Release Date: March 25th, 2026Grounding Faith for Lent and Easter
- by Roberson Mbayamvula
As we begin walking toward the cross this Lent, we do so in a world that feels unsteady. Nations tremble. Communities carry grief. Churches discern their future. Individuals carry quiet burdens no one else sees.
Lent reminds us that circumstances grow darker before they grow brighter.
The people in Isaiah’s day understood that feeling. They were exhausted, displaced, uncertain, weary of waiting. Into that weariness comes this question: “Have you not known? Have you not heard?” This is a grounding question. It calls them, and us, back to what is solid.
Our faith is often tempted to anchor itself in circumstances: If things improve, I trust; if prayers are answered quickly, I believe; and if the path is clear, I follow.
Faith grounded in God’s character says: Even when I do not understand, I trust the One who does.
But Lent reminds us that circumstances grow darker before they grow brighter. As Jesus moves toward Jerusalem, the horizon does not look hopeful. Yet His confidence is not in the mood of the crowd or the stability of politics. It is grounded in the unchanging character of the Father. God does not tire of holding the world. God does not grow weary of holding us. When we are exhausted, God is not. His understanding is unsearchable.
You see, Israel could not see how exile would end. The disciples could not see how crucifixion could lead to redemption. We also struggle when God’s timing confuses us. Yet faith grounded in God’s character says: Even when I do not understand, I trust the One who does.
This is especially important as we walk toward the cross. The cross looks like abandonment. It feels like defeat. But it is, in truth, the deepest revelation of who God is, self-giving love. God’s wisdom often unfolds beneath the surface of suffering.
As Mennonites, we are people of the cross. We follow a suffering Savior. When life feels uncertain and the winds of change blow hard, our faith is tested.
As we approach Good Friday, we remember that Jesus walked the road to Calvary. Step by step. Under weight. Under pressure. Yet grounded in the Father’s unchanging love. Our faith is grounded the same way.
- Roberson Mbayamvula is pastor at Hagerman and Rouge Valley Mennonite churches in Markham, ON.