There’s a good reason why we don’t turn on a Legend of Zelda game and immediately head into a fight with Ganon, the evil mastermind behind most of the entries in the series… we are neither prepared nor equipped to win that battle at the beginning of the game. He would laugh at our flimsy wooden sword, our meager health bar, and our complete lack of training… at this point in our adventure we haven’t acquired the skills or items we will need to succeed in a matchup of that magnitude. Rather than allow us to take an opponent we aren’t fully ready to face yet, the game’s developers guide us into private arenas first so we can gain and develop the prerequisite abilities we will need before we are called upon to use them in a fight we can’t afford to lose.

Public triumphs (like Christ on the cross) are always preceded by private victories (such as Christ in the garden). Just as David defeated lions and bears in secret before facing Goliath on a larger stage, the Lord prepares us for our biggest missions in life by teaching us obedience and submission in our daily “behind-the-scenes” battles. Even Jesus pushed through His own hidden tests to place His flesh under submission before His most critical mission, so let’s prove ourselves faithful in our most secret battles… our private obedience matters more than we know.

Who, in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death, and was heard because of His godly fear, though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. Hebrews 5:7-8

But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.  Matthew 6:7

• Like us?  Follow us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Spotify, TikTok, or YouTube for our articles, podcasts, and videos!
• Facebook: Finding God in Video Games
• Twitter: @FindingGodIn_VG
• Instagram: Finding God in Video Games
• Podcasts on Spotify/Apple/Google: Finding God in Video Games
• TikTok: @FindingGodInVideoGames
• YouTube: Finding God in Video games