What Saturday Teaches About Easter - iBelieve Truth: A Devotional for Women - April 1, 2026
“Then Jesus told him, ‘You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing me.’” John 20:29 (NLT)
I’ve never met a human who enjoys the waiting, the in-between moments that give way to uncertainty. Why else do we obsessively Google for answers, devour books, and buy into Amazon Prime? We know what we want, how we want it, and we want it now. So we chase the desired outcome at all costs.
But sometimes, “all costs” truly costs us everything, most notably the humility and patience to be transformed. We want an end product without the assembly line, devoid of the parts and pieces necessary to make the final design function correctly and withstand the test of time.
We function this way regarding our souls, wanting Christ to do away with our wrestling against sin, with life’s hurt and pain at the snap of His fingers, and with waiting for His direction. We want our faith to be much like a Candy Land board game—nothing but pretty colors, sweet treats, and one big, obvious path that wins the whole game.
Yet, when we consider Jesus’ demonstration of the Christian walk, when we read the Gospels and observe the earthly life He lived, it was anything but pretty and easy. Granted, it was glorious and eternally world-changing, but it wasn’t smooth, and the world wasn’t saved by a quick snap of God’s fingers.
On Saturday, the day wedged between Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection, we have the opportunity to practice patience, sitting with what’s uncomfortable while hoping for what’s to come. As New Testament, New Covenant believers, we have the gift of hindsight, so though we mourn Christ’s death, we simultaneously know that His resurrection was and is our victory.
We know the end of the story. We know what it grants us. And I believe the beautiful part about the day before Easter Sunday is that it sets the precedent for the faith we are to cultivate throughout our lives. We are to recognize the hurt and heartache of this world, to sit with the uncertainty, confusion, and sadness of it all, but we are likewise to keep our hearts and minds rooted in the hope that we have been guaranteed.
I’m not sure how much Sunday would truly mean to us if we didn’t have to sit with Saturday. Of course, Friday is deeply heavy, as it was the day Christ was beaten and crucified, yet Saturday makes us sit with our thoughts and feelings in the aftermath.
It forces us to reckon with the reality that we, too, would have felt as scared and cowardly as the disciples.
We would have hidden, lied about knowing Him, and wondered if we had gotten the past three years of our lives all wrong.
We would have faced the uncertainty and been forced to decide what we believed Sunday would hold.
Saturday is the faith. Sunday is its fruit.
As we draw near to Easter weekend, it’s my prayer that we take time to pause and humbly reflect on just how important the day before Easter is, our humanity that it forces us to sit with, the sin it brings to light that we can then confess, and the hope we must choose when doubt wants to win.
On Easter Sunday, we rejoice in Christ’s glory, but on Saturday, we choose to love Him in the valley of the shadow of death. On Saturday, we choose to fear no evil. On Saturday, our faith is fortified, committed to His love until the end of the age.
Let’s pray:
Christ, as the Easter weekend approaches, may we honor your sacrifice and power. May Good Friday be a time to mourn, Saturday a time to choose faith, and Sunday a time to rejoice. Let us wrestle with the humility, patience, and uncertainty required of a faith that can’t physically see but must spiritually believe in the resurrection of Christ and the salvation offered to rebellious sinners.
Thank you for the truth that nothing in your hands is wasted. You are particular and purposeful for holy reasons, even and especially in our waiting. So may we use this Saturday before Easter to pursue your radical, unfathomable love. In your holy name, Jesus, Amen.
Photo credit: ©GettyImages/tommaso79
Related Resource: Discouragement Often Comes after Calling | Ezra 3
In this episode of The Bible Explained, Jen walks through Ezra chapter 3 and explores the Israelites’ return from exile as they begin rebuilding the temple in Jerusalem. She highlights how the people, though fearful and greatly outnumbered, chose unity, obedience, and worship by first rebuilding the altar and restoring sacrifices to God. The episode focuses on the emotional moment when the temple foundation is laid—some rejoice with gratitude while others weep, remembering the former temple’s glory. Through passages in Ezra, Haggai, and Zechariah, Jen emphasizes God’s encouragement not to “despise small beginnings,” reminding listeners that God often works through humble starts, difficult seasons, and imperfect circumstances. The episode closes with a practical encouragement: when God calls people to a purpose, opposition and discouragement will come, but faithful perseverance and trust in God’s presence are what carry the work forward. If this podcast helped you understand the Bible in a clearer way, be sure to follow The Bible Explained on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode!
