13 Mar 2026, 10:12Dr Kirk Thomas, South England Conference PresidentWatford, Hertfordshire, England, United Kingdom
Hope in Troubled Times
Pastoral Letter, 13 March 2026
I guess during wartime and uncertain times, people feel scared and lost, but in those moments, as Christians, we can rely on the Bible to teach us and give us what we need to live and have hope. It’s our source of strength in difficult times.
I would focus on Psalm 46. Here is the opening verse, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” This Psalm shows us where our strength lies as Christians. In times of war, there is always fear of danger. This Psalm teaches us that in times of trouble, God is with us. He is our Helper. This is a great message of comfort and strength.
One of the most powerful verses in the Bible is Isaiah 41:10, which reads: “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; he will bear you up with his hand.” We do not have to face our problems alone, because God is with us. When there is war all around, we can come to God who removes our fear. “Trust in this; I will help you,” it says. We can rely on God because He is a God we can depend on, always with us. And when we are afraid because things look hopeless, He tells us we will be all right.
In the New Testament, Romans 15:13 states: “May the God of hope fill you with joy and peace as you believe.” What an amazing verse of Scripture. It discusses the hope and peace of God that we believe in. We all long to experience joy and peace in our lives, but in many cases, it can be very elusive. Yet for the Christian, there is always the promise of joy and peace when they meditate on their faith. Romans 15:13 reminds us to hope because God can make all things right and give us peace amid awful darkness.
This week’s readings focus on faith and trusting in God throughout the day. We read in Mark 4:35-41 about Jesus’ walking on the water. When a fierce storm rose on the sea, the disciples were terrified, but Jesus was with them. He stood up and, with a command, he told the winds and the turbulence ‘Be still!’ and there was a great calm. Faith dispels fear. The disciples had feared that they were doomed, but when they recognised Jesus during the storm, all was well. And so, it is with us. As we trust in Jesus, we can enter his rest and find our peace during life's storms — whether those storms affect our physical or emotional world.
Another relevant verse for concern and war is found in Philippians 4:6-7. It says, “Do not be anxious about anything. Instead, pray about everything. Let your requests be made known to God, and submit to his desires for you, and then you will experience peace that goes beyond all understanding” (TLB). High levels of concern and stress are often prevalent during wartime. For those who profess faith in Jesus, it can be much easier to worry and struggle when dealing with stressful situations, such as war, than to choose to trust in prayer. Bringing worries and worries about war to God in prayer gives the person concerned another focus. The prayer can cause the person some measure of calm and hope in difficult times.
Life can be tough, and the Bible reminds us that having friends and a community around us is important when we are going through a tough time. In Galatians 6:2, it says “bear one another’s burdens”. When things get hard, it’s important to help each other out. We need to be willing to share our problems and take on others' so others can carry them with us. This way, we build relationships and can navigate tough times together. When we remind each other of God’s promises, it gives us hope for the future.
The Bible is significant to Christians’ hopes for peace during wartime. It is written in many places that God is always near to help us and give us joy and peace. The psalms, parts of Isaiah, and parts of the New Testament also offer hope. In addition, knowing the church as a community where we belong contributes to our hope. If we are grounded in scripture, our faith will also shine in the dark times. God’s promises will help us to have real hope and enable us to face our future with both faith and boldness. Our faith gives us assurance that God is with us and never leaves us behind.
I guess during wartime and uncertain times, people feel scared and lost, but in those moments, as Christians, we can rely on the Bible to teach us and give us what we need to live and have hope. It’s our source of strength in difficult times.
I would focus on Psalm 46. Here is the opening verse, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” This Psalm shows us where our strength lies as Christians. In times of war, there is always fear of danger. This Psalm teaches us that in times of trouble, God is with us. He is our Helper. This is a great message of comfort and strength.
One of the most powerful verses in the Bible is Isaiah 41:10, which reads: “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; he will bear you up with his hand.” We do not have to face our problems alone, because God is with us. When there is war all around, we can come to God who removes our fear. “Trust in this; I will help you,” it says. We can rely on God because He is a God we can depend on, always with us. And when we are afraid because things look hopeless, He tells us we will be all right.
In the New Testament, Romans 15:13 states: “May the God of hope fill you with joy and peace as you believe.” What an amazing verse of Scripture. It discusses the hope and peace of God that we believe in. We all long to experience joy and peace in our lives, but in many cases, it can be very elusive. Yet for the Christian, there is always the promise of joy and peace when they meditate on their faith. Romans 15:13 reminds us to hope because God can make all things right and give us peace amid awful darkness.
This week’s readings focus on faith and trusting in God throughout the day. We read in Mark 4:35-41 about Jesus’ walking on the water. When a fierce storm rose on the sea, the disciples were terrified, but Jesus was with them. He stood up and, with a command, he told the winds and the turbulence ‘Be still!’ and there was a great calm. Faith dispels fear. The disciples had feared that they were doomed, but when they recognised Jesus during the storm, all was well. And so, it is with us. As we trust in Jesus, we can enter his rest and find our peace during life's storms — whether those storms affect our physical or emotional world.
Another relevant verse for concern and war is found in Philippians 4:6-7. It says, “Do not be anxious about anything. Instead, pray about everything. Let your requests be made known to God, and submit to his desires for you, and then you will experience peace that goes beyond all understanding” (TLB). High levels of concern and stress are often prevalent during wartime. For those who profess faith in Jesus, it can be much easier to worry and struggle when dealing with stressful situations, such as war, than to choose to trust in prayer. Bringing worries and worries about war to God in prayer gives the person concerned another focus. The prayer can cause the person some measure of calm and hope in difficult times.
Life can be tough, and the Bible reminds us that having friends and a community around us is important when we are going through a tough time. In Galatians 6:2, it says “bear one another’s burdens”. When things get hard, it’s important to help each other out. We need to be willing to share our problems and take on others' so others can carry them with us. This way, we build relationships and can navigate tough times together. When we remind each other of God’s promises, it gives us hope for the future.
The Bible is significant to Christians’ hopes for peace during wartime. It is written in many places that God is always near to help us and give us joy and peace. The psalms, parts of Isaiah, and parts of the New Testament also offer hope. In addition, knowing the church as a community where we belong contributes to our hope. If we are grounded in scripture, our faith will also shine in the dark times. God’s promises will help us to have real hope and enable us to face our future with both faith and boldness. Our faith gives us assurance that God is with us and never leaves us behind.
