Han River (Seoul, South Korea)

Six weeks into this routine: Sunday mornings in nature and afternoons at church. Today, my cousin Amabel joined my dad and me for a bicycle ride along the Han River. It was a beautiful morning in the heart of Seoul, followed by a delicious lunch my dad prepared. At church, I completed my final segajok (new member) training. I’m looking forward to next week, when I’ll officially register as a member of Saemoonan Church.

1 Corinthians 15:17-22

17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. 19 If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.

20 But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. 22 For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.

Today is Easter, the pinnacle of the Christian faith and the foundation of the Church. When we hear the word “resurrection,” we often imagine a beautiful reversal—an end to all suffering followed by a glorious comeback. If we read today’s passage in reverse, it says that because Christ has been raised, our faith is not in vain, and our present suffering will one day turn into a crown of victory. The Lord will surely lead the believer’s life into triumph.

However, there is something we must be careful about. Resurrection is not a glamorous comeback. It is not a justification for expecting that our present suffering will one day return to us as visible success. That is the instrumentalization of resurrection faith. The resurrection spoken of in the Bible—anastasis—is far from an obsession with dramatic reversal. The false expectation that uses suffering as a spiritual tool for a future comeback can become what Paul calls a “vain faith.”

Then what is the way for true resurrection to take place in our lives? The answer is found in 1 Corinthians 15:22: “For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.” The Greek word for “made alive” is zōopoieō, meaning “to make alive” or “to bring to life again.” The event of resurrection, anastasis, becomes visible only when this inner process of being made alive overflows outward. The key is not to cling to resurrection as an outcome, but to first be made alive within. And this is not something we accomplish by our own strength—it is entirely the work of God.

Paul tells us that the secret of this zōopoieō is to be “in Christ.” When we let go of our expectations for a dramatic resurrection and instead focus on Christ Himself—when our soul waits quietly for Him alone—the life within Him begins to flow into us. In hard times, you should let go of the dream of a beautiful comeback or a dramatic resurrection, and focus on Christ Himself and pray. Even if your situation remains the same, you will begin to see your soul come alive and flourish.

There is only one way through the wilderness: to let go of the expectation of when it will end, and instead rejoice in the life God gives you here and now. In His time and in His way, God will bring about anastasis—resurrection—in your life. And even if He does not do so, you have already experienced resurrection in the place where you stand. And that alone is enough for a full and meaningful life.

There is a Korean saying that a flower blooms in its proper season. It reminds us that even if we have not yet bloomed, we can wait with hope, trusting that our time will come. We all dream of our own season—of ourselves in full bloom, radiant, bright, and elegant. I also hold on to this belief, that I, too, will bloom in my own time, and it gives me strength, especially now as I prepare for the public service exam.

But this sermon spoke of something deeper: a life that may never reach that kind of visible bloom, yet is still, in itself, the most beautiful. It taught me that the purpose of life is not to reach my blooming season. The purpose of life is to walk with God every single second of life. As for the full bloom, God may bring it to us at the time He sees right and in the way He chooses. And even if that never comes, it is still enough—because God is with me, and I am walking with Him now. That alone is enough for this life.

The sermon today is indeed a beautiful expression of faith. It shifts the way I see my life. Even in this stagnant season of long hours of studying and an uncertain future, I find a reason to rejoice—not because I might pass the exam one day, secure a job, and have a bright future, but because God is with me right now, in this very moment. So In the quiet nights filled with uncertainty, in the stillness of ordinary days, and in the moments I feel alone, I can be at peace because God is present in every part of my life. As long as I remain aware of His presence, walk with Him, and receive this life with gratitude—the clear air I breathe, the sunlight that warms and brightens my day—my life, just as it is now, is already in full bloom.