Man often expects that faith will automatically bring an easy life. As if it is enough to say: “I believe” – and there will be no more problems, fear, pain or struggle. But the spiritual reality is different. Victory does not come to those who avoid battle. It comes to the place where a person stands to the end.
Victory does not come to those who never went through difficulties, but to those who did not give up in the midst of them.
That is why faith is constantly tested. Every day. Every circumstance. Every decision. A person may know the Bible, quote scriptures, say the right things—but true faith is revealed only when the pressure comes.
God does not come simply for human pain. God comes by faith. Even when it’s hard. Even when everything seems to be falling apart. That’s when a person decides: to give up or continue to trust.
Faith without works is dead
One of the main questions of spiritual life is what is more important: faith or works? But God’s Word does not separate these things. Faith and works go together.
It is impossible to have a living faith and at the same time not change. If a person truly trusts God, it will be seen through his life.
because of love for people;
through forgiveness;
because of compassion;
through service;
due to willingness to help;
because of faithfulness even in trials.
Jesus didn’t just talk about God – He revealed God through actions. He healed, raised, fed, saved, supported.
“For everyone who is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has conquered the world – our faith.” 1 John 5:4
The victory of a believer is not in human strength, but in the fact that faith connects the earthly with the heavenly.
Childish faith that adults lose
Children are able to believe without complex evidence. They trust the word. But an adult person often becomes too “wise” to simply trust God.
A person begins to analyze everything, control it, look for guarantees. And with it, the simplicity of faith is lost.
We know a lot, talk a lot, but sometimes do almost nothing.
There is faith of the mind — theoretical, religious, intellectual. And there is faith of the heart – when a person trusts God even when he does not see a way out.
God has not lost any battle
“Therefore, He can always save those who come to God through Him, because He is always alive to intercede for them.” Hebrews 7:25
This truth runs through all of Scripture: God does not lose. Never.
A person can lose strength. It can fall. May experience fear. But God remains faithful.
When the Lord says:
“I will hold you” – He holds;
“I will not leave you” – He does not leave;
“Call Me” – He answers.
Therefore, faith is not psychological optimism. It is a decision to stand on God’s Word.
Faith or fear
Fear makes a man a slave.
When the heart begins to be ruled by fear, a person no longer lives in freedom. She begins to hide, run away, constantly expect a threat.
Fear gradually destroys the soul.
“So when the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” John 8:36
That is why faith is not a passive state. Faith is active. She moves forward even when it’s scary.
Fear steals the future, but faith leads to freedom.
A person who trusts God does not mean that he does not have battles. But she does not stay alone with them.
Useless pillars of the world
As long as a person looks for the main support in people, systems, acquaintances or money, he will not learn to fully rely on God.
Human support is temporary. It can disappear in one day.
That is why tests often destroy false supports. Not to destroy a person, but to turn his heart to the Lord.
God comes at the moment when the heart is ready to hear Him.
Life as embroidery 🪡
The comparison of life with embroidery becomes a very deep image.
From the front, the picture looks beautiful. But from the reverse side, there are many knots, threads, confusing moments.
So is human life.
tears;
misunderstanding;
losses;
trials;
waiting;
pain.
Other people can only see the “front side”. But God sees all the knots of our hearts.
And even when we do not understand the process, the Lord continues to create a picture of life.
A story about a pencil ✏️
A pencil can fulfill its purpose only in someone’s hands.
He will be sharpened. He will be hurt. Its core can break. But it leaves a mark precisely because of this.
Take care of your core — your ❤️ heart.
So is a person.
Life will “sharpen”. Circumstances will be pressing. But if a person remains in God’s hands, his life becomes an instrument of good.
Serving others strengthens faith
One of the deepest thoughts of the sermon is that faith grows when a person begins to serve others.
When a person:
brings the Gospel;
supports;
prays;
testifies;
helps;
sympathizes
— she herself approaches the light.
Service is not spiritually exhausting. It enlivens.
It is through service that God often restores a person.
Faith is tested in battle
True faith is not formed in silence. It is born when it is necessary to stand against fear, pain or the unknown. You cannot win without meeting the enemy.
