“After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.”— Matthew 28:1 (NIV)
Several years ago, I heard a piece of advice that has stuck with me: “When you sit down to read the bible, read it with fresh eyes like it is the first time you have ever read it.” I have a bad habit of skimming through familiar passages because I’ve heard some stories, like Christmas and Easter, many times.
I know the endings, so impatiently I hurry through the study days of these well-known stories. But, when I quickly peruse the pages, I often miss what the Spirit is trying to show and teach me through the living and active word of God (Hebrews 4:12). There is a lot of meat in the middle, and I’m missing it.
This same thing tends to happen when I rush through a waiting period or try to take control of the outcome instead of trusting God in the wait. There is a ton of character-shaping and faith-building that I try to skip over, because waiting is never easy or comfortable. Just ask any seasoned woman of faith, and she will tell you, “Trusting in God in the wait is tough, but it is always worth it.”
So, I decided to reread the Easter story in the gospels, but as if it were the first time. When I came to Matthew 28, I paused after reading the first three words of the first verse, “after the Sabbath.” They had to wait. The women obediently honored the Sabbath before they rose before dawn on the first day of the week to prepare Jesus’ body for burial properly.
They agonizingly waited through the Sabbath after witnessing the traumatic torture of their Savior. I imagine whatever these ladies may have heard of the promised resurrection felt like a far-off dream as they prepared to anoint Jesus’ lifeless body. Their Messiah was gone, and the ending looked bleak. However, that morning, they were astonished to find an empty tomb and honored to witness the living resurrected Jesus. The happy ending came after a period of waiting. Resurrection was always the plan.
Now, I certainly wish all waits were only a day. I could muster up patience and easily trust in the Lord if I knew I would wake up to fulfilled promises the next morning. Unfortunately, there is no alarm clock we can set to end our wait, and there is no guarantee of what the outcome will look like when it comes to fruition. God’s promises will be fulfilled, but when, where, and how are all left up to Him, so that we may be astonished when it happens and give God all the glory. We can live in peace, knowing His ways are best and that they will happen in His perfect timing.
Like most, I have done my fair share of waiting. The past ten years have certainly been a test of patience, perseverance, and endurance. It’s as if I’ve watched a second-hand tick on a clock continuously in anticipation of the breath of life returning to areas of my life that seem dead. The resurrection of the promise and the redemption of the pain often feel far away.
Have you been there, friend?
The good news is that this is the perfect opportunity for us to grow our faith and trust in the Lord, as Proverbs 3:5-6 reminds us. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”
I wish I could say that I have been a beautiful model of what waiting well looks like as a Christian woman, but I digress that my fleshly desire for control and comfort has been more prominent than my willful obedience to trust and submit.
However, through the different periods of waiting, I have seen the beauty that comes from being molded by the Potter’s wheel (Isaiah 64:8). God is a patient Father who shapes our hearts and minds even when we resist. When we sit at His feet, while waiting on promises to be fulfilled, the time is never wasted. So, lean in and watch Him work.
Let’s Pray:
Dear Father, give me patience, endurance, and perseverance in the wait as I surrender the circumstances and outcome to Your will, Lord. Help my unbelief, grow my faith, and shape me into a faithful servant who does all things for Your glory. I love you. Amen.
Photo credit: Unsplash/Ben White
Related Resource: How Faith Finds Us When Life Takes a Detour
Joining us this week is worship leader turned viral comedian Heather Land. After growing up in the shadow of her mother’s decades-long addiction, Heather reflects on how this painful season—alongside her unexpected shift from the worship stage to the world of comedy—taught her that while our paths may take unforeseen turns, our core calling to encourage and uplift others remains constant.
Later in the episode, we’ll hear from Rachel Kessler, an Episcopal priest and Kenyon College chaplain who completed her PhD in medieval studies at the University of Toronto before pivoting to seminary after hitting academic burnout, then built a following as the “Nerdy Priest” on TikTok after a student secretly downloaded the app on her phone.
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Originally published Friday, 27 March 2026.
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