As you have probably noticed, I’ve been writing a lot of spiritual blogs lately. I’ve always been about your entire life: mental, emotional, physical and spiritual health and addressed both personal and professional topics because I do believe in work/life balance. A healthy, balanced life is all of it. However, the last couple of years have created a sense of urgency for me to share about God. Perhaps I myself am just needing some reassurance of God’s love and greatness in the midst of a crazy world, but I suspect we all could use a dose of the Almighty now and then.
Like many, I strive to have a heart like God. Jesus provides a great example of the love, mercy and grace to extend to others. What we often miss, though, is in order to truly know the heart of God, we must suffer. Think about it for a moment. God had to suffer immense pain when He not only witnessed but sent His only Son to die on the cross for our sins. This is what we celebrate at Easter…that Jesus took that burden for us. Although He died, He rose again!
Jesus Himself suffered at the hands of man, brutally beaten and tortured on His walk to and on the cross. He did it out of love for us, and I get overwhelmed each and every time I think about it. He did that for me? Yes, and He did that for you. He loves all His children.
If we truly want to understand the Heart of God, we must embrace the pain in our life. When we face it rather than flee it, God meets us at our point of weakness. As I watched The Game of Thrones (GOT) for a second time without having COVID-19, I caught more things. The one that struck me that ties into this message is the episode titled “The Long Night.” It is when the White Walkers attack, and they are winning. The dead can’t die, and they are a force of over 100,000 strong. The odds are against the living. Despite their past with one another, every living being joins forces together to fight to live in the future.
The battle is beyond anything any of them have seen, and even the toughest of warriors become weary from all they have seen and done. It truly is graphic and brutal, but there would be no other way to show the horror of it all. The facial expressions cannot be described with words, and they show the loss of hope. I have felt that kind of defeat. I wanted to give up because the battle was too great, and I have wondered if this would take me out. My “long night” was my 16-plus-year fight against Lyme disease and all its lingering effects.
I was told a cure did not exist, and it seemed hopeless. Yet, God showed up and met me in my pain. He didn’t lay out the complete plan, but He got me through one day at a time with His strength. I had to let go and trust Him, and I had to take one step until He led me to the next. Yes, it was a long night, but I did not walk alone.
Even though the spiritual component of GOT is weak and more witch-crafty, you can correlate God into the mix simply because the battle was too big for them. Only God could step in at the darkest hour and shine. With Him, they ultimately defeated evil, but it was a long night.
We are approaching Jesus’ long night, but we know the outcome and how the story ends. He did not stay dead but rose again, and we rejoice for we have eternal life through Him! How did Jesus get through His long night? I believe He: 1) Trusted His heavenly Father’s plan for Him completely and 2) He focused on the final outcome, not the suffering.
Just like the faces in GOT at their darkest point, we can get consumed by the gravity of the situation. We are overcome with fear and dismay, and we may just want to give up. Since we know the truth about God, we must turn our attention on His goodness. We must surrender to His plan and know that minimally, we will truly know the heart of God from our own suffering.
But God usually doesn’t stop there, and He will have something wonderful that comes from the fire and rises up out of the ashes. We need to look for it, believe it and claim it! In GOT enemies became allies, and a new world order was created as a result. For me, I am still standing, and as long as I have breath, I will praise His holy name.
What is your long night? The suffering and pain are real, but have faith my friend for dawn is coming! God is still in control, and He has a plan and purpose for what you are enduring. As we celebrate the Good News this Easter, let us also rejoice in our own tough times for with and through them, we get to know the heart of God more intimately. Our unique victories provide us a way to share the Good News with others. May your story encourage others, and a blessed Easter to you!
Looking for something to life your spirits and draw you closer to God, all while you create some balance in your life? Get a copy of my very first and most-read book, A Healthier, Happier You!
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