All is not Lost
Well, it has certainly been a while. This year was one of insane frustration and pain for us all. These days, we are hard-pressed to find someone who hasn’t become acquainted with deep loss. As if COVID wasn’t bad enough; tragedy, terrorism, hate, and disaster seem to be on the rise too.
Where do we go from here? I don’t know about you, but I’ve been tempted again and again to just give up on this world. All the pain, all the suffering, sometimes our efforts seem to be an exercise in futility.
For those who know me well, you are aware that I teach martial arts classes for children. If you’ve spent any amount of time with preteens, you know that the conversations can take some shocking turns. I remember speaking with a young boy of eleven and discussing “life’s meaning”. As long as I’ve known him, his countenance has been weighed down by some unseen pain or trauma. His entire worldview consisted of basically this: “There is no meaning, this world is so terrible, my life is pointless, nothing matters…” and so on.
One of my deepest regrets is that I never managed to break through to this youth and bring purpose into his existence. I only hope and pray that he has since discovered the tremendous value that he has.
I think for most of us, the past 365 days have challenged our deepest commitments and trampled our greatest hopes. Sometimes I feel like my student, questioning everything about who I am and wrestling with the biggest question: ‘WHY?’ In fact, if we are honest I believe many of us face these questions to some degree each day.
I am far from expert-status when it comes to, well anything, but I have a perspective that I hope will encourage you.
ALL IS NOT LOST.
I know… it’s such a novel idea, but Let me challenge you if I may. When you look back on this year and see all the strife, look also for the meaning, it is there I promise. You see, it is non-negotiable that this world will at times be the hardest place to live. As my young pupil said, “this world is so terrible”, but even so, this is only a part of the truth.
As a Christ-follower, everything that I do is motivated by the hope of ‘something more’. This isn’t where I try to convince you that if you follow Christ you will be better off in life. In fact, the only guarantee is that our Earth is wretchedly broken. Whichever way you slice it, you will face troubles in this life - look no further than 2020.
Yet even though pain is promised, you do not have to go through it alone. I don’t have the answers to the world’s problems, I don’t pretend to, but I do have hope. At the very least, I know that when all is said and done, I will depart to be with Christ.
This is another truth- and one far sweeter than the assurance of pain. Still, it is overlooked and often despised. I speak of the free gift of salvation, the redemption from the broken and wicked nature of our world. Death, torment, evil, pain the undeniable list goes on, and rescue is sorely needed.
So here is the good news in a nutshell. God Loves YOU! How do I know this? Because of what He did. In a bold and selfless move, God [the Son] took on human flesh and died the death we deserve. He paid the price for the wickedness of this world, even as we still continue to screw things up today.
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.”
John 3:16-17
After enduring the worst fate imaginable for our sake, Jesus rose from the dead in victory. He stands with arms open, offering the greatest gift possible in our existing predicament.
I am optimistic about this next year, but I am not blissfully ignorant. We can rest assured that 2021 will deliver another bout of unique issues. Knowing this, we need to seek a perspective that looks beyond our circumstances. If we know where we are going, the journey begins to have meaning, and the senselessness of life is overcome by the hope of a brighter eternity.
Always remember, I’m here to help.
God bless you, and Happy New Year!
-Brian Olson
For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
Romans 1:16
