Tag: #light

Hope for the Shadow Dweller

We were sentenced to wander in darkness, convicted by our own sin. We lived our lives separated from our Father, running from shadows of our own making, jumping from one glimmer of His revelation to the next, trying to outrun the consequences of our independence.

God promised an eternal Light; a Light of penetrating brilliance that would remove all shadows, bridge all distance, and reverse all convictions. The Light always was and always would be. So we fled our shadows, we jumped from glimmer to glimmer with our eyes ever fixed on the brighter promise.

One day, in the midst of an unsuspecting shadow, the Light was born. He was only a small beam peering up from the darkness, but His intensity grew, drawing to Him those of us who waited in nearby glimmers. Soon, the shadows of our lives were only memories. Our new reality had become the Light that could never go out, never go dim, never be clouded by a shadow.

The Light shines today. He waits for those who still wander in darkness, unknowingly jumping from glimmer to glimmer of His love. He prays that each one of us will see His Light and step out of the shadows, into His bright promise.

“The true Light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through Him, the world did not recognize Him. He came to that which was His own, but His own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
John 1:9-14

Why I Write

“O Lord, you are my lamp. The Lord lights up my darkness.” 2 Samuel 22:29

We often fear what hides in the darkness. The UNKNOWN motivates us to leave the nightlight on, steers us toward well lit streets, makes us use the “Buddy System.”

Sometimes, what scares us the most is the KNOWN that is hiding in that same darkness. Sides of our personalities that have been met with judgment. Painful words that have warped our identities. Memories that have formed dark expectations. Wounds that hurt too much to dress. They follow us like shadows, less than a step behind. We think that keeping them in the darkness, where they can blend in, will keep us safe. We think that stepping into the light will expose our true shape, and the world will see us for what we really are.

Once when I was spending the night away from home, I turned out the lights and went to bed and my eyes began to adjust to the darkness. I began to see shapes. I looked toward the door and saw what looked like a tall person standing in the room, staring down at me. My heart stopped. I held my breath for several seconds before I realized that the shape was not moving. I soon realized that it was a robe hanging on the door.

This is what the painful knowns do when we leave them in the darkness. They begin to look like more than what they are, and they send us running, hiding from… shadows. We will continue to run and hide unless we step into the light, and take them with us. Once the light of truth hits them, we are able to recognize them for what they truly are:
Warped shapes of things that no longer exist. Lies in disguise. Then we can stop running. We can be free.

I once read (I can’t remember where) that being yourself gives those around you the freedom to be themselves. This motivated me to be myself for the sake of others, in spite of those who might take issue with my oddities. I think this also applies to our shadows. Giving words to my shadows might help others put words to theirs. It might give them the courage to speak those words, exposing them to the light. The brightest light that shines is the light of Christ. The Word of God has cast many of my knowns into the light, providing freedom that only He can provide. For these reasons, I write about my shadows in light of Christ’s grace, love and power. I pray that you who read about my journey will experience that same freedom by joining me in the light.