It is said that “ Saturday must have been a long and dark day. Not only did the disciples hide in fear of their lives, but even worse, they grieved deeply”. Don’t we all feel that way sometimes?

Those who are honest enough would say yes.

In this life, we go through different trials that really cause us to hide in fear and to grieve deeply. These experiences make us feel weak and helpless; and truth be told we can’t wait for those experiences to end. But you know what the good news is? It’s saturday and sunday is comin’– Jesus is going to defeat Satan, death, and sin and we will no longer have to live in fear anymore. Hallelujah!

I don’t know about you, but I like the idea of not living in fear anymore. Sunday is comin’ and we will meet Jesus again. I’m learning to appreciate “saturdays”– days when I come face to face with my fears, hurts, and disappointments. These ‘saturdays’ show me how bad I need Jesus every second of my breathing! I don’t “love” these experiences because nobody likes to know how weak and helpless they are. But even though these experiences are painful, there are 2 lessons (that I think) may be learned in weaknesses and despair:

-Perseverance: The Bible says in James 1:12 “Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the  crown of life.” Not only do we learn perseverance through trials but when we endure them “we will receive the crown of life. I may not see the trials in my life the same way I used to, by God’s grace.

-The opportunity of being used mightily by God: “Although He was crucified in weakness, He now lives by the power of God”. We, too, are weak, just as Christ was, but (don’t you love buts in the scriptures?) when we deal with you we will be alive with Him and will have God’s power”. 2 Corinthians 13:4 So, from this verse we see that being weak and looking up to Jesus = being alive in Christ and having God’s power.

Behold! Pain is beauty! Pain is to be celebrated! Who wouldn’t want to be alive in our Lord and to have God’s power?

Wouldn’t God’s power allow us to do mighty things? Wouldn’t God’s power make it easy for us to love others like He loves them? Wouldn’t God’s power be all sufficient for all our needs? Let’s rejoice, Sunday is comin’ Why do we reject God’s good gifts that are merely dressed as pain, weakness, and trials? I know from experience why I reject them! Is it because of our perception of “good”? We perceive good as something that will give us immediate pleasure. And on the other hand, God perceives good as something that will give us eternal pleasure, something that will help us live eternally with Him. And that “good” that purifies us only comes through pain. I read that “without Saturday, we don’t get Sunday”; isn’t it true? Without weakness and despair, we don’t need hope, or better yet, without weakness and despair, we may not know the real hope that is Jesus. 

Lord, I pray that in times of trials, I may endure as Your son endured on the cross. I pray that I may always see trials as what they truly are a way to purify my prideful and un-pure heart. Lord, I am thankful for Saturdays! But Behold, something more beautiful is coming:  Sunday is comin’