You must face your fear and conquer it.
That is why battles do not mean God’s absence. On the contrary, very often they become the place of God’s action.
Power of God’s Word
Faith comes through hearing God’s voice.
When a person stops reading the scriptures, stops praying, stops getting close to God, his inner man weakens.
But when the heart returns to the Word again, strength comes.
“Whoever is wise and intelligent among you, let him show his deeds with gentle wisdom and good conduct.” James 3:13
God’s wisdom is always manifested through the way of life.
Living faith against religious fear
A person often seeks protection in symbols, omens, superstitions, “charms”. But this does not give true freedom. True peace comes only when a person trusts God.
It is not the thread that saves. Not human control. Not fear.
Living faith in the Living God saves.
Faith that does not give up
Even when the tree has lost its bloom, it continues to live.
So is a person.
There can be seasons of loss. There may be years of struggle. But if the roots remain in God, life continues.
If we trust the Lord, we will not stay in the winter.
Time, word and opportunity
There are things that cannot be returned:
time;
spoken word;
possibility.
That is why it is important not to postpone life with God “for later”.
Every day is an opportunity:
to love;
to serve;
to testify;
help;
to pray;
become a support for someone.
Abraham’s faith is an example of patience
“For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love.” Hebrews 6:10
“And after patiently waiting for a long time, Abraham received the promise.” Hebrews 6:15
God’s promise often does not come instantly. It goes through patience, waiting and testing.
But God does not forget any service, any prayer and any tear.
The main idea of the sermon
True faith is not running away from a battle.
True faith is the ability to stand in the midst of it.
God did not promise a life without difficulties. But He promised to be there.
When hands fall, faith lifts.
When fear comes, faith reminds us that God has already won.
When a person does not see the road, faith continues to lead forward.
Victory comes to the place of battle.
And it is where a person does not give up, where he holds on to God, where he continues to trust despite tears, fear or fatigue – God’s victory comes.
“For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you.” Matthew 10:20
Jesus spoke these words to his disciples, preparing them for persecution. He warned them that they would be handed over to the authorities, misunderstood, and mocked—not for doing anything wrong, but for bearing witness to Him.
It may sound threatening, but Jesus does not leave them without comfort and help. He assures them that you won’t have to rely on your own words. When the time comes, the Holy Spirit will speak through you.
This promise was not just for students. It is for every believer who has ever felt nervous, incompetent, or unprepared to talk about Jesus. The truth is, we don’t need perfect words. We need a devoted heart.
The Spirit of God still speaks today, and it speaks through people like you. He whispers in hushed conversations over coffee. It encourages us to send thoughtful messages. He speaks through us in small moments at work, at school, or at the dinner table. Here’s a challenge for you: don’t hold back. Don’t wait until you “feel ready.” Believe that the Spirit that lives in you will give you words.
Take a step of faith. Share your story. Tell about what Jesus did.
Someone needs to hear your voice today, not because it is perfect, but because the Spirit of the Father is willing to speak His truth through you.
There are moments in every person’s life when the invisible shadow of anxiety begins to cover the sun of hope. Fear is not just an emotion; it is a real spiritual force trying to take control of our minds and shape our future. In the book of Job we find a profound yet sobering confession that opens our eyes to the nature of fear:
“For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, And that which I was afraid of is come unto me.” (Job 3:25)
These words illustrate a fundamental spiritual law: what we constantly focus our attention on and fuel with our emotions has the ability to materialize in our lives. Fear acts as a magnet for the very events we are trying to avoid.
Fear as the flip side of faith
Fear is the exact opposite of faith. If faith is confidence in unseen good that comes from the Lord, then fear is confidence in unseen evil. When we allow fear to take up residence in our hearts, we seem to be giving consent for destructive scenarios to become reality. We ourselves, with our thoughts, open the door for the enemy to act in the area for which we fear the most.
We often worry about our health, worry about the future of our children, fear financial collapse or loneliness. This anxiety paralyzes the will, steals the joy of today and forces us to live in constant anticipation of disaster, turning life into endless torture.
