“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” (Psalm 23:4)
Easter is a time of hope and new life, but it can be hard to rejoice when God feels far away. In times of pain or doubt, it’s easy to question why Easter even matters.
In fact, there is a key conflict—a tension—that I believe is inherent to our walk as followers of Jesus, stemming from the very character of God. After all, we know that God is good, too kind to ever be cruel. We know that he cares. We also know that God is powerful, carrying out his will on earth as it is in heaven, and that God is wise, too right to ever be wrong.
Because of these truths that God has demonstrated to us in countless ways, we find ourselves caught in a very uncomfortable space when the reality of our lives doesn’t seem to match the reality of who we know God to be.
An easy way to resolve that cognitive dissonance would be to compromise your perception of God. Maybe God doesn’t care. Maybe he isn’t powerful enough to do anything about it. Maybe he messed up by putting these circumstances in your life. It’s instinctive to want to resolve that tension in our hearts as quickly as possible.
Yet, I believe the path toward transformational growth lies in pressing through that difficulty.
As the Easter season approaches, believers all over the world are invited to reflect on the most significant moment in the history of the world: Jesus’ resurrection. Yet, from our modern perspective on this side of the cross, it’s easy to overlook the weight of the days just prior to the resurrection: the silent weekend that passed while Jesus lay in the tomb.
Easter matters, especially when you’re in pain. This period of silence, doubt, and tension between Jesus’s death and resurrection powerfully reflects the heart of our own journeys: times when things seem hopeless, yet something new (and often better) is lying just around the corner.
Together, let’s reflect on why Easter matters and how we can find hope during our seasons of waiting. We’ll also take some time to discuss practical applications for leaders who have been called to lead others through times of uncertainty.
When Jesus was crucified, his followers were left devastated. In an instant, everything they thought they knew about Jesus was shattered. Luke captures their pain perfectly: “But we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel.” (Luke 24:19-21) Those words, “we had hoped,” express the frustration of unfulfilled expectations. Sound familiar? We all have hopes that have been crushed by life’s circumstances.
Here’s the good news: Jesus’ story isn’t over yet, and neither is yours. Just because our hopes aren’t immediately fulfilled doesn’t mean they won’t be. The presence of fear, doubt, uncertainty, or pain in the lives of believers doesn’t mean God has forgotten us. The disciples didn’t understand that the very thing they feared—Jesus’ death—was part of God’s plan for redemption.
Whether literal or metaphorical, “walking through the valley of the shadow of death” strips away all pretense of self-reliance—it is nearly impossible to be proud when you are desperate and helpless. That space where we feel most lost, lonely, or deeply hurt becomes fertile ground for spiritual transformation and for God’s grace to be revealed in magnificent ways. In the words of the apostle Paul, our need supplies an opportunity for a greater display of God’s character. (2 Corinthians 12:9)
Through the lens of the resurrection, waiting isn’t just about passing time—it’s about transformation. The disciples were not the same after the resurrection. The waiting period helped refine their faith, deepened their understanding of who Jesus was, and prepared them for the mission ahead. James 1:2-4 encourages us to see our trials—especially our waiting—as an opportunity for growth: “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.”
The growth that disappointment offers does not come without our cooperation, which means that the habits of the heart we choose to foster in this space will determine whether our journey through the valley will end in spiritual life or spiritual death. It’s crucial to recognize that it’s not just the hardship itself, but how we respond to it, that shapes us. With each discomfort we experience, our responses both reveal the people we are and set the trajectory for the people we are becoming.
“In this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.” (Romans 8:24-25)
The hardest part of waiting often isn’t the waiting itself—it’s trusting that God’s timing is better than our own. Just like the disciples, we might want God to act quickly, but he has his own plan.
If you’re reading this from a position of authority or leadership, you might often find yourself as the one leading others through seasons of uncertainty and waiting. Your work is crucial, and yet, it can often feel like you’re waiting for things to fall into place—whether that’s waiting for funding to arrive, waiting for a new project to take off, or waiting for the right team members to join your mission. The waiting can be difficult, and the tension can sometimes feel overwhelming. But as we’ve seen in the story of Jesus’ death and resurrection, this time of waiting holds great potential for growth, renewal, and purpose. Easter matters for you, too.
“The angel said to the women, ‘Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said.’” (Matthew 28:5-6)
The resurrection of Jesus is not just a past event—it’s a present and future reality. It reminds us that after every dark night, the dawn breaks. After every long wait, God moves. And after every season of uncertainty, new life emerges.
Your current waiting is not wasted. God’s silence is not abandonment—it is the prelude to resurrection. Just as Jesus’ followers grieved, doubted, and questioned everything on that dark Saturday, you may be in a season where it feels like God is quiet. But make no mistake—he is working in the unseen, preparing something greater than you can imagine.
Your journey through the valley might be longer than you hoped, and the process might be harder than you expected. But resurrection is coming. The pain you feel today will not last forever. The disappointment you carry will one day give way to a new and better story. The things you thought were lost may yet be redeemed in ways you never anticipated.
So, in times of doubt, hold fast. Keep leading with faith, knowing that just as Jesus rose in victory after the silence of the tomb, he can bring new life to you. That’s why Easter matters, even 2,000 years later. Resurrection is not just something we celebrate on Easter morning—it’s the blessed reality we live in every day.
