What an awesome day! This is a day where Christ-followers get to openly share our beliefs. We don't have to censor or hide. We get TODAY to display the gospel story fully.
Anyone who is in Christ is a new creation. The old life is gone and new life has begun.
2 Corinthians 5:17
This verse is a favorite of mine on any day but especially on Easter Sunday. Because Jesus lived a perfect life, died a cruel death for my sin, and raised to life 3 days later, I get new life too. The Gospel is an invitation to join Jesus in real life.
More than a few years ago, I began looking for reasons WHY I didn't see many believers living the truth that is spelled out so clearly in this verse. If the invitation of the Gospel is to live with the power that raised Christ from the dead inside of us every minute of every day then WHY isn't there a more noticeable difference in the lives of believers?
Before you think I had these thoughts while standing in judgement of other Christians, let me assure you that I was actually looking in the mirror. WHY couldn't I live my own life with less irritability, fear, frustration, and bitterness?
At that time, Scotty and I were in the middle of rebuilding our family. We believed God had a plan to not only save our marriage and family but to redeem everything that had caused us pain in it. During that process, God led us to see that we'd need to be emotionally healthy in order to fully cooperate in God's plan. Since I wanted to experience all of His good and perfect plan, I committed over and over to obey His steps in it.
Somewhere along the way, a passion grew within me and I began praying for God's people to become emotionally and spiritually healthy.... that we'd learn to deal with the broken places in our lives in helpful and healing ways. Then, I felt that God was asking me to commit to a process of health and healing so that I could lead others. Yikes!
I sit here today, on Easter Sunday, and I'm thankful for this process. Jesus and I have been on a journey. I'd love to call it an adventure, but I feel like that sounds too glamorous. It's been grueling, people. While I haven't nearly arrived, I see glimpses of victories that I'd like to share. There's good news in the process! But, first I have to share the bad news.
When I think about the emotional work I've done with Jesus, it reminds me of the image I have of Easter Saturday. No one ever talks about this day in the realm of Easter weekend. Good Friday was sad, or even scary. Jesus' death on the cross exposed a great loss, a serious need, and a lot of fear. Easter Sunday was good and beautiful. The resurrection declared redemption, light, and life for all who would believe. But, what about Saturday?
For me, the imagery of that day represents my journey to health and healing. On the first Easter Saturday, Jesus followers must have felt clueless, lost, confused. What do you do when everything you've believed in and believed for is buried in the dark, when death has taken over? For them, Saturday was a day. During my lifetime, I've experienced seasons of confusion, darkness, and death.
I'm afraid we aren't willing to sit in those Saturday seasons long enough to find true healing with Jesus. Sunday is so much brighter, so we prefer to just jump there. You know.... Friday happened, but Sunday is coming. It is! But, let's do the work of Saturday first.
My journey may look different than yours. The exposure that my "Fridays" have brought may be different than you've experienced. But, I believe the steps Jesus has walked me through (and will continue to walk me through) could be the same for everyone. I've journeyed through enough dark Saturday seasons and made in to the beauty of Sunday's redemption to know that the hard work is always worth it.
I believe in the importance of these lessons so much that I want to share them with you. Over the next couple of weeks, I want to go all the way back to the beginning of this search for emotional health and share what God has taught me. I believe it will help me to write them down, and I believe the lessons could be helpful to you or your friends as well. If you'd consider joining me, subscribe so that posts will be delivered right to your email.
I can't let this Easter Sunday pass without saying to anyone that might be stuck in a Saturday season to hold onto hope. Please do it! Hope is your weapon. I can't tell you how long it will be until you see the light of Sunday, but I know that it is coming. Stay in the fight, and stay tuned over the next few weeks! I want to share what has been helpful in my own fight for freedom, health, and wholeness in our risen King Jesus. I'm sure it won't be easy, but I know we can do it together.
We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And, this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.
Romans 5: 3-5
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