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The Dragon

Posted on Tuesday, April 23, 2019

For those of you unfamiliar with the Chronicles of Narnia, there are spoilers ahead. 

At the beginning of the month, I took a solo retreat. I wanted to take time to pray, reflect, etc.. I got out of the city and stayed in a town that offers a more simple way of living. On my last night in this town, I was sitting on my bed and I talked to the Lord. During this time, He reminded me of Eustace Scrubb.

Eustace is a bratty kid and I had no sympathy for him in the beginning of The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. Why should I? His attude was wrong and he was underserving of the adventures Narnia offered. How he even got in was a mystery to me. However, already familiar with the first two books, I trudged along, knowing that redemption would be coming somehow. Yes, even for Scrubb. As I read on, my heart began to soften for this boy that was brought into this new world. He couldn't have helped his life circumstances, right? He unexpectedly found himself in a place he didn't want to be. By the middle of the book, I was invested. I began to feel bad for this boy. I even started to see myself in him. 

You see, I resonate with Eustace. At first, turned away by his attitude, I understood. The last few months I have felt like him. Dropped into a place that was foreign in every way possible. Things kept piling on until I realized the layers formed into something that displayed my hurts, shortcomings and rotten attitude. I had become the dragon.

Like Eustace, I had time to be alone. I realized I didn’t like where I was. Like Aslan, the Lord reminded me of my need for him to transform my heart. He had to be the one to take away the parts of me that do not match his heart. The process was painful. I lay exposed to the Father and he cut into the depths of my soul. He left nothing untouched. Every piece of me was examined and the pruning process continued. There were parts of me revealed I didn't even know existed. Yet, even as I was vulnerable before the Father, He used it to make me new. He did not shame me or tell me of my shortcomings. Instead He reminded me of his sufficiency and invited me to be renewed once more.

Grace was offered to Eustace, and it was also extended to me. I have been able to look ahead with a new set of eyes and a heartbeat more in sync with His.

Father is opening doors here in East Africa. What a privilege to join in. 

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