Let The Son Shine!

“For you were once darkness, but now [you are] light in the Lord. Walk as children of light,” Ephesians 5:8 NKJV

Today, I spent a few hours in the sunshine cleaning up the remains of my broken pear tree. My husband and two sons did most of the work. All that was left for me were a few stray branches obvious only to my woman’s eye.

My roses which nearly suffered a catastrophe are looking better than ever!  It appears they are enjoying the overwhelming sunlight now available to them. In addition, the increased light allowed my veggies to perk up with new vigor!

I prayed for that tree not to fall. God didn’t answer that prayer. However, with the tree’s size cut by half (we’re waiting to see if it will indeed survive) I’m reaping benefits I hadn’t thought of before.

This little event was a great reminder of how God doesn’t give me what I want but indeed what I need!

I wanted to enjoy the privacy the shady tree afforded my deck. I needed more sunlight for my roses and veggies to thrive!

Just like me and my tree, we often fail to allow God’s light to shine in some situations because we don’t want to be inconvenienced. We may convince ourselves we didn’t hear Him correctly when God’s directives don’t align with our desires. Or, we can fail to embrace God’s light all around us when we don’t understand our circumstances or find ourselves at a loss.

There are even times when we fail to let in God’s light because we don’t recognize it coming from people who don’t think like us or look like we do. How many blessings have we allowed to walk right past us because they were not packaged the way we “thought” they would be? Friendships? Opportunities?

God is faithful. God is merciful. However, I have yet to find Him predictable!  

Giving and receiving His light requires that we open up our hearts and minds to endless possibilities that are available through our God. The things we think are the least likely to happen are often the most remarkable of miracles.

Illuminating God’s love requires us to redefine who is “lovable.” If that only applies to your family and friends, your light isn’t going to shine too far. View other people not as they appear to you but as people created in God’s image.

The person you cringe at now may be the very soul that saves you ten years down the road! We are all changing and hopefully for the better. However, everyone goes through their own unique cycles of development. Some are longer. Some are harder.  Only God can see the our end from the beginning.

Even if you don’t bring yourself to expand your light beyond a small circle, don’t block other people from expanding theirs. A critical spirit rarely illuminates little more than a narrow mind. Don’t dampen the light in others. Dare to illuminate it. Multiply it!

Shine your light outward and draw others in.

“He who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him.” 1 John 2:10 NKJV

“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in Heaven.” Matthew 5:15 NKJV

**And in case you thought I forgot, next post is for the Sunshine Award 🙂