Perfect love as the only medicine
But how to break this closed circle? How to stop being afraid? The Bible gives a clear and unequivocal answer. The key to overcoming fear does not lie in psychological training and not in trying to “not think about the bad” by force of will. The real key is in knowing and accepting God’s nature.
“There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.” (1 John 4:18)
When the deep realization of how much God loves us comes, fear simply loses its power. He who gave his Son for us, will not protect us in everyday trials? Understanding His absolute, perfect love displaces all anxiety, leaving only room for God’s peace, which surpasses all human understanding.
Transition from fear to victory in Christ
To change the vector of your life, you need to make a conscious willful decision: stop worshiping your problems. Instead of running through the worst possible scenarios in our heads every night, we need to fill our minds with God’s promises.
“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” (2 Timothy 1:7)
This should become our daily practice of spiritual confrontation. When a thought comes that brings fear or panic, we have the power to stop it with the Word of God. Trust in the Lord is not passive waiting, it is an active position of the heart, when we confidently say: “Even if I walk through the valley of the darkness of death, I will not be afraid of evil, because You are with me.”
So, let’s not let fear be the artist who paints the picture of our future. What we fear does not have to become our reality. It is time to place all your anxieties, fears and insecurities in the hands of the One who holds this whole world. When our eyes are firmly focused on Christ, the shadows of fear are forever left behind. Let us proclaim freedom from every anxiety and learn to walk daily in the light of God’s perfect trust and peace.
When we find ourselves in circumstances of external pressure, occupation, or injustice, our hearts naturally yearn for release. Christ’s disciples, being in the context of the Roman occupation, asked Him the question that worried them above all else: “Isn’t it at this time that You will restore the kingdom of Israel?”. They sought political independence and earthly restoration. However, the answer we receive from God always shifts the focus from external terms to an internal power and global calling.
The question is not when circumstances will change, but who we become in these circumstances. God doesn’t always give us a timetable, but He always promises tools to defeat the darkness within.
🔥 The promise of power: More than emotions
The fundamental truth of our life lies in the promise that was given to the apostles and remains valid today:
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.” (Acts 1:8).
The word “power” here is not just inspiration. It is the ability to act where human resources are exhausted. It is the baptism of the Holy Spirit that makes the church alive. We are not only to be consumers of God’s grace; we are called to be His witnesses. To be a witness is not just to “testify” with words, it is to be proof of God’s presence with your life, actions and steadfastness.
🌍 Geography of Testimony: From the Heart to the World
Our journey of witness begins with our “Jerusalem”—our home, our hometown, and our war-torn country. But we cannot stop there. Just as the Gospel spread to Judea, Samaria, and the whole world, so must our influence grow. Even in the midst of the darkness of war, we have no right to withdraw into ourselves; our task is to carry the light outward. God’s presence through the Holy Spirit is not given for our spiritual comfort, but to make us effective tools for the purposes of the Creator.
🍞 Breaking of Bread as a Point of Initiation
Today, when we break bread, we do so not just as another ritual or as a reminder of a historical event. For us, it is a starting point. When we partake of the bread and wine, we are reminded of the price of our redemption, but at the same time, as a church, we are making an important decision.
This is the moment when each of us says: “Lord, we want to serve You. We dedicate ourselves.” This is the time of concrete decisions for the whole church: to devote oneself to prayer for specific people, to become a light in one’s environment, to be active members of the body of Christ. For the disciples, after the ascension of Jesus, Jerusalem became such a point, where they stayed in prayer for ten days, waiting for the promised.
For us, today’s breaking of bread should be the same time of waiting and renewal. We cannot postpone our “tomorrow”, because our spiritual life is happening here and now. It is our collective decision to embrace the power of the Spirit and become His witnesses in all that we do.
🛐 Prayer call of the Church
for renewal and baptism with the Holy Spirit.
for manifesting the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
blessings of the venerable Bishop Pylyp Savochka: God’s protection, health, family and ministry.
blessings of the venerable Bishop Mykola Savchuk and the Spiritual Council.
