Thunderbolts and The Gospel

Editor’s note: This post was prepared before the most recent headlines laid bare the unrest in our nation. Moments like these remind me of the fragility of life and the urgency of using our voices to build up the Kingdom. My reflections here continue in that spirit, offering hope and encouragement for the journey.

Even in times like these, I find stories can stir something in us, reminding us of courage, sacrifice, and hope. Which brings me to a confession…

I have an admission that feels entirely off-brand, almost diabolically juxtaposed to my pursuit of simplicity and my love for contemplative living: I am a Marvel fan. It wasn’t always like this. Before marriage, I was a rom-com enthusiast. But somewhere along the way, I was pulled into the multiverse, and now I’m all in.

One of my favorite, recent date nights was attending the Marvel Studios’ Infinity Saga Concert Experience at the San Francisco Symphony. Imagine one of the finest orchestras in the world playing Marvel’s opening credits live. It was ethereal. The sweeping score of the Avengers saga  (told chronologically from the first Iron Man to Endgame) became an auditory spectacle that took me completely by surprise.

After the concert, I found myself thinking about Marvel beyond the music, specifically the New Avengers featured in this summer’s film Thunderbolts. Yes, it underperformed at the box office. But loss or not, Thunderbolts offered something invaluable to the cultural conversation. When viewed through a Christian lens, it forces us to confront an unsettling but necessary question: How do we respond when faced with the void?

Thunderbolts opens with the protagonist, Yelena, describing the all-too-familiar ache of emptiness. She attributes it to boredom, but soon realizes that word is too shallow to cover the deep loneliness, grief, and disillusionment that has caused her to drift. And she is not the only one. Each character in the ensemble cast is dealing with their own past, disgrace, and shame. Though isolated by their brokenness, they are forced to come together with the haunting question: How do we live with the whispering darkness that says we are all alone?

The question rings even louder when we meet Bob Reynolds, also known as Sentry. His story is not just about superhuman strength but about the unbearable weight of an internal battle. Bob’s desperate, internal dialogue sounds like the mental health struggles we’ve heard play out on the news and social media when reporting on a young life ended too soon:

• “Everyone is better off without me.”
• “I always make things worse.”

Bob’s despair was cemented by his abusive father, the mental illness of his mother, and his meth addiction. All of these crushing blows become less about fighting enemies on the outside and more about confronting the emptiness within. Soon, Bob is face to face with the loneliness, the darkness, The Void. At one point he asks Yelena, What do you do with “it”?

Facing The Void

Thunderbolts quickly establishes an important fact: you can’t outrun “it.” The entire team has built a monument to their worst moments, living as anti-heroes wracked by rage. They do not begin to heal until they hear that the “it” urging them to give up, hide, and disperse must be faced.

Every one of us has an “it.” For some, “it” is loneliness. For others, “it” is regret, anxiety, or the heavy silence of a house that used to be filled with laughter. “It” creeps in late at night when distractions are gone. “It” shows up in the middle of success, whispering that we’re still not enough. Whatever “it” is for you, know that the nagging feeling is not just your imagination, stress, or a longing for change of pace. You can’t outrun the pull of The Void, the emptiness that creeps into quiet moments. “It” fights to convince you that you are alone. “It” can not be pampered, placated, or pacified. “It” needs to be faced. 

In Ephesian 6:10-18, Paul instructs believers to stand against the wiles (or tricks) of the enemy. 

Verse 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. (ESV)

We must identify any voice that isolates us from the presence of God as a lie that comes from the enemy of our souls. This is a very real spiritual warfare with a realer enemy aiming to rob us of our new life in Christ. That new life is a place of fellowship, wholeness, and abundance. So when we stand against the schemes and lies that instill fear, cripple us with anxiety, or riddle us with shame, we render the enemy defenseless with the truth: I am not alone. 

Overcoming in Community 

One of the saddest lines in the movie is spoken by The Void: 

“The most shameful thing of all is thinking you could be more than nothing.”

The Void will try to silence the voices of your supporters by speaking lies over your life. It will fight to convince you that darkness is your only friend. It will isolate you from others who love you, convincing you that your only solace, your only reprieve, your only true company is “it.”

On screen, the enemy is defeated when Bob rests in the embrace of found friends and believes the faint whisper, “I’m here. You are not alone.” 

But here’s the gospel truth: “it” is lighter when we are together. Darkness loses its power when we walk in the light of Christ, and when we stand shoulder to shoulder with others who refuse to let us carry it alone. “It” loses strength in the presence of connection, of faith, of shared courage. “It” cannot claim the space where God’s abundance flows and where community stands firm.

Thunderbolts reminds us The Void isolates and weighs us down, but hope begins to rise when someone steps in with presence, care, and courage. Scripture shows us this same truth. In Luke 10:33–37, the Good Samaritan doesn’t turn away from another’s pain but draws near. Compassion moves him beyond fear, bias, and inconvenience into action that restores life. This is the kind of overflowing love we are called to embody, a Spirit-shaped where mercy becomes our daily way of being in the world.

Reflection and Invitation

A scripture to read: Luke 10:33–37 (The Good Samaritan)

A question to ask: How do we respond when faced with the void? Can community, faith, and purpose overcome it?

A song to sing: He’s Concerned, CeCe Winans

A sermon to watch: Perhaps God is calling you to support someone facing a dark time alone. If so, this message is for those of us who are on the giving end of community. Enjoy this word I preached entitled Compelled by Compassion. 

A prayer to pray: Father, Thank You that You are near to the brokenhearted and that Your Spirit fills us with hope, even in the darkest moments. Help us to face The Void with courage, trusting that we are never alone. Strengthen us to be present for one another, to offer love, encouragement, and compassion to those who are hurting. Guard our hearts from fear, shame, and isolation, and fill us instead with Your peace, joy, and the assurance of Your abiding presence. May our lives overflow with Your Spirit so that others may see Your light and know Your love. In Jesus’ name, Amen.