Every pastor needs hope. You can't live without it. You can't lead without it, either. And you definitely can't just preach about hope. You need to embrace it personally.

Over the past year, you've likely needed to help many people in your community find hope during the pandemic. After a year of helping other people find hope in one of the most difficult seasons any of us have experienced, you may find yourself in need of hope.

So where do you find hope in the midst of pain?

You get it from the Resurrection, the central event in all of history.

Most people don't understand hope. They think it's just wishful thinking about the future or optimism. But hope isn't based on what you think you can do. Hope is what you think God can do. It is based on reality. Hope says, "It's bad; it's really, really bad. In fact, I don't think it's been any worse than it is right now. But I believe God can bring us through this. I believe God is in control."

That's what the Easter story teaches us: It's never too late for a miracle.

Peter, who experienced the hope of Jesus firsthand that first Easter, wrote some years later: "And when [Jesus] did come, it was to lead you to have faith in God, who raised him from death and honored him in a glorious way. That's why you have put your faith and hope in God" (1 Pet. 1:21, CEV).

Because Jesus lives, hope is attainable.

The problem is most people are putting their hope in the wrong things—success, salary, position, privilege or power—all things that fluctuate. Even pastors are sometimes misguided in where they place their hope.

Instead, we need to put our hope in something that won't change—God's love for us. Mary Magdalene reminds us of this truth. All of her life, she just wanted to be loved, but instead she was abused and misused.

Then one day she met Jesus.

For the first time, she found someone who treated her with dignity and respect, someone who cared more about her than just a desire to use her. Jesus loved her the way she'd always wanted to be loved—unconditionally.

Jesus didn't just love her. He liberated her. He set her free from habits, hurts and hang-ups that messed up her life.

But when Jesus was crucified, all of that ended. At least Mary thought it had. To make matters worse, Jesus' body was gone when she showed up at the tomb on Easter morning.

Mary wept. The only person who had ever loved her unconditionally was dead. She was grieving a loss and felt the situation was hopeless. Mary wept like we do when our dreams are dashed, our relationships are destroyed and our pain seems unquenchable.

As you make your final preparations for Easter, you might feel hopeless, too. You may be focused on what you think attendance will be on Sunday. Maybe you don't feel prepared. Maybe you've been bombarded with difficult decisions over the past year, and you feel like you've come up short. You believe your ministry hangs in the balance this weekend.

Maybe you're facing a personal crisis—like a rocky marriage. Maybe you have a child who has wandered away.

But here's what we can learn from Mary.

It's never too late for a miracle.

When Mary first encountered Jesus that first Easter, He called her by name and then asked her two questions. They are the same two questions I want you to ask yourself this Easter.

— What is disappointing me? Maybe it's a relationship in your life. Maybe it's a ministry dream that looks like it'll never come true now.

— What am I looking for to take that pain away? If you answer that question with anything other than God, disappointment will come again.

Pastor, just like he did to Mary, Jesus is looking at you and calling your name.

"I know who you are; I know your name. I care about what you're going through," He says. "It's never too late for a miracle. It's not hopeless. And I will be your healer."

As you prepare your heart to minister this Easter, these words are for you—not just for those you're serving. The Easter story is your story.

No matter what situation you find yourself in, your situation isn't hopeless. Jesus turned Mary's situation around. He can do the same for you.

It's never too late for your miracle.

For the original article, visit pastors.com.

Rick Warren is the founding pastor of Saddleback Church, one of America's largest and most influential churches. He is the author of the New York Times' bestseller The Purpose Driven Life. His book The Purpose Driven Church was named one of the 100 Christian books that changed the 20th century. Pastor Rick started The PEACE Plan to show the local church how God works through ordinary people to address the five global giants of spiritual emptiness, self-serving leadership, poverty, disease and illiteracy. You can listen to Daily Hope, Pastor Rick's daily 25-minute audio teaching, or sign up for his free daily devotionals at pastorrick.com. He is also the founder of pastors.com, a global online community created to encourage pastors.

Read articles like this one and other Spirit-led content in our new platform, CHARISMA PLUS.

Get Spirit-filled content delivered right to your inbox! Click here to subscribe to our newsletter.

Dr. Steve Greene is now sharing stories, teachings, and conversations with guests who lead with love on Love Leads, a new podcast. Listen now.

Dr. Mark Rutland's

National Institute of Christian Leadership (NICL)

The NICL is one of the top leadership training programs in the U.S. taught by Dr. Mark Rutland. If you're the type of leader that likes to have total control over every aspect of your ministry and your future success, the NICL is right for you!

FREE NICL MINI-COURSE - Enroll for 3-hours of training from Dr. Rutland's full leadership course. Experience the NICL and decide if this training is right for you and your team.

The NICL Online is an option for any leader with time or schedule constraints. It's also for leaders who want to expedite their training to receive advanced standing for Master Level credit hours. Work through Dr. Rutland's full training from the comfort of your home or ministry at your pace. Learn more about NICL Online. Learn more about NICL Online.