Does your light shine through those around you? Can they see the faith of God’s Spirit residing within you? I find myself with this question a lot. “How can the light of Christ dwell in me?” First, I seek Him where he may be found (Isaiah 55:6). I know that through it all there is nothing I can do outside of God. Opposite to what the world feels, most people seem to feel you can accomplish all things you want; you just have to put your mind to it and work hard. But in reality, it doesn’t always work well. In this case, embracing the light is not something you work hard for and then achieve. It goes much deeper.
When I think of light, I instantly think of the sun and the warmth and comfort it brings me. It’s something about the light that brightens the day. It is needed and beneficial for our health (Vitamin D), to be exact. In the same sense that we need light to see physically, we also need it spiritually. Interestingly enough, one of the definitions of light is a natural agent that stimulates sight and makes things visible.
”For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.“ (2 Corinthians 4:6 )
A Far Brighter Story
The world surrounding us can be consumed with darkness. It may at times feel impossible or maybe hopeless, but that is not what God intended for us. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” “But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.”(John 3:16,21 ). This tells us a brighter story far more worthy of setting our hope in and clinging to.
As a mom of a six-year-old and two-year-old, at times, I wonder if I’m embracing the light of Christ with my kids daily or if they’re more aware of my impatience with them instead of my grace and love for them. Do their hearts fill with warm comfort when they see me? Do their eyes glow a little extra because it’s been some time away from them? What impression am I leaving on those nearest to me than outwardly? Despite the hard trenches that motherhood may bring, I have the opportunity to welcome the light of Christ. Those are some honest convictions that, in reality, I have to humble myself, confess, and repent of. But one thing I have learned throughout this process is how forgiving children are.
God has made it clear that those who are in Christ must differentiate from the world. Not to make it seem as though we are better, but ultimately to open the eyes to the truth and the goodness of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ so that all will come to Him .“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”(2 Peter 3:9 NIV).
Welcoming Others to the Light
When considering welcoming someone to your home, you desire to put on your best hospitality. Some of this comes naturally, but maybe you want to be more intentional. You may find every way to cater to your guests to the best of your ability. Maybe thinking of the perfect conversation starters. Making sure your home is tidied up perfectly, to having the best coffee and tea mugs prepared for your guests. Yet there may still be something missing that doesn’t sustain that empty void of satisfaction.
I tend to think of Evangelism as a part of welcoming others to the light. It is an honor for believers to spread the gospel. The call that Christ ordained to us as his witnesses of hope. I mean, what good is it to withhold something so precious that has such a huge impact on lives and eternity? This is not subject to only spreading the good news to our already existing brothers and sisters in Christ. It’s not sharing among your kind of people or culture. It’s stepping out into the community surrounding you. Getting out of your comfort zone may be the case, but your testimony about this good news may be a huge planted seed for one lost soul.
In the book called Simple by Robert J. Morgan, he talks about assertiveness in evangelism. He explains that it is essential to be a witness to our attitudes and actions. Also, we communicate the message of Christ by lip. That may be a simple invite to church or an event, or possibly through a note in a letter. (Acts 5:29). I definitely can say that an experienced testimony is one of my favorite ways of expression, and embracing the light (Christ).
It is something about an authentic true story that has transformed your life for the better that may be relatable to someone else who may be walking in the same storm that you were in. “Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past, he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future, he will honor Galilee of the nations, by the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan— The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.” (Isaiah 9:1-2 NIV).
The desire for the sake of eternity and God’s kingdom for every one of our loved ones and friends to experience the hope that is in Jesus Christ. Our eyes are fixed forward to the coming of the Kingdom of God. While here on Earth, we can implement God’s truth by holding to what the scriptures say and keeping it in our hearts. I love the saying of being “a doer of the word, not just a hearer of the word” because, in all reality, we can have knowledge of the word but not bear fruit in it. We all need a constant mindset of hope in this world.
When our mindset is not on hope but on none certain things such as Zodiac signs and astrology, these things are not true. None of those things can truly predict the future or my future. I say this because I once put my hope in such things out of ignorance. But God so graciously showed me this was not true and instead, he surrounded me with the firmness of His Word.
