There’s no pain as life-changing as the loss of a loved one. It is immense. And it’s a common thread throughout humanity.
I have experienced heartache that hangs on like a bull rider clinging to a rope.
Maybe you have as well.
Can we even imagine what Christ’s followers were going through in the period of time right after His death?
Their Friend, Son, Leader, Savior had died … they watched it happen.
He hadn’t saved them from hardships and weighty authority.
The door to hope slammed when the stone was secured at the entrance of the tomb.
What kind of emotions did Christ’s loved ones go through in the slow-moving hours after His death?
What hits me is that none of them, not a single one, recalled what Christ had said: “For He was teaching His disciples and telling them, ‘The Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of men. They will kill Him, and after He is killed, He will rise three days later.’” (Mark 9:3)
If they had remembered, perhaps sorrow would not have burrowed so deeply; maybe the devastation wouldn’t have been so all-encompassing; it could be that they wouldn’t have shut themselves into a room out of fear. (John 20:19a)
But don’t we do the same thing?
We set our eyes on the crisis instead of on what Christ taught us.
We forget.
I do.
Because waiting through a painful situation is difficult.
At the time of Christ’s death, those who loved Him didn’t see the end of the story like we do.
They waited, wondered, feared.
And time stood still.
Most likely, all of us have had situations in life that feel like nothing’s happening.
We wait for test results, for a new job, for a promotion, for a child to come back home, for answers to life-changing problems.
But in the silent days between death and resurrection, the work of Christ:
birthed hope
paid the price for all our sin
gave way to victory
defeated the enemy once and for all
provided the path directly to a personal relationship with the Father
established authority over death
secured our freedom from the devil’s power
became our life-line
opened the door for the Holy Spirit and our access to everything we would ever need.
As God’s children, we have other options.
We can …
Seek strength from the One who knows all we need.
Remember what He has already taught us.
Get into the Word and search for truth.
Cling to Him in the darkest night.
Listen to uplifting music.
Memorize Scripture.
Speak the Name that brings freedom and peace—Jesus, Jesus, Jesus.
Jesus paid the price so hope would never die.
He is hope. Always has been. Always will be.
I’d love to hear other options of what you do while you wait if you’d be willing to share them.
In the meantime, let’s focus on verses like:
Psalm 46:10
Colossians 3:2-3
Psalm 27:1 & 14
Psalm 5:3
And thank God for hope.
Photo Credit: Unsplash-Jake Weirick
