God Is...Light

I come from a family (both blood family, and family that we've picked up along the way) of complete jokesters. You can find us any day of the week pulling (harmless) pranks on each other and buckled over in laughter afterward.

We're joyful. We're happy. It's the culture of our family and I absolutely love it.

Earlier this week my family was at our church pretty late following Monday night prayer. Although we only live about 30 minutes or so from our church, my Mom has instilled in my siblings and me the need to use the restroom before we leave a place so deeply that all 3 of still do it -- but my sister especially.

That particular night it was my younger sister Jadyn that had to run to the restroom before we left the church.

She rushes into the bathroom to quickly use the restroom, and upon entering she sees my Auntie also in the restroom washing her hands. Jadyn runs into the stall and is quietly using the restroom when all of a sudden -- the bathroom goes completely dark.

Now, if you ask her now she will tell you that the thoughts running through her head were:

" I KNOW that Auntie DID NOT just turn off these lights when she KNEW I was in here!"

But outwardly, as upset as she was, she stayed quiet, simply turned on the flashlight on her phone and finished doing what she had to do.

She comes out of the bathroom, only to find my Auntie standing right there laughing uncontrollably.

Of course, she turned on the light, continued to laugh and walked out of the bathroom.

Later that night after we'd left the church, my Auntie calls my Mom, explains to her what happened and then proceeded to say the following (through tons of laughter by the way):

"I only did it as a test. You know how sometimes if you leave people in the dark they'll have something bad to say? I just wanted to see what her reaction would be."

And in that moment, although the situation was completely hilarious, I began to think:

How many times have I gone through dark seasons as a test, and instead of using what I already possessed... I complained?

When my sister was left in the dark she was upset, she thought she was alone, she was completely confused as to why my Auntie would have done that, but she didn't complain. She didn't bad talk my Aunt, she didn't mumble under her breathe -- she just turned on the light that she knew she had and kept moving.

Sometimes when we go through seasons of darkness we get so caught up in the griping and complaining, questioning why God would leave us there, wondering how He could just silently stand by as we completely struggle that we forget that He's already equipped us for these moments and that regardless of what we may feel...

He is there with us in the darkness.

He's standing there silently waiting to see if we will turn on the lights that He's already placed within us ... or grumble and complain.

You know the light I'm talking about, right?

The light that is the truth of who God is?

The light that says, "He'll never leave me or forsake me?"

The light that says, "Greater is He that's in ME"

The light that says, "Your word is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path"

The light that's within us as believers is one that speaks the truth in times of uncertainty and brings comfort that reassures us that even if we can't feel Him, we know He is with us.

What if we looked at dark seasons less like the end of the world, and more like opportunities to turn on the lights that God has placed within us?

What if we stopped complaining about the seasons that are uncomfortable and take a step back and look at them as opportunities to work our faith muscles?

The reality is that dark seasons are completely unavoidable, but the outcome of those seasons are completely contingent on our reactions to them.

We may not have control over the seasons that come, but our response is completely in our control.

Let's be a people that view seasons of darkness as a chance for God to shine brightly within us, instead of a season of despair and distress.

Let's be a people that don't push God away when we don't understand, but draw closer to Him.

Let's be a people that pass the tests set before us.

Let's be a people that, in a world full of darkness, shine brightly.