The immutability of God in a rapidly changing world
No matter what happens around us, what tragedies or natural disasters happen, there is one wonderful and unshakable news – God is alive and He is among us. The world around us is developing rapidly: what seemed like a fantasy yesterday is a reality today, and it is difficult to imagine what technologies will appear tomorrow. However, in this whirlwind of changes, two things remain unchanged: God Himself and our heart. From the first day of creation, the human heart continues to rejoice, cry, feel fear and hide unforgiveness in the same way. And God’s power works just as unchangingly on earth – God knows whose tear to wipe, who to comfort, and who to show the right path.
The Path of Trials: From the Desert to Gethsemane
When we accept the Lord into our hearts, we promise to serve Him with faith and truth until the end of our days. However, this path is never cloudless. Jesus Christ showed us an example of what we will have to go through:
🏜️ Desert: A time of spiritual testing and formation that we go through almost every day.
💔 Betrayal: Painful experience of disappointment in people.
🤲 Washing the feet: A call to serve and humble ourselves even before those who hurt us or look down on us.
🛐 Gethsemane: Moments of deep loneliness, when those whose support you hoped for (students, friends, loved ones) simply “fall asleep” and leave you alone with difficulties.
The Art of God’s Love: The Question “Where are you?”
How do we respond to the sin and fall of others? Weak people usually look for someone to blame, trying to blame everyone around them. But the strong seek God. When Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden, violating the Creator’s trust, God did not come to them with condemnation. He did not brand a “sinner” by demanding reports. He simply asked, “Where are you?“.
This phrase is a perfect example for our ministry. When we see a person who has gone astray, we should not start with reproaches and stigmatization. Our goal is to cover everything with love, find a person in his pain and say: “Follow the Lord.”
Serving one’s own is the hardest test
Carrying the Word of God to strangers is often easy: you speak the truth and walk away, trusting that God will do the rest. The real test is service in one’s own home, to one’s relatives and friends. Here comes the fear: “What if I say the wrong thing and they get offended?”, “What if they suddenly stop coming to visit?”.
Often parents are afraid to tell the truth to their children or insist on spiritual education, preferring “carrot” instead of the necessary upbringing. But when children grow up, reaping the fruits of such indulgence becomes very bitter. We cannot transfer spiritual education to school or simply hope that children will “grow up on their own”. Parents and the Church should be a living example.
Two Kings: David and Solomon. The danger of compromises
The scriptures call us “kings and priests”, and therefore each of us has our own “kingdom” – our family, life, heart. And here we are given two biblical examples for science: David and Solomon.
King David was a great warrior, a man after God’s own heart. But he also knew how to sin. His greatness lay not in sinlessness, but in the capacity for deep, sincere repentance (as in Psalm 50). He did not repent “just for the sake of it”, he cried out to God to change his heart. It was because of this sincerity that his kingdom was stable, and from his lineage came the Messiah.
King Solomon received everything: wealth, a peaceful kingdom and even asked God for unprecedented wisdom. But wisdom does not save where holiness is lost. Sin crept in unnoticed through political compromises and hundreds of women. Solomon compromised with the world, and compromise is the voice of the flesh, which always leads to sin. The result was the division and destruction of his kingdom.
This example poses a serious question to us: who are we like in governing our spiritual kingdom?. Loving service and any business without God is doomed to failure.
Truth as a path to healing
Our heart is the field where the Lord sows good seeds. But the devil always tries to throw weed seeds in there. If sin is allowed to take root (for example, compromising with the sin of loved ones under the pretext of “I want to save them”), there will be no pure harvest. Pulling out this weed is very painful, but it is necessary.
That is why it is so important to tell the truth. Truth clears the way to God. It cleanses us, even if it is unpleasant to listen to. We must refuse to make any compromises in our spiritual life. No matter how painful it is, no matter how we are rejected (after all, Jesus was once shouted “Hosanna” and then “Crucify”), we must stand firmly in faith and be faithful to God’s word.
