The Lighthouse by Shana Burchard

“If you paint the trees darker, it will make the lighthouse more prominent.”

Years ago, my art teacher gave me this advice as I worked on a painting. I was eager to show him my progress of watercolor trees against a red lighthouse I had visited often with my family in the summer. I was proud of my progress and felt confident in my work.

He stepped up softly behind me as he eyed my progress and said, “If you paint the trees darker, it will make the lighthouse more prominent.”

It was a bit disheartening that all my time spent had created a hazy and washed-out tree line. The vibrancy of the lighthouse was missing amid murky watercolors. I humbled myself of my pride in my half-finished painting and dipped my brush into the dark greens and blacks to add to my painting. I remember feeling unsure if the stark black would overpower the lighthouse.

But my art teacher knew better. My painting began to come to life. The shadows and darkness brought out the vibrancy and brightness of the lighthouse. The darkness of the trees silhouetted against the rich red of the lighthouse and made it come alive.

I’m reminded of this quote from my teacher when I look at seasons in my life of shadows and darkness. Sometimes when life is going well, I take for granted what God has given me and what He has so graciously kept me from. It is all a bit washed out and hazy from the sunshine and smiles.

This past winter was a season of darkness for me. My family and I were going about life when suddenly my father fell gravely ill. Meningitis. It came on very suddenly and doctors to this day cannot pinpoint a cause. I remember going day by day, praying God would give me only my daily bread. I just needed enough to get through twenty-four hours as I braced myself for oncoming news. We were told it was most likely the end. My father had been unconscious for too long.

But the prayers continued.

My family, friends, missionaries across countries, and acquaintances all messaged my family that they were praying. And they believed in the power of their prayers.

One day while a doctor saw my mother, she stood back and told her, “This is truly a miracle.” My father was recovering. He woke up and began a very slow process of healing. To this day, he still has complications. But we are blessed to have him alive and with us when we thought we would not.

When I look back on the season of shadows in my life, I see where God stood out most and how he was there guiding my steps like a ship to the shore in rough waters. It’s these seasons that I am humbled to rely on him more than ever as I face the stark reality of death. We each have our day and I don’t understand why sometimes it seems to be cut much too short.

Through muddled tears and a streamed face, the world can easily become distorted and bitter when I look through watery eyes. It’s almost as if I’m looking at the first attempt of my watercolor painting. Everything is drab and muted. But as before when I humbled myself before my teacher, I see that I must humble myself before God. Who am I to know the ends of things and the beginnings? I am only a thankful servant, humbly praising him for his glorious plan.

It is when I humble myself before him that I start to pray more boldly, “Your will be done, God, not mine. For you know better than me.” It is when I let go of that need to control and let God control that I see the beautiful work He is creating. I must trust him to see the beauty of his design when I only see muted colors.

It is difficult for me to trust in the unknown. What if the situation ends differently? What if my painting is ruined and I can’t fix it once I add darker colors?

But isn’t it a comforting thought to know our Great Teacher knows better than we do?

Jesus came to this earth to die on the cross. He prayed boldly before his death, “Father if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done” (Luke‬ 22:42‬ NIV).‬‬‬‬

And God said no. He didn’t take the cup. Jesus went on to suffer death on the cross and face God’s wrath in our place. God’s will was done.

And aren’t we thankful that it was? That we can now go to heaven and don’t have to be separated from our Holy Creator?

I am so thankful for a great art teacher that showed me how shadows bring out the light and objects closest to us. I’m much more thankful for God, my Greatest Teacher, who has shown me how to hold onto him when seasons of shadows come and pass. I am humbled by how he brings to focus the importance of loving those closest to me and how everything trivial fades away.

“If you paint the trees darker, it will make the lighthouse more prominent.”

What seasons of shadow and darkness in your life have you gone through? How have you seen God working in these seasons?

“But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit” (Jeremiah‬ 17:7-8‬ NIV)‬‬.‬‬

Shana Burchard is the author of the upcoming children's book The Puppy Who Could Not Bark (Christian Faith Publishing). It is set to release summer of 2022. She lives in northwestern Pennsylvania with her dog, husband, and daughter. She enjoys spending time taking walks outside, reading books, laughing with friends, and learning about the character of God through the fellowship of believers. As a young girl, she wanted to grow up to be a writer and would write stories in her free time. She attended Allegheny College as an English and psychology double major. She then went on to earn her master's degree in education from Mercyhurst University.