Not too long ago we came home kind of late following a get together with some close friends. We had partaken of some beverages and it was sort of late. My wife went to bed before me and I waited while fulfilling an attack of the munchies that besieged me. Went I finally sauntered into the bedroom it was pitch dark inside and not wanting to wake my wife up, I fumbled around in the dark. After taking out my contact lenses in the bathroom, I groped for the door that lead into the attached bedroom. As I proceeded the 15 steps to my bed, I blindly discovered several obstacles in my path. Whether it was too many drinks or the darkness or both, the next thing I knew I was heading to the floor at a high rate of speed. Luckily I caught myself with my right thumb (ouchee) and let out a moan. Somehow I had successfully navigated those 15 steps in the past, but on that night, not so lucky! 😉
So I ask, how many of you having been injuring yourselves while stumbling around in the dark? No, I don’t mean navigating from the bathroom to the bedroom with the lights off, I mean navigating in life with the lights off! For a problem to remain a problem, the implication is that you cannot “see” any solution. However, like the ostrich never learned, just because you cannot see it, doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. Often in life when confronted with a problem we drive ourselves crazy with analysis searching for the solution. Yet where we go wrong is that we search for that solution in the darkness where the problem seems to emanate from. For example, let’s say you receive a health scare. You go to the doctor for your annual check-up and he begrudgingly tells you of some indicator of a problem coupled with some potential reasons (all of which are scary) why it may be indicated. You head home, afraid, and resolve to do some private research on WebMD. Not being a doctor, your research not only fails to resolve your concerns, but actually introduces more variables that scare you. So in that frightful moment you now have two choices. You can sit and worry and stew and brood for days until your next appointment (darkness) or you can change your thoughts and turn on the lights. I offer this not as a criticism, but as an observation. Most people would choose path A because that is all they have been taught in a world that is engulfed in darkness. A great man once said, “Dwelling on the darkness won’t bring forth the light!” Keeping your mind mired in the negative potentiality of the situation is walking in darkness. And try as you may, you will never, ever, ever see the solution in that darkness.
Imagine you were hiking in the mountains in the middle of the day and came upon a steep cliff. Accepting that no-one wants to fall off a cliff, you would be very cautious, but not necessarily afraid. Now imagine navigating that same territory in the dark. You would you most likely be very afraid and not without cause. The terrain is identical but under the cover of darkness you just couldn’t see clearly what is around you or where you are heading. Life without the light is like cliff walking in the dark. We grope around in the darkness afflicted by this and tortured by that and are never quite able to discern the cause. Well, God wants us to see the cause and He shows it to us by the light.
God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. God’s Word, given to us by God, is also light. In the light of the truth we can see, often for the first time in our lives, the causes for the problems that plague us. Without the light, we stumble and stagger and fall, assigning the cause to life (life’s a B…) and karma (karma’s a B and you don’t want to meet her) and their companions bad luck, misfortune and accidents. Not understanding, we assign meanings which reveal our lack of understanding. The Adversary, the enemy of all that is good, works in darkness. And, he is counting on us humans to rely on our intellect and reasoning skills to attempt to solve issues that are spiritual at the root. And, since they have a spiritual basis, we will never discern the root with our intellect, and thus goes mankind ever downward, always frustrated, living in a world he doesn’t get. Yet, it doesn’t have to be this way! When confronted with a challenge, we need the light. (I can see you Carl…maybe you should consider becoming vegan…LOL Geico) We need to step down off that almighty pedestal where we know everything and humble ourselves by at least considering that maybe there is more to learn. I can’t tell you how many times I have listened to a teaching of the Bible, or been reading the Bible or even read a Bible verse on a Facebook post that completely illuminated a situation I was facing. And here’s the kicker, the illumination hardly ever came from an area I thought was the issue. In other words, my simple, joyful task is simply to turn the lights back on and not fret myself over which switches to flip. My job is simply to turn on the lights.
So, the next time you are confronted with a problem whose solution isn’t apparent, instead of having too many drinks; taking out your contact lenses and navigating in the darkness, reach over and turn on the light. Stop grappling with the thing in your mind, change your thoughts and turn on the light. Our job as humans isn’t to know the answer to everything but rather defer everything over to the One that does. Nothing is so scary in the clear light of day, is it? If you can develop this simple little habit, you will find not only the solution to EVERYTHING that ever bothered you, but you will discover the Great God of love and light behind every good thing…
Wishing you a life of beautiful, clear sunny days, no matter what is going on outside!
Just some good thoughts…