This Easter Sunday
Around Christmas-time, there is often a mass of posts and videos reassuring us that Christ came for the down, the broken, the struggling, and so it's okay to feel exactly that. Truthfully, as I've been scrolling through different social media platforms today, at Easter, I've only found the arrays of cheers and celebration disheartening. I think that that might be okay.
Feelings are not facts. They often run contrary to them. Therefore, I can know that on Easter Sunday Christ defeated death, that He rose again, that death is defeated. I can know the cause for celebration, but I'm going to let myself feel what I'm feeling, too.
I tend to use the term 'should' against myself far too often; I should be celebrating. I should be joyous. I should be sharing the greatest news I have ever heard.
However, as the novelty woven bracelets sold at any local Christian camp or SU weekend asks, WWJD? What would Jesus do?
Literally, Jesus would get up from the tomb and rise again and mesmerise us all for centuries.
And whilst we have Jesus living in us and all of that divine complicated tupperware box analogy stuff shows, to suggest the WWJD response here, to not 'feeling' how I 'should' on this occasion, would be to get up off the floor, suggests a different Jesus to the one I know.
What would Jesus do if he found me lying on the floor this Easter Sunday, watching a Disney movie, without a Facebook status inviting my peers to online church to join in the celebration? What would Jesus do when I clicked off the church tab? What would Jesus do if every depiction of continuous celebratory joy felt like a punch in the stomach?
Jesus would sit with me.
Jesus does sit with me.
Jesus does find me here, and He does not turn away.
Jesus before He rose again, the one who wept at the death of Lazarus despite knowing that He would live again, is not separate to the one who defeated death. Jesus does not expect us to have it worked out because we know that death is not the end, that there is glory to come, that he has risen. He continues to walk with his children compassionately. It's not a case of pre-Easter we could be disasters, but now we need to have this whole thing nailed.
This Easter Sunday, drop off every 'should' your mind tries to infiltrate. Let the truth you know resonate in your mind, and treat yourself with extra compassion when that is different to your feelings.
To every ill, weary, questioning, wrestling, joyful, celebratory, and even faith-lacking Christian out there, I want to remind you that you are not holding on to God, but He is holding on to you. You are held. And you are allowed to sit in the palms of the Lord wherever you're at, however you're feeling, in whatever capacity you are able to.
Whether your day is good, or it is simply an accomplishment to get through the day; keep having a day.
There is no condemnation.
Take care.
Feelings are not facts. They often run contrary to them. Therefore, I can know that on Easter Sunday Christ defeated death, that He rose again, that death is defeated. I can know the cause for celebration, but I'm going to let myself feel what I'm feeling, too.
I tend to use the term 'should' against myself far too often; I should be celebrating. I should be joyous. I should be sharing the greatest news I have ever heard.
However, as the novelty woven bracelets sold at any local Christian camp or SU weekend asks, WWJD? What would Jesus do?
Literally, Jesus would get up from the tomb and rise again and mesmerise us all for centuries.
And whilst we have Jesus living in us and all of that divine complicated tupperware box analogy stuff shows, to suggest the WWJD response here, to not 'feeling' how I 'should' on this occasion, would be to get up off the floor, suggests a different Jesus to the one I know.
What would Jesus do if he found me lying on the floor this Easter Sunday, watching a Disney movie, without a Facebook status inviting my peers to online church to join in the celebration? What would Jesus do when I clicked off the church tab? What would Jesus do if every depiction of continuous celebratory joy felt like a punch in the stomach?
Jesus would sit with me.
Jesus does sit with me.
Jesus does find me here, and He does not turn away.
Jesus before He rose again, the one who wept at the death of Lazarus despite knowing that He would live again, is not separate to the one who defeated death. Jesus does not expect us to have it worked out because we know that death is not the end, that there is glory to come, that he has risen. He continues to walk with his children compassionately. It's not a case of pre-Easter we could be disasters, but now we need to have this whole thing nailed.
This Easter Sunday, drop off every 'should' your mind tries to infiltrate. Let the truth you know resonate in your mind, and treat yourself with extra compassion when that is different to your feelings.
To every ill, weary, questioning, wrestling, joyful, celebratory, and even faith-lacking Christian out there, I want to remind you that you are not holding on to God, but He is holding on to you. You are held. And you are allowed to sit in the palms of the Lord wherever you're at, however you're feeling, in whatever capacity you are able to.
Whether your day is good, or it is simply an accomplishment to get through the day; keep having a day.
There is no condemnation.
Take care.
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