What if this is not your Easter?

The Liturgical calendar is so nice and neat. There are forty days of Lent in which we are to focus on our sinfulness and to reform our lives. This is then followed by the triumphant celebration of Easter and fifty days of rejoicing. But what happens when life doesn't fit in neatly with the days on the calendar. What if this Easter finds you in the midst of the desert, unsure of God's love or presence? What if this spring finds you in mourning or in a time of great suffering? What if instead of rejoicing, all you feel is pain?

The rituals of Easter are valuable. The yearly reminder of Jesus's triumph over death and sin is needed in our lives. There is comfort in the promise of new life that bursts forth from the tomb. Yet, in the midst of pain and suffering, that comfort can sometimes ring hallow. It can be hard to experience spring and new life when all you see is darkness.

The important thing to remember is that your Easter will come. Jesus spent three days in the darkness of the tomb and rose to a glorious existence. Our time in the tomb can sometimes be much longer. It can be weeks, or months, or even years. Darkness can loom heavy. Transformation is often painful and it is often not easy to see the light glimmering at the end. But it is there. Jesus is there with us as we struggle, guiding our footsteps, holding our hand. He has experienced the greatest of human suffering and understands our pain. He will not let go.

While you suffer in your own personal tomb, the Easter on the calendar may not have much meaning in your life this year. Try to embrace the meaning of the eternal Easter, however. Your moment will come. You, too, will arise from the pain, a changed and more glorious person for the experience. Jesus has promised. He can conquer all. You can trust Him. Take His hand and don't let go.