I don’t know about you, but I find the transitional period after Easter (or really any holiday) to be difficult. Don’t get me wrong, we all know the extra time and effort that we put into the family, meals, and gatherings that accompany the weeks leading up to these special times of the year. But, at the risk of sounding silly, I don’t think that it’s always the extra effort that leaves us feeling drained. I know, I know… but hang in there with me! Those things can be stressful, but it’s not that they are draining in and of themselves. If you’re anything like me (and it’s okay if you aren’t), extra time spent with family, Holy Week services that convict and empower, and even pancakes & easter egg hunts full of fun and laughter give more to me than they take. If we’re honest with ourselves, we put in the effort that we do for these things because the moment calls for it and we believe that it is worth it, if not for ourselves, at least for the ones we love and care about.
So the question remains, why do we struggle returning back to what we so often call “normal life”? Well, not to be dramatic or cliche, but normal life is hard. Plain and simple. During Easter, we are surrounded by constant reminders of resurrection, joy, and hope. Furthermore, our senses are flooded with constant pick-me-ups, whether it’s the extra sermons we hear, the people we embrace, the bright colors we see, the extra meals we smell, or even the extra candy we eat! No wonder we struggle a bit when these things slow down!
So, remember to give yourself some grace as you settle back into life after Easter. Our days are full enough of stressors without us adding spiritual inadequacy into the mix. You are not less of a Christian because you find it harder to start some days off with an “Allelujah!” than others. Whether holidays simply help us to forget some of our daily struggles or, as I believe, empower us to face them in better ways, we could all use a little extra help to remember and seek intentional ways of living out the resurrection on “regular” days.
Here’s one of my favorite quotes by Howard Thurman that helps me to remember:
“This is what the Resurrection is all about. Not even death is capable of telling us what it is that God has to say about life. Therefore, I will hang on to my event. I will not accept it as the final and ultimate conclusion….I shall not despair. I shall not allow the events of my life to make me their prisoner. I shall believe that life has much more to it than experience disclosed to me. I shall continuously believe that God is not through, not merely with life, but with me.”
How ironic is it that the resurrection truth we tend to lean on during the joyful time of Easter is the very same truth that we often neglect most during our lowest, mundane, and ordinary moments? I’ve got great news for us… the power of the resurrection is still accessible to us. May we learn how to resurrect ourselves out of the depths of our insecurities and condemnation, whether inflicted by ourselves or the world around us. Amen.
In truth and love,
Matt Waller
Recent Comments