How to Live Out the Wonder of Easter Every Day

As we reflect on the wonder of Easter and the events leading up to it, we can't help but think about forgiveness. Jesus’ work saving humanity from sin was all about forgiveness. We can ponder Jesus’ words from the cross, recorded in Luke 23:34: “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” Since God has forgiven us for so much, shouldn’t we forgive others who hurt us, as God calls us to do? Forgiveness isn’t easy, but it’s a vital part of Easter’s message. We should respond to Easter every single day by being willing to forgive people, with God’s help. We can let go of bitterness and resentment, and move on with freedom and trust that God will help us with whatever we need. Colossians 3:13 encourages us to: “Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” Jesus will help us learn to love our enemies. He will also help us move on from our own past mistakes when we ask him to forgive us for them and learn from them. 

Finally, we can draw strength from the wonder of Jesus’ resurrection. Remember that death must always precede resurrection. So, we must be willing to sacrifice whatever selfish agendas conflict with God’s will for our lives. We can crucify attitudes and behaviors that we know don’t align with God’s best for us, so God can raise us to new lives by transforming our habits into healthy ones that will help us grow to become more like Jesus. As the Apostle Paul says in Galatians 2:20: “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” The same power that raised Jesus from the dead now lives within all of us who trust Jesus as our Savior. That empowers us with the strength we need in any situation. Philippians 4:13 points out: “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” This profound truth reminds us that we are not alone in our struggles. We have access to the limitless power of God through our union with Jesus. By letting the wonder of Jesus’ resurrection inspire us daily, we can face each day with all the strength we need. 

So, we don’t have to stop celebrating Easter just because Easter Sunday has passed. We can celebrate the wonder of Easter every day of the year. As we do so, we can live with hope, courage, belonging, forgiveness, and strength. Let’s remember that the same power that raised Jesus from the dead now lives in us as God’s children, empowering us to live our best lives every single day! The more we let the wonder of that reality inspire our daily choices, the more we can enjoy the abundant life God intends for us.

To read the first article in this series on the wonder of Lent and Easter, click here.

Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/Sinenkiy 

Whitney Hopler helps people discover God's wonder and experience awe. She is the author of several books, including the nonfiction books Wake Up to Wonder and Wonder Through the Year: A Daily Devotional for Every Year, and the young adult novel Dream Factory. Whitney has served as an editor at leading media organizations, including Crosswalk.com, The Salvation Army USA’s national publications, and Dotdash.com (where she produced a popular channel on angels and miracles). She currently leads the communications work at George Mason University’s Center for the Advancement of Well-Being. Connect with Whitney on her website at www.whitneyhopler.com and on her Facebook author page.