Light a Candle in Darkness
I was talking with a friend the other day. She’s been struggling with some things in her life and is having a bit of a hard time. Darkness might be a good word to describe what she’s feeling or what she’s going through. I thought I’d write this week about an analogy that I shared with her about lighting a candle in darkness.
The smallest light
In dark situations, we need to find the light. Sometimes all it takes in order to brighten the dark is just the smallest light…like lighting a candle in a dark room. Candlelight is a very tiny light. Nevertheless, eventually that candle will light the room, and we can see other things. Our eyes will adjust, and the room will get brighter even though previously it was all darkness. Then that light will open our eyes to see that things maybe really aren’t as dark as they seem, and there is hope.
Things also become clearer in the light. In the light we can have a more realistic or different perspective. The light might grant us ability to quit seeing things from a negative point of view in order to see things for what they truly are. In a sense we are not “blinded” anymore.
Light in darkness…
Light dispels, disperses and scatters the darkness. Evil is exposed in the light.
“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.” John 1:5 (NLT)
“No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house.” Matthew 5:15 (NLT)
“For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light! For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true. Carefully determine what pleases the Lord. Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them. It is shameful even to talk about the things that ungodly people do in secret. But their evil intentions will be exposed when the light shines on them, for the light makes everything visible. This is why it is said, “Awake, O sleeper, rise up from the dead, and Christ will give you light.”” Ephesians 5:8-14 (NLT)
“All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed.” John 3:20 (NLT)
In darkness we are deceived.
Think haunted house. Things are worse than they seem in the dark. Continue reading