Faith and suffering
I delivered my daughter Elsa at 4:02am on a Saturday, her stillborn body lifeless at 37 weeks old. The next morning, I was wheeled out of the hospital without her, bleeding and broken, and waited alone at the door while my husband pulled the car around. I remember that silence, that empty waiting, as one of the loneliest moments of my life.
Holy Saturday, commemorated today on the church calendar, reminds me of that deeply painful morning and stirs up the grief, even 17+ years later. The silence, the waiting, the “what just happened” shock of death.
When I put myself in the place of Christ’s disciples on this day after he was murdered, I can only imagine they also felt they were living some horrible dream from which they desperately hoped to wake up.
This day and the entirety of Holy Week is a time when Christians come face-to-face with the reality of the human condition and the full participation of Christ in our suffering. Things get really dark, and we’re left with the weight and the silence of death. When we allow it, we get truly in touch with our own suffering as we realize how in touch Christ already is.
The Intersection of Faith and Suffering
The Christian church can sometimes be tempted to gloss over pain and suffering, but this isn’t a truly Christian way to live. Authentic faith invites us to full emotional expression, whatever we are going through, and Christ models this for us.
Holy Saturday is a great example of this - a day marked by silence, waiting, and uncertainty. The disciples sat in grief, unsure of what would come next.
You likely have experienced this as well during seasons of suffering: times when God feels quiet, when answers seem distant, and when you can only wait for healing or clarity. Holy Saturday invites us to honor these moments of fearful and grief-stricken uncertainty rather than rush past them.
While Resurrection is 100% coming, you don’t have to feel that yet. You’re allowed to sit in silence, to feel the weight and the darkness, even to be afraid. God is redeeming the world in this moment, but it doesn’t require any particular emotion from you that you don’t have.
You can just be where you are.
You can sit in silence and feel your feelings while you wait to see what God will do next.
He will bring resurrection, as sure as the sun rises again each morning.
But he will also be with us, fully participating, closer than our breath, in the middle of the darkest night.
Practical Faith-Based Coping Strategies for Suffering
How do we practice this kind of stillness, caring well for ourselves during times of emotional pain? Here are some simple yet powerful practices that have been used to support mental health in the context of Christian faith.
Breath Prayer and Contemplative Practices: Choose a simple prayer, such as the ancient Jesus prayer (“Lord, have mercy”) or another short word or phrase. Synchronizing this prayer with the breath can calm the nervous system while anchoring the heart in God’s presence. You can sit with this type of breath prayer for a period of silence (set a timer for 5 minutes), and also return to it whenever you remember in the course of your day.
Christian Mindfulness: Identify something in your present moment where you would like to focus your attention. This could be the breath, sensations on your skin, a color in your field of vision, or simply the presence of God. Use a Christian Mindfulness guide to practice being present to yourself and to God in the moment.
Scripture Meditation and Journaling: Choose a passage of Scripture. Read it slowly, repeatedly, and allow yourself to imagine being immersed in the passage. As best you can, stay present to whatever emotions arise and allow yourself to express them to God. Use a journal to express your emotions, pray, and explore new perspectives as you dwell in God’s presence.
This Holy Saturday, you are invited to authenticity, to the practice of being fully present to yourself and to God in whatever state you find yourself. God is here, in the uncertainty, and there are good things to come. You can rest in the stillness.
How Dwell Psychological Services Supports Clients Through Suffering
At Dwell Psychological Services, faith-integrated therapy offers a compassionate and holistic approach to emotional and spiritual pain.
Clients receive support that honors both psychological science and Christian faith. Whether navigating chronic pain, grief, anxiety, or spiritual struggle, therapy provides a safe space to explore suffering with honesty and hope.
Those seeking in-person Christian counseling in Grand Rapids (or online Christian counseling in one of the 43 PsyPact states) can find care that blends evidence-based practice with spiritual depth.
Holy Saturday invites each of us to reflect on our own experiences of grief, waiting, and hope. If you are walking through a season of suffering, you do not have to walk it alone. Dr. Irene Kraegel offers faith-integrated therapy to support emotional healing and spiritual renewal.
