I recently started assistant coaching at a local high school cross country team. Practice is each morning beginning at 5:30 am. Consequently, we begin running before dawn appears. This morning I had an especially hard time finding my way along the pathway for the warm up. My feet were fighting to maintain balance and direction over the unseeable rivets, rocks or pavement unevenness. The difficulty I felt as I was running through the darkness was high; essentially, I felt really blind. As I ran, I began contrasting the concept of light and dark and how it compares to my current life stage.
Darkness is the absence of light. There is a higher level of difficulty to see when one is in the darkness. Surroundings, objects and senses are limited and undefined within it. The light, however, makes all things visible bringing clarity to one’s senses. Light shows the steps to take for safety; it reveals the identity of objects and people bringing forth wisdom for daily encounters; and, it fosters a longing to remain- where with it's clarity comes refreshment and peace.
Mulling over the differences in feelings, thoughts and actions that both the light and darkness can stimulate, I couldn’t help but initially feel discouraged. I prefer light. Any limitation on my vision or perception in the darkness is undesirable. The comfort, consistency, and familiarity of the light is warmly welcomed. And right now with life, I feel as though my mindset about the path I am walking down right now is comparable to stumbling my way as I run through the darkness. The darkness feels tangible in my current state because I can’t see the future or what it will bring. I have concerns and desire for control over the unknown manifesting fears and insecurities.
It is the selfish, self-pitiful, and easy choice to remain frustrated within the stumbling of my current state of life. But, the wonder of it all is I have a choice. I could choose to see the beauty in every stage of the race of life. There is beauty in everything. Our God is the Creator of beauty- look at the mountains nearest you…. He emanates beauty. What is the beauty here then? I think one key comes from understanding the current mindset with which I am approaching my current path in life. Right now, I believe my mindset is more domineered by darkness than light. But, I believe it is a mindset- not a state of being. Because the Bible says, “But you, brothers, are not in the dark, for this day to overtake you like a thief. For you are all sons of light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or darkness.” (1 Thess. 5:4-5) The mindset I've recently been carrying is wrong. According to this scripture and other passages, I am a child of the light- not the darkness. I am in the light, so why try to live as if I'm in the darkness? I have been freed from the bondage associated to stumbling around in the darkness. My unknown future was given and entrusted to a known God the day I committed to follow Him all the days of my life.
So what does it look like to pursue a mindset of the light?
It looks like truly falling in love with Jesus and His sacrifice to bear the full divine wrath of sin. It looks like deeply falling in love with God the Father whose mercy and grace was extended to us, his beloved creation, in the form of His Son (Ephesians 1:4-6) . It looks like the Holy Spirit using Scripture like a double-edged sword in your soul (Heb. 4:12-13) to bear fruit while simultaneously fanning the flame of your love and passion for Christ and His people. It looks like: “but since we belong to the day, we must be serious and put the armor of faith and love on our chests, and put on a helmet of the hope of salvation. For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we will together with Him. Therefore encourage one another and build each other up as you are already doing” (1 Thessalonians 5:8-11).
Choosing to refresh your spirit of the truth through Scripture is something I found great comfort in today. A mindset of light comes in the form of: peace, clarity, faith and perseverance. The more time I spend at the feet of Jesus worshipping His Holy Name with song, with word, or with reading, the more I see my faith and trust in Him increase. I lose sight of God's true character when I fail to use Scripture as mirror to reflect the good and bad of my own life. Scripture affirms the divine value of soaking in the words God has for His people, “His delight is in the Lord’s instruction, and he meditates on it day and night. He is like a tree planted beside streams of water that bears fruit in its season and whose leaf does not whither, whatever he does prospers” Psalms 1:2-3. “Now without faith it is impossible to please God, for the one who draws near to Him Must believe that He exists and rewards those who seek Him” Hebrews 11:6
Abraham’s life is a classic example of how to walk in light though there is temptation to believe you’re walking in darkness, “By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed and went out to a place he was going to receive an inheritance. He went out, not knowing where He was going.” Hebrews 11:8 Talk about feeling like stumbling in the darkness!!! Abraham led many others despite not knowing where He was going- but He had faith in the real one leading- God. The reality is, Abraham was not the one doing the decision-making. He was relying on God to lead Him, and relying on Him to provide, as well as fulfill His promise. Moses is also right there- He led people in the desert for 40 years with no idea where they were going other than the “Promised Land”. He led so many people and yet He had to submit to allowing God to lead through Him. It would be complete pride and selfishness to trust in ourselves or rely on our own ability to walk forward. We are incapable; we need to rely on him with the unknowns in our life. I’m completely guilty of trusting myself to get through the darkness and attempt to create light myself in the midst of that darkness. That is not my role as a follow of Christ. I must yield so He can live and shine light through me (Galatians 2:20 is huge in pursuing a mindset of the light).
I am incapable of producing light out of darkness on my own. Each season I come across where it feels as though life is threatening to trap me in a time of darkness, I need to shout truth over my soul. Remind myself of my identity. Cling to the reality that I have been made new, and I no longer am a slave to the fears and insecurities of stumbling along a path in darkness. I encourage you brothers and sisters, let us “walk as children of the light- for the front of the light results in all goodness, righteousness and truth-discerning what is pleasing to the Lord” (Eph. 5:8-10).
And let us check ourselves when we think we are stumbling around “trying to figure life out”. Because the reality scripture talks about: it is not just about you. I am more often times than not way too self-absorbed. Thinking about MY future, MY relationships, MY career, MY family and all things affecting ME. Reality check: it’s about a much bigger picture/purpose. “I have seen the task that God has given people to keep them occupied. He has made everything appropriate in His time. He has also put eternity into their hearts, but man cannot discover the work of God which he has done from the beginning to end” (Ecc. 3:16).
Our focus should not be on self but on the hope of our eternity: “Look God’s dwelling is with humanity; and he will live with them. They will be His people and God Himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eye; death will no longer exist; grief, crying and pain will exist no longer because the previous things have passed.” (Rev. 21:3-4)
Praise Jesus, we have a hope that cannot be taken!! And a Father who has proven (like He needs to) that He is faithful to His promises!!
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