Ever After is my favorite movie.
From the time I was a little girl, I dreamed about the man God would give me to spend the rest of my life with. I think all little girls do that at one time or another. I would put one of my mom’s sheer curtains on my head as a veil, pick some wildflowers for my bouquet, and pretend to walk down the aisle toward my handsome prince.
I guess it’s just the romantic in me that is happy when she finally gets her handsome prince and her evil step-mother and step-sister finally get what they deserve and become servants in the palace.
But it may go just a bit deeper for me.
There is one line in particular that gets me every time.
Danielle has just arrived at the Masked Ball and she whispers to herself, “Breathe. Just breathe.” She is about to reveal to the Prince who she really is. She whispers these words to herself as a way to calm her anxiety as well as the overwhelming emotions that are surging through her.
Well, as in any fairy tale, her plans are thwarted. Her step-mother tells the Prince she’s just a servant in her home and before Danielle can explain, the Prince rejects her in front of everybody. Not the way she pictured this scene in her mind, I am quite sure.
In the years since giving my heart to Jesus, I have found myself uttering those same words, many times. However, in a slightly different format. The times I have prayerfully uttered these words seem to have one thing in common. They’ve been uttered from the depths of a wounded and fragile heart when I feel as if I just can’t take one more thing. When it feels as if the walls are closing in, the tears won’t cease, and I just can’t bear it anymore, somehow, the words find a way up from my soul, through my heart, and out through my lips.
“Breathe on me, Holy Spirit. Just breathe.”
Once this softly whispered prayer has been spoken, it’s as if heaven itself cannot hold Him back. It’s like He’s finally hearing the words He’s been longing to hear. I feel His comforting presence all around me and hear His gentle whisper in my ear.
“I am here, child. You are safe in My arms. I have you. Do not be afraid. I am here. Forever.”
I am stronger in moments such as this than at any other time in my life. It’s when He breathes over my life that I am strong. Here I am, at my weakest point and yet I feel strong, in Him.
“But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”
~ 2 Corinthians 12:9a (ESV)
“My power is made perfect in weakness.”
Let your mind dwell on those words for a moment.
It’s when we are at our weakest, He can fill us with His power. When we’ve exhausted and frustrated ourselves doing all we can to fix a situation only to find out it’s an impossible task, we finally call out to Him. And you know what? He’s always there. No matter how many times we’ve done it before. He is faithful to hear us and come when we call.
I am sure on more than one occasion, His heart has cried out, “Why did you wait so long?”
He longs for us to call out to Him. He wants to be our constant help but He won’t force Himself into our lives. He wants us to choose Him and when we finally do, it thrills His heart.
What about you?
Is there a deep desire in your heart to immediately call on Him when faced with the challenges or hurtful events in this life?
Danielle and her Prince Henry do eventually find their way back to each other. They do get married and they do live happily ever after.
Ah, fairy tales! You gotta love ’em, right? They make us feel good for a few hours and it’s always a great movie when all ends well.
It ends well for us, too, you know.
Once upon some unknown time, Jesus WILL return to this earth to gather us up. He WILL take us home to live with Him forever. We WILL see all our loved ones who are there waiting for us.
We WILL live happily ever after.
Forever and always with our King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
But, until then, when you feel like giving up, when you feel it’s not worth the fight, when it hurts to much to speak…
Breathe.
Just breathe.
I have chills!