Easter is over. Now what?

A lot of us are coming off of ramped-up spiritual practices during Lent and Easter. It's that season when Christians pray more, fast, confess, do without, and attend special spiritual services. If we are involved in supporting church, it is likely we poured some energy into putting together Easter weekend services. At Sanctuary, we shared two special prayer journeys, one that lasted through Lent and one that led us through the last 24 hours of Jesus' life (thanks, Laura!). And then on Easter morning, we reached a seasonal mountaintop as we celebrated the resurrection of Jesus. Many of us then feasted with friends and relatives in the afternoon. Easter isn't just a day; it's a season -- arguably the highest holiday of the Christian year.

Easter is over. Now what?

The other day I saw where a pastor posted on Facebook, “Anyone else get the ‘creative let-down’ after Easter? I'm sitting in my office, uninspired. Almost in disbelief that there is another Sunday less than a week away.”

That's a little window into the life of pastors. But even if you're not a pastor, post-Easter spiritual letdown is hard to avoid. Maybe you experienced spiritual breakthroughs but are wondering whether they will slip away. Maybe as the Easter season played out, you felt more and more frustrated because you weren't getting anywhere. Now you wonder, "If I couldn't put it together during Easter, what makes me think I can do it now?"

If it's rejuvenation we seek, my advice is that we get outside of ourselves. Let me tell a story. This morning I met with a couple of pastor friends. I didn't get a great night's sleep last night, and I showed up at Starbucks feeling groggy and cranky. Midway through our conversation some college students started gathering at the table next to us to take an online quiz together. There weren't enough chairs for everyone. Instead of thinking, "Wow, that's unfortunate for them," we ended up bringing chairs in from outside, switching tables, and eventually giving up our own chairs so the group of students could sit together. I noticed that in the process of giving and serving, I felt energized. I was no longer groggy and cranky. I wasn't wondering how I was going to connect with God today, because I already was connected with God. I turned around, and it had happened all by itself.

So if we are trying to attain spiritual progress, let me say this in my best Jersey accent: "Fah-GET about it." That is, forget about spiritual progress. When we lose our life, we find our life without even trying.

Comments

  1. AnonymousApril 18, 2012 at 2:37 PM

    Loved your post Easter post, Dave & your comment: "That is, forget about spiritual progress. When we lose our life, we find our life without even trying." How simple - just be what God has created us to be already, & do those "good works" that He prepared us for. Reminds me of one of my favorite verses - in terms of my heart's desire: 2 Cor. 5:14-15 -"For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died; and He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf." Shirley*

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