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It’s a Monday morning, but transparently, this new week brings a lot of anxiety. I’m steps away from a book deal with a Big 5 Publisher, and it seems too good to be true. Like the rug will be pulled out from me at any moment if I mess up or don’t measure up. And it can. I could become traditionally published or not. The tension of waiting in the space between is nearly deafening.
It’s also Holy Week; the time leading up to Jesus’ death and Resurrection, when dead things come alive, and miracles happen. And I’m reminded that, though Jesus’ story is miraculous and beautiful, it was also scary, dark, and unknown for those who were living it at the time. People who were also waiting for answers.
Like Jesus’ Disciples, many of us have experienced the power of the living and breathing Messiah. We’ve seen Him radically transform our lives. But we’ve also experienced times of great sorrow, loss, and confusion. Even the Gospel itself can seem confusing: What kind of God sacrifices His own son’s life for the sins of the whole world? It’s a love we can barely comprehend. The question is, what do we do with this tension?
If we’re honest, most of us love the breakthrough of the Gospel story, but we hate the silence. Everyone celebrates Sunday, but what about Saturday? What if Easter isn’t just about the resurrection, but the painful, confusing wait in between?
Easter Is All About Waiting (And We Skip That Part)
In the 21st century, we live in a culture obsessed with fast answers, instant clarity, and immediate service. Waiting feels foreign, unfamiliar, and uncomfortable when stop lights longer than a minute test our patience, and waiting in the grocery store line gives us an excuse to scroll on our phones. Even on social media, waiting isn’t present. We can click, peruse, and watch as many reels as we want. Not only that, but faith spaces show all the times God showed up, and rarely talk about when He doesn’t. Stories show the miracles and healing, but not the hurting and helpless. But the reality is that Jesus and His Disciples didn’t experience an Easter like this in real time. No, they lived in the in-between. The sacred, scary, holy, and confusing space of what they knew to be true, but also what their eyes had seen.
When it comes to the Gospel story, we love the resurrection, but we avoid the waiting. And why wouldn’t we, right? Without the Resurrection, you and I are still dead and slaves to sin. It’s an incredible story. But when we forget the crucifixion, the death, the pain of waiting, we miss a greater part of the story. Because Good Friday was a loss. The loss of the greatest man to ever walk the earth. He was sinless, perfect, fully human, and fully God. As John 1:29 quoted Him, “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (NLT).
This time was incredibly dark and bleak. Everyone struggled to understand. They even began to doubt as fear and confusion swept their minds. If Jesus was really who He said He was, how could this be the end? They’d all seen too much: His miracles, His power, His holiness, for this to be the end. And so, they waited in the silence.
Yes, we know Sunday would be the victory, but they didn’t. They hoped, and they believed, but they also saw Jesus’ body on that cross. His mutilated body, torn to shreds. We often skip from Friday to Sunday, but on Saturday, it was silent. Confusion, disappointment, and grief flooded the room. They even began to question everything Jesus said. Because for them, they hadn’t yet met the resolution. And sometimes, days like Saturday are when it feels the hardest.