I Believe in Christ

It’s a few days in advance, but to everyone: Happy Easter! Easter is one of those holidays that I tell myself every year I want to do more to celebrate meaningfully, but then the next thing I know, it’s here and all I’ve managed to do is throw some candy in baskets and color eggs.

I’m not very good at priorities! I struggle with my balancing, and despite good intentions, I have a hard time acting.

But Easter is a beautiful holiday where I have the opportunity to celebrate and ponder on the life of Jesus Christ, His sacrifice, and His resurrection. I also think it’s a good time to celebrate the fact He will come again.

I shouldn’t limit myself to holidays, though. I can be celebrating all year round. Sometimes I forget that and find myself only attempting to focus during such times as Christmas and Easter.

Part of my problem is that I don’t really talk about my religion. Why? Good question. I think some of it has something to due with the bad taste in people’s mouths when it comes to religion. And hey, I get it! It doesn’t matter what religion, there are some wonderful members, and then there are members who give the whole religion a bad name. They use their beliefs as a weapon against others, as permission to be hateful, intolerant bullies who want to look down their noses at anyone they deem to be “less than”. But they’re in the wrong and they understand nothing about their religion.

Sure, I can now write a whole post about my specific beliefs, what being a member of my church means, but right now I just want to say this: I believe we have a Heavenly Father, who knows and loves each of us unconditionally. I believe that He sent us here for a reason, and I believe He wants us to be happy. I believe there was a plan for recourse to balance justice—since everyone here makes mistakes—and mercy. I believe that plan involved a Savior, and I believe Jesus Christ was sent here to redeem all of mankind. I believe He bled and died for us because of His love for us, and I believe that He was resurrected and will come again when the world is in its darkest hour.

Is my belief a perfect belief? Some days it feels like a flickering flame of hope that I shield desperately from the whirlwinds of life. But I want so much to know that there is a God at the other end of my prayers, that there is a gentle hand guiding me and protecting me, that there is a life after this one where I can be with my loved ones. I want this to be true, and the peace in my heart when I let myself be still and listen tells me that it is.

I believe in Christ. I believe in His love. I believe that if I truly get to know who He was and is, if I build a close relationship with Him and the Father, that I will be able to love more fully, be more understanding, and shed some of the (many) weaknesses that I have.

And so, I repeat: Happy Easter! And I do hope that we have a beautiful spring. This month will be a busy one, but a good one, and a little sunshine will be a blessing.