So let each of us review the state of our “kingdom”, not surrendering ourselves to the slavery of sin, but surrendering ourselves to the hands of God. Keep the presence of the Lord in you so that one day you will hear from Him the words: “Good and faithful servant…enter into the joy of your master” (from Matthew 25:21).
Life often brings us together with people whose destinies have been broken by circumstances, addictions or losses. Sometimes an ordinary trip can become the moment when a person who has sunk to the very bottom due to addictions and despair finds the way to repentance and spiritual renewal. Even after passing through the crucible of war, injuries and loss of brothers, such a person is able to maintain a connection with faith and return to the source of hope.
This emphasizes an important truth: we are to be a hope and a blessing to others. As said in the prayer Saint Francis, true maturity consists not so much in seeking consolation for oneself as in consoling others; not so much to seek understanding as to understand; not so much to look for love as to love. Everyone longs for warmth, security and empathy, but the problem arises when we seek it exclusively for ourselves. God gave man two ears and only one mouth, which is an eloquent reminder of the need to learn to listen to others before giving advice. When we stop just waiting for good and start doing it ourselves, we receive a true blessing and inner healing.
The Nature of the Human Spirit: The Source of Vital Energy
The central idea of understanding our inner state is revealed in the Book of Proverbs:
“The spirit of man endures his infirmities. And a wounded spirit, who can strengthen it?” (Proverbs 18:14)
Today’s society is extremely focused on the external: proper nutrition, diets, body care and appearance. However, there is nothing more important than taking care of your inner state. In Jewish tradition, the word “spirit” (ruach/רוּחַ/rȗaḥ) literally means wind, symbolizing strength, power, emotional energy and enthusiasm for life.
A healthy spirit gives the will to live and the strength to deal with life’s challenges, because problems and crises are an integral part of our earthly journey. Instead, a broken (struck) spirit is characterized by a loss of the will to live, despair, giving up and a lack of strength to solve accumulated problems. This state can range from mild depression to severe depression and even suicidal thoughts.
The paradox is that a strong spirit is able to support even a deeply traumatized or sick body – we see this in the example of warriors who have lost limbs, but find the strength to move on and create something new. But no body, even the strongest and healthiest, can support a person if his spirit is broken. Our joy and ability to overcome difficulties do not depend on external circumstances, but on how we respond to them from within.
Information hygiene and pitfalls of modernity
Scripture warns of the dangers of improper focus:
“Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs him down, but a good word cheers him up.” (Proverbs 12:25). “Hope that is not realized for a long time makes the heart dull…” (Proverbs 13:12).
In times of war and constant crises, people often start and end their day watching the news, constantly relaying disturbing news to each other. Consuming negative information, especially before going to sleep, directly affects the spiritual person, because the tired psyche is not able to properly process this burden. Also, unfulfilled hopes, born of empty promises of a quick end to problems, only make the heart even more depressing when faced with reality.
Strength in the inner man
The Apostle Paul, writing to churches that were under constant threat of persecution and arrest, did not pray for a change in external circumstances or the overthrow of a brutal government. His prayer focused on something else:
“…that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you through his Spirit to be strengthened with power in the inner man.” (Ephesians 3:16).
God’s purpose is not to build grand human institutions or to display outward success. Its purpose is to make a person whole and strong from the inside. Scripture is given to us not just as a collection of knowledge, but as a means of building a living relationship with the Creator.
True prayer is not an attempt to “wring God’s arms” or to manipulate Him by incessant knocking. If we have sincerely appealed to our Heavenly Father, the next step should be to calmly trust and stand in faith that He will answer in due time.
Factors affecting our spirit
Life is full of challenges, and our existence will not be wise unless we recognize the complexities of the inner life. There are several key factors that inevitably affect us:
War and Injustice: War is a global factor that suppresses emotions and forces people to give up. Absolute justice cannot be found on earth; it is only with God, therefore relying solely on people leads to disappointment.
Physical factors: Diseases, viruses or simply severe physical fatigue can quickly lead to emotional decline. In a state of exhaustion, a person can easily lash out at loved ones, so the need for rest is natural.
