I shall not die, but I shall live, and recount the deeds of the LORD. The stone which the builders rejected has become the head of the corner. This is the LORD's doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.
Psalms 118:17-23
Most of you celebrated the Lord's resurrection yesterday. For many, it was a glorious day of rejoicing in the miraculous. It was a day where you reflected not only on the event 2,000 years ago, but on the resurrections in your own life. The day you accepted Christ. The day a long-awaited prayer was answered. The day sickness was healed or sorrow wiped away.
For others, this day only served as a reminder of your cross. You felt like you got left at Good Friday, weeping, while the rest of the world moved on to Easter Sunday. You wish you could celebrate, but you don't know how. You may have even apologized to God for your somberness.
You're not alone, I assure you.
In the past few months I've watched several Good Fridays and Easters play out in the lives of those around me. Engagements and babies ushered in amid cries of rejoicing and praises to God. Yet, cancer, infidelity, and financial hardship occurred uncomfortably close to these joyful events.
Most of life is like this. Happiness, unmixed, is not easy to come by.
So how do we deal with this reality? How do we deal with Good Friday and Easter coexisting?
I think we start with recognizing that the first Easter, the real Easter, was not just one event in time that occurred long ago. Christ's resurrection spanned the ages and has eternal consequences. It applies to you and me today just as much as it did to Christ's followers on Easter morning. It also applies to the future. Our hope, no matter where we may be today, is in the transforming truth of Easter.
Secondly, I think we need to remember that true faith in God does not rely on our emotions. If you cried on Easter morning because life has been wearing you down, God still accepts you. In fact, he died and rose for you so that he could more closely walk with you through these hard times. He knows, more than anyone, the heaviness of the cross.
Third, I think we need to remember that as awe-struck as Christ's first followers felt after his resurrection, they still didn't know what it fully meant… for humanity or for their personal lives. While the resurrection brought their beloved Rabbi back to them, he was different now. The resurrection simultaneously healed some wounds while opening a new can of questions, insecurities, fears, and even pain - at least temporarily.
Ultimately, all Good Fridays will lead to joyful Easter mornings if we cling to Christ. Whether you are in a season of hardship, rejoicing, or a mix of both, the key is to keep walking in faith one step at a time. Only the risen Christ can guide us through the foggy path of life. And when our final Easter morning arrives, we'll finally see with clarity that the journey was worth it.
Reflect on the "little resurrections" in your life - the times God answered a prayer in a very tangible way, the blessings in your life, and the miracles you've witnessed. All these serve as reminders of the great work God will continue to do in your life.
For Further Study
Acts 2:14-33
Psalms 16
Matthew 28:8-15
Original publication date: April 5, 2010
This article first appeared in Crosswalk the Devotional. Click here to read more devotionals by Sarah and her fellow Salem Web Network editors, or to sign up for Monday-through-Friday email delivery.