I miss the sunshine. The dreariness and cloudiness of winter have me longing for time by the pool and in my garden. I don’t have Seasonal Affective Disorder, but I can appreciate its impact. I love sunshine and light. Our home always looks so bright from the street that one might assume we are having a party every night of the week. As my eyes have begun to age, I need more light to read everything. The brightness of my phone is set as high as it will go, and I have spent a lot of time recently on that bright phone googling pictures of warm and bright vacation spots.
On this cold and dark morning, I studied the last chapter in my chronological Bible. Revelation is a difficult book to understand, and I am too simple minded to grasp most of it, but what I could wrap my mind around was beautiful. Revelation talks about wars and punishment, prophecies and plagues, beasts, dragons, warhorses, fire, death and destruction, but it also clearly paints a picture of the contrast between darkness and light.
As I will not try to pretend that I understand the prophecies in Revelation, I am equally confused and stumped by things going on right now in this present day. There are so many things done in darkness of the heart and soul that wound for no apparent reason. There are so many times when it seems like evil has won. These wounds and this depravity are beyond my understanding and they make me long for the light.
I have found that confusion and uncertainty are the biggest drain on my energy. When I try to make sense of wickedness, I am exhausted. My confusion mimics Seasonal Affective Disorder. The overwhelming darkness of depravity clouds out the warmth of the light. The cure for Seasonal Affective Disorder is exposure to light.
Immersing ourselves in light is where the healing begins.
God’s word reveals to us truth and light.
“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” Psalm 119:105 (NKJV)
“The entrance of Your words gives light; It gives understanding to the simple.” Psalm 119:130 (NKJV)
When my own understanding fails me, scripture doesn’t. When I lay my confusion before Lord, He opens my mind and gives a peace that passes understanding. His light exposes the darkness.
I long for summer and sunshine, but I have a much greater longing for heaven. I can hardly imagine how wonderful it will be. My imagination and joy were energized as I read these verses about heaven today:
“The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light.” Revelation 21:23 (NKJV)
“There shall be no night there: They need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light. And they shall reign forever and ever.” Revelation 22:5 (NKJV)
Our God is light and in Him there is no darkness at all. Isn’t that such a comfort? Doesn’t it lift your spirit to know that one day God’s brightness will permeate all darkness so that it is obliterated? The brightness of His glory will clear up all confusion.
As we drag ourselves through winter months of our souls, His light can bring the joy of summer. His countenance shines upon us. We need exposure to the light and we can get it any time just by opening up and meditating on His word. His word will not leave us cold or numb. His word is wisdom and truth and light and the only real cure for the affective disorder that darkness tries to wreak on our lives.
Tomorrow, when I open my Bible to Genesis 1, I will be reminded again of God’s light. Light was the first thing He created. His glory is so bright that it will light up heaven for eternity. His word is light and truth and it is the brightness we need every day. Dear friends, May the light of His countenance shine upon you. Open God’s word and get some exposure to His light.
“You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness.” 1 Thess 5:5 (NKJV)
“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.” James 1:17 (NKJV)