Emotional and relational factors: Longing can destroy a person, so we critically need the support of society. Communication in the church, simple listening or a timely shoulder can save a person from the deepest despair and even suicidal thoughts after heavy life losses.
Moral factors: The feeling of guilt radically changes the perception of the world. As stated in Proverbs 28:1, the wicked runs away even when no one is chasing him, perceiving everything around him as a threat.
Factor of existence (mortality): None of the people can avoid the queue to the cemetery. The loss of loved ones, especially when parents have to hide their children, brings unbearable pain and can completely break a person’s inner state.
Prism of Eternity: The Only Way to Healing
The wise king Solomon said that it is better to be in a house of weeping than in a house of joy, because facing death makes us think about eternity. Avoiding thoughts of death or trying to ignore this factor is futile, because we will all face it. It is very important to overcome the fear of death and deal with your thoughts about it.
There is no person who would avoid suffering. But when we begin to look at life, sickness, loss, and even death through the lens of eternity and the resurrection of Jesus Christ, everything changes. The realization that earthly life is short, that we have a definite mission, and that a meeting with our relatives in heaven awaits us, gives strength to our spirit not to break under the weight of circumstances. It is such a view that forms a healthy and indomitable human spirit.
The shadow of Golgotha and unfulfilled expectations
The Feast of the Resurrection usually evokes vivid images: a fallen stone, an empty tomb, radiance and frozen warriors. Or Calvary is mentioned – three empty crosses that remind us of the great cost of redemption through the life of the sinless Son of God. However, to truly understand the depth of these events, it is worth looking at them through the eyes of the disciples who did not yet know about the Resurrection. They witnessed the crucifixion, death and burial of Christ, but did not see Him resurrected. When the women brought the news of the angel and the empty coffin, the reaction was one of skepticism—as would any reasonable person who knows that the dead do not rise on the third day. Even the words of Mary Magdalene were not taken seriously, attributing everything to her emotionality and wild imagination.
The students were deeply saddened by the loss of their dearest person. Their hopes died with Christ, leaving behind them disappointment and confusion. They expected Jesus to deliver Israel from Roman occupation, but that did not happen. Three days passed, and two of them decided that there was nothing to wait for, it was time to return home and to their normal lives.
Road to Emmaus: Trap of Solitude
These two disciples left Jerusalem for the village Emaus. The Bible describes this event as follows:
“Two of them went that day to a village 60 stadia from Jerusalem, to a village called Emmaus. They talked to each other about everything that had happened. And it came to pass, while they were talking and deliberating, that Jesus himself drew near, and went with them. But their eyes were restrained so that they would not recognize him… But we hoped that he was the one who would deliver Israel.” (Luke 24:13-16, 21).
Our expectations of what God should be like and what He should do for us can very easily lead to disappointment. However, God is not obligated to fulfill all our hopes or dreams, because He knows much better what is really best for us. When we are disillusioned, we often leave our familiar places—work, relationships, or even church.
The road to Emmaus symbolizes distance. Leaving Jerusalem, the disciples began to distance themselves from the church, from other disciples, and almost left Christ himself. They walked and constantly discussed their grief with each other. It is reminiscent of people in line at the doctor, endlessly telling each other about their illnesses. One disappointed person cannot inspire another, just as a sick person is unlikely to cure another sick person. An important truth follows from this: do not solve problems with yourself, because this is the way from Christ. The best doctor with a broken arm needs another doctor, and a military medic capable of providing first aid will not be able to perform a complex operation on his own. We need the One who is beyond our problem.
Change of perspective: God does not change the past
Jesus went out to meet the disappointed disciples. Although He did not plan to leave Jerusalem, He shared this journey with them. He explained the scriptures and prophecies to them along the way, but the real insight came only at home, over dinner.
“And it happened that when he sat down at the table with them, he took bread, blessed it and broke it, and gave it to them. And then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him… And they said to one another, did not our hearts burn when he spoke to us on the road and explained the scriptures to us.” (Luke 24:30-32).
