When Grief Meets Hope: An Easter Reflection
Easter has passed once again, but its message lingers — especially in a world that feels increasingly unfamiliar.
Recently, I’ve found myself carrying an unexpected weight — a sense of grief. We often think of grief as something reserved for the loss of a loved one, but grief can also rise from the loss of stability, familiarity, or a way of life. Living in New Zealand, I’ve noticed significant changes, and many of them have brought a sense of sadness. The world feels different — not just here, but everywhere. And with that comes a mourning for what once was, and for what likely won’t return.
Over Easter, a local church offered an interactive walk-through experience of the Easter message. It traced God’s plan for humanity in a way that was both moving and immersive. I walked through it with my family and our home church community, and it began in the Garden of Eden.
The depiction of Eden was breathtaking. Standing there, surrounded by beauty and peace, I found myself reflecting deeply. I imagined how stunning and perfect that garden must have been — a place where humanity walked with God in complete intimacy and freedom.
Yet even in that beautiful moment, a deeper grief stirred. I realized the brokenness we see today didn’t begin in recent years. It started long ago, when Adam and Eve chose to eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. That one moment changed everything.
Since then, humanity has lived with shame, suffering, sickness, and separation. The contrast between Eden and our world now is overwhelming. And the hard truth is: we can’t go back.
That realization could have left me in despair. But Easter doesn’t leave us in the dark. It offers a promise — not of returning to the old, but of something entirely new.
“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth… I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, ‘Look, God’s home is now among his people! … He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain.’”
(Revelation 21:1–7 NLT)
What a hope-filled vision! One day, God will dwell with His people again. The pain and chaos of our current world are not the end — they are part of a much larger story that is still unfolding.
While we wait for that future restoration, we’re not left alone. Because of what Jesus accomplished 2,000 years ago, we now have the Holy Spirit living within us — guiding, teaching, and comforting us every day.
And the promise of Hebrews 4:16 reminds us:
“Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”
We are no longer separated from God. We are welcome in His presence, without fear or shame.
Yes, I felt grief this Easter — over the world, over the losses, over what can never be again. But I also felt something else: hope. A real, powerful hope. A reminder that the story of Jesus is not just about the past — it’s about our present and our future.
May that same hope reach you today, no matter where you are or what you’re walking through. And may you be reminded that through Jesus, something new is always on the horizon.