In Good to Great, Jim Collins highlights a principle he calls the Stockdale Paradox—a mindset modeled by Admiral James Stockdale, the highest-ranking U.S. military officer imprisoned during the Vietnam War. After enduring eight brutal years in the infamous “Hanoi Hilton,” including more than 20 episodes of torture, Stockdale said what got him through was this paradox: an unwavering belief that he would prevail in the end, paired with the discipline to confront the most brutal facts of his current reality.

This, Stockdale insisted, is what separated the survivors from the optimists. The optimists clung to deadlines—“We’ll be out by Christmas... by Easter…”—only to be crushed when rescue never came. They lost hope. They died of broken hearts.

This paradox isn’t just a leadership principle—it’s a blueprint for living with authentic, resilient faith. It’s what Isaiah embraced centuries before Admiral Stockdale. Isaiah 60–61 is a stunning vision of light breaking into darkness, of wealth and safety, of restoration and relationship. It's a panorama of human longing met by divine promise. And remarkably, Isaiah's vision unfolds across four epic eras:

1. The Jesus Era – when the Light entered the world.
2. The Church Era – where we reflect Christ's light like divine disco balls in a dark world.
3. The Millennial Kingdom – when Jesus will reign physically, and prosperity, peace, and global worship flourish.
4. The New Heavens and New Earth – a reality so radiant that even the sun and moon become obsolete, replaced by the eternal glory of God.

As Isaiah 60 says:

"Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you."

We see the light progressing throughout Scripture. First through Christ’s arrival, then through the church’s mission, intensifying in the Millennium, and ultimately reaching its dazzling climax in Revelation 21—when the gates of the New Jerusalem never close, and there is no night, no mourning, no sickness, no poverty, only abundance and beauty with God at the center.

Isaiah 61 continues with a bold declaration of good news to the poor, healing for the brokenhearted, and freedom for captives—fulfilled in part when Jesus claimed this as His mission in Luke 4. But it continues through us, the church, as we bring this light to a hurting world.

This is our divine calling: not to create comfort zones for suburban Christianity, but to push back darkness with radiant, gritty hope. To stand in the tension of real pain and real promise. To proclaim beauty instead of ashes, praise instead of despair.

And it all builds to the grandest image of all—the divine romance.

"He has clothed me with garments of salvation... as a bride adorns herself with her jewels." (Isaiah 61:10)

We are the bride of Christ. Loved. Cherished. Awaiting the wedding supper of the Lamb. And one day, John saw the New Jerusalem coming down “as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.” This is our future. This is where the story is headed.

So, what does this mean for us?

It means we can face cancer, betrayal, poverty, loss, and grief—not with shallow optimism, but with divine certainty. This is the Christian Stockdale Paradox: we name the brutal facts… and we never stop believing in the breathtaking goodness that awaits us.

The darkness doesn’t win.
The story ends in blinding, beautiful light.
And the best really is yet to come.

Message recap adapted from May 11, 2025, message by Minister Mark Ashton