A few years back a fundraising organization was taken to task for advising ministries to take advantage of a specific crisis to gain financial support for the ministry. The message came across as “use someone’s crisis to your financial advantage.” That’s is NOT what I am suggesting today.

However, sometimes we do waste a crisis by not understanding what God is up to. The Lord has always had a plan for accomplishing His will and His purpose. Nothing happens by chance. Not even a global pandemic. God was not caught by surprise when Covid-19 began its initial surge of infections. He is not taken back by recent resurgences of the virus in many countries around the globe. God always has a plan. Our goal should be to discover how we can be part of His plan…how we can further the Lord’s cause…how we can see God’s will accomplished in those around us.

So, what about the crisis? I should make that plural. We are seeing crisis after crisis in our world, with the pandemic leading the way. Many of the countries where we have ministry partners are among the worst in the world when it comes to this resurgence of the Covid virus and its variations. India, Brazil, Romania, Turkey…to name just a few. And the United States is also near the top. Yet along with that are places dealing with floods, earthquakes, and other perils. We just returned a few weeks ago from Ukraine having dealt with extensive Covid protocols all along the way. But the big story in Ukraine is the 20,000 Russian troops massing on the eastern border, and the buildup of Ukrainian troops to try to provide a defense for their people. It has been only six years since Russia “annexed” the formerly Ukrainian area of Crimea. Crisis.

What is my point? There is one singular thing that stands out to me.

The need for hope.

When a close friend dies from Covid, we are rightly concerned with our own health and the health of friends and family. When the enemy across the border begins to rattle their sabers, we look for a sense of safety and wellbeing in that crisis. We need hope.

Those of us who know Christ as Lord and Sovereign over all recognize that our only hope in this sin-sick world is Jesus. What has come to me again and again is the need to see these times of uncertainty and peril as opportunities for the Gospel. The Apostle Paul was chained to Roman guards, yet still shared of his hope to all who would listen. We need to emulate that kind of spirit in our lives.

My wife has dealt with multiple medical challenges over the past eight months. Yet she embraces the spirit of Peter when he said,

“…you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it.”

1 Peter 3:15 NLT

At a restaurant the other night, struggling with memory issues and a lack of full mobility, Judy was soon talking to the manager, learning of health issues with his mother, and promising to pray for her. Ready to share the hope.

Are you struggling these days? You can either turn inward and see your problems…or you can turn outward and see the opportunity to touch the lives around you with God’s promise of peace, His promise to never leave us, and His promise to save all who turn to Him in sincerity and humility.

You may be in a crisis. But it doesn’t have to be all about you. You can see the needs of others and share with them the only thing of lasting value today…the hope and salvation found in Jesus our Lord. You will be amazed how much smaller your crisis will become.