But without death, there can be no resurrection.

Without a desolate winter, spring loses its context. Without sorrow, joy lacks its poignancy. Without pain, we cannot embrace healing.

The light will come soon, but for now, live with the darkness. Consider the shadow times of Lent as a necessary backdrop to offset the brilliance of the hope yet to come.

Like the rest of life, if we endure the next few weeks while only focusing on one day in the distance, we look back and find the joy has come at too great of a cost. Instead, let’s embrace the struggle together.

The only way out of the darkness is to walk through it, one step at a time.