Prepare Your Heart for Easter

Just like with Christmas, as Easter approaches, many of us find ourselves caught up in the planning of family gatherings, celebrations and special meals. While these traditions bring joy and connection, Easter invites us to something more. We are invited into a time of spiritual preparation that can lead to a profound encounter with hope and renewal found in Christ alone.

So what can you do to prepare your heart for Christ this Easter season? Here are 5 ways.

Create Space for Reflection

Create intentional space in your busy life. Consider setting aside 10-15 minutes each day for quiet reflection. This might mean waking up earlier, stepping away from screens during lunch, or ending your day with a moment of stillness. In these pockets of quiet, allow yourself to hear what might otherwise be drowned out by the noise of daily life.

Engage with the Easter Story

Take time to revisit the Gospel accounts of Jesus’ life, final week, crucifixion, and resurrection.  Here are some ways to read the Easter story:

• Easter Text Group – Each day you will get a daily reading and short devotional as we walk through the Easter story from Genesis all the way to the resurrection. Text “Easter” to 703-454-5990 to be part of it.

• “Preparing Our Hearts for Easter” – This is a study that walks through the Easter story through the YouVersion Bible App. Check it out and you can join in here.

• KidZone Family Devotionals – Get emailed a family Bible reading and devo every morning for you to do as a family as we walk through the Easter story. This starts March 11th. Click this link to get those emails.

Examine Your Heart

Easter invites honest self-examination. What areas of your life need resurrection? Where have bitterness, fear, or complacency created tombs in your heart? Prayerfully naming these places is the first step toward allowing them to be touched by new life.

Practice Gratitude

Each day, identify and express thanks for evidences of God’s faithfulness in your life. Consider keeping a gratitude journal specifically for this season, noting both significant provisions and small graces easily overlooked.

Extend Forgiveness

There is perhaps no better way to honor the forgiveness we receive through Christ than by extending it to others. Is there someone you need to forgive? A relationship that needs restoration? Easter provides a meaningful opportunity to initiate reconciliation.

Share the Hope

A heart prepared for Easter naturally overflows to others. Look for opportunities to share the hope of resurrection with those around you—not just through words, but through acts of kindness, inclusion, and compassion that demonstrate what new life looks like in action. Invite them to be part of one of the Bible Studies above or start a new study. 

Conclusion

As we intentionally prepare our hearts, we open ourselves to experience Easter not just as a day on the calendar, but as a transformative reality that reshapes how you live every day in light of resurrection hope.

To learn more about Jesus and how to love like Him, be part of a daily Bible reading plan.