“It is what you do in the darkness that makes you shine in the light.”
I heard this quote on a commercial for the Summer Olympics the other night and
it really got me thinking.
I think quite a bit… one of my strengths but also one of my weaknesses.
The Summer Olympics are just around the corner. I
am an Olympic junkie… well… Summer Olympics… I can take or leave the Winter
Olympics. Anyway, I absolutely love everything about it. I love watching the
competitors and hearing all about their incredible journey. Their price is
great; their cost is great. Their physical, emotional, and financial boundaries
are pushed to the limit in order for them to reach their full potential.
They literally give all they have every single day
with ONE HUGE goal as their primary focus.
They are completely driven.
They are completely sold out.
They are completely dedicated to getting the job
done.
They desire one thing; to proudly represent their
country and to WIN at all costs.
They stare pain, defeat, worry, and fear right in
the face and remain confident.
They persevere and endure.
They are forged in the fire and come out stronger.
The entire process amazes me. The start, the
middle, and the end all play a vital role in an Olympian’s life.
It is in the beginning where the joy of something
specific starts. The first dribbled basketball, the first dive in the pool, the
first walk across the balance beam, or the first race. It is in these moments
and accomplishments that desire and passion start to intensify. Without the
beginning there would be no story to tell and no journey would take place.
Without the beginning there would be no middle and there would be no end.
It is in the middle where all the work takes place.
The desire and passion are tested to the max. Choices are not only made but put
into practice EVERY SINGLE DAY! Everything matters in the middle. Every early
workout, every late workout, every diet plan, every pain, every heartache,
every failure, and every victory… Each piece is not only needed but necessary
to complete the puzzle; to complete the end result. It is what happens here, in
the middle that matters the most because all the work is usually done in the darkness
all alone. When everyone else sleeps in, when everyone else goes to the party,
when everyone else eats the amazing junk food, when everyone else quits…. that
is when THE WORK IS DONE. It is what happens here, in the darkness that
ultimately brings forth light. A light that shines above the rest. Without the
middle there would be no story to tell; the journey would be short. Without the
middle there would be no end.
It is in the end when the bigger picture becomes
clear. Everything that happened in the beginning and everything that happened
in the middle; all the hard work pays off. It is all worth it in the end. The
game plan was discovered, tested, and tried… And staying the course led straight
to victory. Without the end there would be no reason for the beginning. Without
the end there would be no hope during the middle. Literally everything done is
completely and solely for the end. Nothing else matters but… THE END!!
How interesting is it that almost every single
thing we come across, if applied correctly and thought about deeply, can be
applied to our lives. Almost every single thing can help us grow in the Lord.
I mean really it is a choice right? Grow… Stay the
same… or Wilt away.
Seriously though let’s apply this…
We all have a beginning. Our beginning started when
we surrendered our lives to Christ. Our beginning started when we finally
realized how desperately we needed a Savior. Our beginning started when we
finally realized that this life is meaningless and joyless without Christ. It
is in the beginning… The moment we accepted Christ… That our journey really
began (2 Corinthians 5:17). Our joy
was discovered (John 15:11). Our
passion and desire to grow intensified. Without this beginning the middle would
not matter. Without this beginning the end would be dim.
We all are in the middle of our middle. This is it…
all the work is happening right now. Our desire to serve Christ and our passion
for Him is tested to the max. Choices are made on a daily basis; serve Christ
or deny Him. These choices are made and put into practice every single day (Luke 9:23). Everything matters in the
middle. Every outcry to God, every valley, every mountain top, every pain,
every heartache, every failure, every success, every answered prayer, every
unanswered prayer, every mistake, every victory… each piece is not only needed
but necessary to complete God’s puzzle for our lives (Job 23:10). It is what happens here in the middle that matters the
most. It is what you do in the darkness when no one is watching that ultimately
defines you… it is there in those moments that the real work gets done. A work
that will make you shine far above the rest. Without the middle we would never
see God’s end result for our life. Without the middle we would never fulfill
our purpose or reach our full potential.
The End. Man oh man… just think about it for a
second. It will all be worth it all when we see Jesus! What a day that will be.
Our end is like nothing we can fathom and I cannot wait. Everything that
happened in the beginning and everything that happened in the middle; all God’s
work will be evident. His plan for our life was discovered, tested and tried…
And staying on the straight and narrow path led us straight to Him every time.
Without this end there would be no reason for the beginning. Without this end
the middle… All the hardships… All the grief… All the work would not matter.
Literally everything started and done is completely and solely for THIS END.
Nothing else matters except God’s Kingdom. Nothing else matters except Heaven (Colossians 3:1-4).
So there it is…
We are completely emerged in the most important
time of our lives RIGHT NOW.
So… the question remains…
What will you do in the darkness?
P.S. If you would like to know how to begin your
journey by accepting Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, please feel free to
contact me.
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