When Jesus broke the bread, the disciples probably saw the wounds on His hands and remembered the Last Supper. Their eyes were opened, and they looked at everything that had happened in a completely different way. Have the events of the past changed? No. Not a single event that led to their sadness and depression was changed. Their attitude towards these events has changed. What had previously led them to despair became the foundation of their faith.
The second key truth: God does not change the past, He reveals why it happened to us. God can change the future or affect the circumstances of today, but the past is history. However, when God changes our perspective, we understand the meaning of what we experienced. The same story can be just a fact, or it can bring healing, freedom, and forgiveness.
Personal Recovery and Vocation
One of the students was called Cleopas, and the name of the second is modestly not mentioned. Researchers believe that it was Luke, the author of the Gospel. If Jesus had not come to him on this road of disappointment, the world might never have read the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Holy Apostles. Luca could return to his profession as a doctor and live an ordinary life without God, but that would be a road to nowhere.
Jesus acts in a deeply personal way. He appeared to Mary Magdalene when she stood in tears and depression, having lost the One who freed her and gave her the meaning of life. He came to her first. He also came to Peter, a man who felt worthless and betrayed after denying Christ three times. Jesus did not reproach him, He restored Peter, freed him from the burden of guilt and allowed him to continue serving.
Write your Gospel
Today, God reaches out to everyone who is in sadness or in the misunderstanding of their circumstances. He does this so that we will return to our “Jerusalem” and tell others about His actions. God planned for everyone to write their own personal “Gospel” – to bring good news into the lives of other people.
The Feast of the Resurrection is not only a historical fact, it is a promise of what is to come in our lives. Everything that seems dead or dying today, Jesus has the power to resurrect and change. Our life’s tragedies can become the foundation of faith if we allow our eyes to be opened and understand that in Christ there is forgiveness, restoration and the way to eternal life.
No matter what we face, we can always seek our unchanging God. We just need to call on Him in truth.
Praying with truth requires recognizing our own brokenness. That means we need to accept and acknowledge that there is nothing we’ve done that makes us worthy of talking to our Creator.
God draws near to us because He is good, kind, merciful, and humble. And we call on Him in truth when we humbly submit our will to His and genuinely delight in Him.
This doesn’t mean we need to call on Him perfectly, we can’t. We simply need to come as we are, and acknowledge our deep need for His grace, mercy, and love.
You don’t need to have your life together.
You don’t need to be free from anxiety, depression, or fear. In whatever moment you find yourself, God wants you to honestly and intentionally talk to Him.
And even though we might not always sense that God is near, the Psalms remind us that God will come to anyone who calls out to Him. God’s presence is not reliant on our feelings or our perception of circumstances, He is near whether we realize it or not.
So today, come as you are to the God who loves you. Draw near to God, and allow Him to draw near to you.
And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Matthew 28:5-6
Come celebrate the resurrection of our Lord 💒
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At the heart of the events of Palm Sunday, when Jerusalem met Christ as a triumphant, is a complex mechanism of collective human expectations. This historical moment serves as the starting point for a deep analysis of disappointment, a universal experience that is an integral part of human existence. There is no life path where a person does not face the bitterness of unfulfilled: we feel it through broken promises, professional failures, the collapse of plans or a crisis in relationships with those closest to us.
However, the most difficult to perceive is the spiritual dimension of this feeling. A deep internal conflict often arises when sincere hopes, supported by inner faith, do not find an immediate response in reality. A literal understanding of the spiritual principles of “seeking and finding” sometimes comes into sharp conflict with reality, where answers do not come in the time frames we define.
In the context of modern challenges, this burden is felt especially acutely. The long war, the lack of visible results in the negotiations and personal tragedies related to the loss of loved ones pose difficult questions to everyone about the justice and expediency of waiting. It is this discrepancy between our internal “deadlines” and the real course of events that becomes the foundation for a deep disappointment in life, which requires not just consolation, but a fundamental rethinking of the relationship with time and a higher will.
The historical context of Palm Sunday
The title of the sermon “Palm Disappointment” indicates the paradox of this holiday. People joyfully met Christ, waved palm branches and spread clothes under the donkey’s feet. The reason for such excitement was the recent miracle – the resurrection of Lazarus.
