone again.  

Questions to Consider 

I encourage you to consider the following questions:  

• Is there grief or loss you’ve been carrying in silence that you need to bring to God this Lent? 

• What would it look like for you to let your church family into your pain instead of carrying it alone? 

• Have you ever experienced a loss or hardship that unexpectedly grew your faith? What did that process look like? 

Closing Prayer 

Lord, thank You for the hope that Lent brings and for reminding us that our suffering is never the end of the story. Today, we bring our grief, our loss, and our burdens to You. Thank You for the faithful ones who came before us, whose lives showed us what it means to keep our eyes on You through every season. Strengthen us and keep guiding us to find hope in Jesus. Open our eyes to the people around us who pray for us and remind us that we don’t have to face our struggles alone.   

During these days leading to Easter, help us to remember that the same God who endured the cross still walks with us. Help us hold onto Your promise that what’s ahead is greater than anything we can imagine. Amen.