Making the Most of the Post-Easter Season: Thoughts for Continued Spiritual Growth

We made it through one of the most spiritually inclined seasons in the christian year. Many participated in lent(fasting for 40 days) which was a monumental effort but also an incredible experience on a spiritual level with many experiencing a depth of connection to like no other time, others didn’t experience an all time high but the journey was sweet and helped them recommit and connect with the Triune God. There are others on the other hand who didn’t participate in lent but have still been swept up into the beautiful story of the season leading up to Easter weekend. Which by some has been title the epitome of Christianity and in an even more modern term others have called it the Super Bowl of the Christian calendar.

From the days off of work for many, the extended family time, the deep and meaningful gatherings at places of worship or tables around the world, the copious amounts of food and chocolate ingested and the overwhelming constant presence of electricity here in South Africa, Easter weekend was one for the books. For most it was one for the books because of the great experiences but there are those too who had this weekend overshadowed by darkness, the kind of darkness that needs no description for those who have been in it. Regardless this was a big weekend.

There are many questions that come up after a weekend like this one. How do I keep the fire going? Where to from here? I made a decision about my faith now what? How do I walk with this pain? Will I make it through this? Etc. they can all be summed up by simply saying. Now what?

I will mention now that I do not have a major elaborate answer but would like to share what I feel like I see in the text.

Acts 1

Luke the writer of the Gospel according to Luke continues his writing work with this second book called Acts (the rest of the name is debated so I will just call it Acts). He doesn’t seem to pay too much attention to the lives of the disciples between the resurrection of Jesus and His Ascension. He gives this simple one liner that I think can help us thrive in this time post Easter. He says ‘Jesus showed himself to the Apostles with many other proofs and taught them about the Kingdom of Heaven.’

I think that is it. For us to thrive in this post Easter weekend space I think it is to centre ourselves on Jesus and the Kingdom he inaugurated through his resurrection from death. We do not see the disciples clinging to the same powerful experience the felt as the realised he had risen and Luke doesn’t seem to focus on those days either. What we see is life continues as before for the apostle being with Jesus and learning about his Kingdom.

What a simplicity of life that would be if we embraced that kind of posture that we are going to spend time with Jesus, learn about his Kingdom and be about it here on earth as in heaven. The gift er have on this side of history is that we are already empowered by his Holy Spirit to live the life of the age to come here and now. We do not need to stay in Jerusalem and wait we can be about living lives of love today in our homes, communities and spaces at large.

In short to answer the question, what now after Easter? We continue to pursue his Kingdom come one Earth as it is in Heaven. We back ourselves. We trust God. We thrive in life and faith.