“The next day, a large number of people, having heard that Jesus was going to Jerusalem, came to the feast… The people who were with him when he called Lazarus from the grave and raised him from the dead testified.” John 12:12-13, 17-18
The crowd expected a Messiah of such power to establish his rule as King of Israel and liberate them from Roman occupation. While these expectations were not sinful or bad (nor was our desire for an end to war), they did not come true.
The first truth: God does not act according to our expectations
The main lesson of this story: God does not act according to our expectations. Even if our plans seem to be the best and kindest for us and those around us, God is not obligated to act according to them. His plans and ways are always more perfect and higher than ours.
The second truth: God does not act according to our terms
The second key thesis concerns time: The Lord does not act on our terms. Setting deadlines for God inevitably leads to disappointment. We are used to living in a fast-paced world where we demand results “here and now”, but God does not invest in our time frames.
This is vividly illustrated by the story of the illness and death of Lazarus. Sisters Martha and Mary sent messengers to Jesus, believing that He would be able to heal their brother. Their expectations were absolutely correct. However, Jesus deliberately delayed.
“Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died… Jesus tells her: Your brother will rise again”. John 11:20-21, 23-25
When Jesus came, Lazarus had been dead for four days. Martha was so tired of being disappointed that she did not even believe in the miracle of the Resurrection for her brother at that moment. The pastor emphasizes that a series of disappointments can lead us to stop praying and believing altogether.
Personal testimony of the pastor
An example of deep disappointment is the personal story of Alexander Koltukov and his wife Yulia. Having experienced the tragedy of losing their child, they were faced with the fact that, despite all their prayers and hopes, a miracle did not happen. However, instead of searching for reasons “why this happened,” another important realization came: going through such pain and despair without spiritual support would have been much more difficult. Over time, the family’s life resumed, and they were blessed with the birth of three sons.
The third truth: God does not act on our requests
The third important truth: God does not act according to our requests. Sometimes God says no, even to seemingly good requests. We often don’t realize that fulfilling our desire can bring us more temptation or harm.
As an example, the story of the demon-possessed man of Gadarina, from whom Jesus cast out a legion of demons, is given.
“And when He got into the boat, he who had been demon-possessed begged Him that he might be with Him. However, Jesus did not permit him, but said to him, “Go home to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He has had compassion on you.” And he departed and began to proclaim in Decapolis all that Jesus had done for him..” Mark 5:18-20 NKJV
This man had his fervent request to become a disciple of Christ rejected, which was certainly a disappointment. But his obedience and preaching led many people to God in the Decapolis.
Historical consequences of God’s “no”
The pastor cites an impressive historical fact: when in 70 AD. Roman troops led by Titus surrounded and later destroyed Jerusalem, Christians, remembering the prophecy of Jesus, fled to the mountains. They found shelter in the Decapolis, where there was already a church. This church was formed thanks to the preaching of a former exorcist. God’s “no” for one person became salvation for thousands of believers decades later.
Summary: Transforming disappointment into new hope
The fundamental conclusion of these reflections is the assertion that God’s “no” is inherently much more weighty and healing for a person than any favorable “yes” from the immediate environment. Even when the reasons for God’s refusals or His silence remain incomprehensible to the human mind, trust in a higher will becomes the only way to overcome the inner crisis. The key idea is to learn to see behind every experience of human disappointment the hidden prospect of the Resurrection. This is not just a concept, but a life-affirming principle: where a person sees the final collapse of hopes, God is preparing a new beginning. The phenomenon of God’s timing often contradicts human impatience, but even when it seems that help is delayed, it comes precisely at the moment when it is able to revive the most hopeless aspirations that already seemed buried forever.
The way to Calvary was a conscious choice, made against the fickleness of the crowd, which in an instant passes from rapturous shouts of “Hosanna” to frustrated demands for a crucifixion. This willingness to pass through human rejection for the sake of a higher purpose has become a guarantee that despite all the storms and disappointments of life, the possibility of spiritual rebirth and life remains open to everyone.
