This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.
1 John 1:5-7
I was in my devotions this morning, doing my daily prayer and journaling. In my quiet time, and in my desperation of wanting a change in so many areas of my life I read these verses.
Repentance. Something I need to do every minute of every day. I came to the conclusion, as I still struggle with taking each thought of mine captive, that I need to take them captive and not allow them to create the beliefs that can overtake over my mind and spirit, separating me from not only my Savior but my family and friends. I wonder how much my life would be different if I would just captivate my thoughts. I repented. And this morning I am thankful once again for his forgiveness ... not only his forgiveness but his purification. And as I look out the window and see the snow that covers the ground, I am reminded my sin is covered as well, and it runs deep. And in a few months the dead that is under that snow will show new signs of life and will spring up new colors ... I don't have to wait a few months, but can hold onto the new signs of life he will be doing in me today.
But I noticed something else in this passage. "God is light, in him there is no darkness at all." I have been looking at the turmoil in our lives and see that I have seen nothing but darkness. Thus, I haven't seen God - because He isn't the dark, He is light. I have chosen to see nothing but darkness and have been captivated at seeing nothing but.
And so I repent again. I have denied Christ in my own life, in my daily life. I have been a hypocrite and I have been deceitful to those around me. I haven't been living a life full of light, I haven't been mesmerized by his light. I've looked at the darkness and allowed it to control me.
Yes, bad things happen to people. But it is our choice to see God in them. His light can outshine the darkness, and remove it completely. I choose today to look at His light and allow Him to outshine any circumstance I am in, any emotional heartache that seems to outweigh any truth, and I believe that the troubles of this world can and will bow to His lightness.
I sing this childhood song, much differently today ...
This little light of mine, I'm going to let it shine,
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.
Hide it under a bushel, no! I'm going to let it shine,
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.
Don't let Satan blow it out! I'm going to let it shine,
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.
Shine it through the neighborhood! I'm going to let it shine,
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.
Shine it until Jesus comes! I'm going to let it shine,
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.
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