Your Story Isn’t Over Yet—There’s Resurrection Ahead
We all hit moments in life where it feels like the pain is winning. Like sorrow is the main character and joy is just a cameo.
Maybe for you, it’s been betrayal. Loss. Sickness. A prayer that feels like it bounced off the ceiling.
And in those moments, it’s easy to believe that the pain is the final word.
But here’s where everything changes—
The story of Jesus doesn’t end on a cross. It ends at an empty tomb.
It ends with resurrection.
It ends in a garden, where death lost its grip and hope stood up and walked out of a grave.
The Garden Changes Everything
John 19:41 tells us that Jesus was buried in a new tomb located in a garden. That’s no accident.
It’s a nod back to the Garden of Eden—where sin and death first entered the story (Genesis 3)—and a prophetic whisper that what began in one garden is now being reversed in another.
N.T. Wright puts it beautifully:
“The resurrection completes the inauguration of God’s kingdom... It is the decisive event demonstrating that God’s kingdom really has been launched on earth as it is in heaven.”
In other words—this isn’t just a happy ending. It’s a new beginning.
From Cross to Crown
Let’s be honest. Pain is real. The cross was brutal.
Isaiah 53 calls Jesus “a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief.” He wasn’t a stranger to suffering. He bore the full weight of it—physically, emotionally, spiritually.
But He didn’t just endure the cross.
He overcame it.
Hebrews 12:2 says:
“For the joy set before Him He endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
Jesus endured suffering with joy in His sights.
And now—resurrected, reigning, and victorious—He offers that same hope to us.
Your Pain Isn’t the End
Romans 8:18 reminds us:
“I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.”
Paul isn’t dismissing our pain—he’s putting it in context.
Yes, life gets messy.
Yes, the wounds are real.
But no—this isn’t the end.
Pain might shape your story, but it doesn’t have to define it.
God is not in the business of erasing the hard parts—He’s in the business of resurrecting them.
Scars into Stories, Graves into Gardens
Consider the disciples after the crucifixion—scattered, disillusioned, afraid. But then Jesus shows up—resurrected.
And what does He do?
He shows them His scars.
John 20:27 records Jesus telling Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands.” Jesus doesn’t hide the evidence of suffering—He uses it to restore faith.
God doesn't waste your wounds.
He takes what the enemy meant for evil and flips it for good (Genesis 50:20).
He turns:
Scars into stories
Graves into gardens (Hosea 2:15)
Tombs into testimonies
That’s not poetic fluff. That’s resurrection reality.
Scholar Frederick Buechner once said:
“Resurrection means that the worst thing is never the last thing.”
The Power of a Resurrected Life
The same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead now lives in you (Romans 8:11).
That’s not just theology—it’s identity.
It means you’re never too far gone.
Never too broken.
Never too buried under shame, fear, or grief for God to speak new life into your story.
Philippians 3:10 says:
“I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of His resurrection and participation in His sufferings…”
There’s a connection between suffering and resurrection power. You don’t get one without the other. But through Jesus, even your suffering becomes sacred.
It becomes a place of transformation.
Your Story Isn’t Over
(Insert The Father’s House by Cory Asbury)
Maybe you feel stuck in Friday pain or Saturday silence. But don’t forget—Sunday came.
Resurrection came.
And it’s still coming.
So if your life feels like a tomb right now—cold, dark, and silent—hold on.
God’s not done.
The stone can still roll away.
Light can still break through.
Hope can still rise.
Your pain is not a period—it’s a comma.
The Author of life is still in control.
And friend, I promise you—resurrection is ahead.
What About You?
Maybe today, you're standing at the edge of something that feels like a grave—grief, regret, disappointment, doubt.
But what if this isn’t the end of your story?
What if the same God who rolled away the stone from Jesus’ tomb wants to do something new in you?
Here’s your invitation: Don’t stop at the cross—walk all the way to the garden.
Let resurrection have the final word.
Take a moment this week to reflect on the places in your life where God might be calling resurrection out of the rubble. Invite Him in. Ask Him to breathe new life where you’ve only seen loss.
Pray this simple prayer today:
“Jesus, I don’t just want to survive my pain—I want to see You resurrect it. Take what’s broken and make it beautiful. Write a new chapter in my story. Amen.”
And if this post encouraged you, share it with someone who might need a reminder that hope still rises.
Your story’s not over. The best part might be just around the corner.
