Embracing a Silent Saturday
Resting in Seasons of Silence
The Saturday Between
This post was originally written in 2022, but I’ve tweaked it for a new year.
It's Easter weekend. For some of you who are in the process of deconstructing and reconstructing your faith, this can be an awkward experience. Maybe you have changed churches, or left church, or just don't feel the same warm and fuzzy feelings you once did. It's okay. You are not alone. That first weekend where Jesus died, was buried, and then rose from the dead was awkward too.
Talk about a whiplash of emotions!
Yesterday I once again stopped to enjoy my favorite day of Easter weekend—the silent Saturday between Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday. It's kind of an uncomfortable day. What are we supposed to do with it? Jesus was just...dead.
It's easy to remember the crucifixion of Jesus and then jump quickly to the fact that He didn't stay dead. I often hear people say, "It's Friday, but Sunday is coming!"
Can I ask you not to go there?
Don't rush. Saturday is all about loss, pain, and grief. It's a day of lament, of doubt, of crushed dreams. A day we can all relate to. As I thought about Jesus’ friends and family yesterday, I wrote this poem:
The birds sang
on Saturday morning
Cheerful trills and cheeps
sounding sharp and cruel
The world moved on
but Jesus was dead
Hopes dashed
Plans changed
Dreams crushed
Yet the birds sang
as if nothing happened
The sun that was dark
yesterday afternoon rose
as if nothing happened
The rocks that shook
yesterday afternoon stood still
as if nothing happened
The world moved on
but Jesus was dead
Stillness and sound
Darkness and light
Caught in the tension
of hope and despair
Was there hope?
Did anyone hope that
tomorrow would be different?
This silent Saturday reminds me that it's okay to feel those sad feelings. It tells me that life in our broken world is filled with tension—with moments in-between. So often we want to rush to Sunday and celebrate, but sitting in the lament of Saturday is good for us. This is real life. This is a place where many of us find ourselves personally and it's okay.
God wasn't done. He wasn't gone. He wasn't distant or angry. He was just waiting. He was quietly embracing the sacred middle place. Allowing space for doubt, grief, and pain. And on this Easter weekend, I hope that you can allow yourself the space for your own doubts and laments. That you can rest in your own seasons of silence.
God has not stopped loving you. He is not distant or angry. There will come a day when the sun rises again and hope springs new. But it is okay if that’s not today. It is okay if on this day you have more doubt than belief, more despair than hope, and more questions than answers. God is not disappointed. He is waiting with you, in silent solidarity, and with never-ending love.
As always, I'd love to hear your thoughts, questions, or comments. You can find me on Threads, Instagram, Facebook, my website, and on my podcast Looking for the Real God. I’d love to connect with you on any of these places!
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A great reminder of the realities of living in this broken world and of a Father who never stops loving us. Thank you for sharing this Christy!😊 God used this one to speak to me on a day like today when I really needed it.
Thanks for reposting this, Christy 💕