Even Though

"As the cold can move you deeper toward the fire, struggling can move you deeper toward God, who warms you with joy.  Struggling can deepen joy.
Even though.
Even now.
Even though I will be joyful in the God of my salvation."
The Greatest Gift Ann VosKamp

Jacob wrestled.  He wrestled in birth, he wrestled for the blessing, for a wife, .....he wrestled God himself.  Striving.  For what he wanted.  For what would prosper him, provide security.

Until he began to learn what is real.  This is a shadow.  But how easy it is to think where you are is all there is.  And that it is complete reality.  Humans are so ethnocentric ..not only in our family, our town, our culture but our reality.  We think that all that we see, feel, touch is all that there is...or at least all that is important.

Heaven is reality itself. All that is fully real is Heavenly. For all that can be shaken will be shaken and only the unshakable remains.” 
― C.S. Lewis, The Great Divorce

Yes, our world is real, but its temporal reality offers us but a glimpse, a faint foreshadowing of the greater reality that is to come.” 
― Louis A. Markos, A to Z with C. S. Lewis

“Reality is harsh to the feet of shadows. But will you come?” 
― C.S. Lewis, The Great Divorce

(C.S. Lewis quotes on reality found on goodreads)

Hebrews 12:1-3  Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

3 For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

"Even though, even now, Habkkuk turns the focus.  The secret of joy is always a matter of focus:  a resolute focusing on the Father, not on the fears.  All fear is but the notion that God's love ends.  When does He ever end?"  The Greatest Gift, Ann Voskamp

But he doesn't end.  He is more than what we can see.  More than we can know. He is the God immortal, invisible.  And holy. And loving.

May He grant us eyes to truly see.  Hearts to truly be.  Minds to truly know Him and His reality.