As this Christmas season is over, and we start taking down some of the twinkle lights and candles, some of the obvious light around us starts disappearing.
But just because this Christmas season is over doesn’t mean that the light is gone.
On the contrary.
Christmas was only the beginning.
So, for the beginning of this new year, I need this light more than ever before.
A new year often makes us think of fresh starts: Now we get to try again.
As I’m starting this year fresh, I want to remember that I have a light that gives me hope in the midst of darkness.
As the aftermath of 2020 will only start showing now, and we still live with so much uncertainty and unknown of where this will lead us, we have hope.
Hope in his light.
Hope for his light in our darkness.
Hope for his light in us.
His light, cutting through every corner of my heart and soul, enlightening every single dark particle.
For me, this doesn’t usually happen overnight. I am a particular stubborn sort. In fact, a friend and I often joke about how I sometimes already know what God wants me to do, but I just need to pout a little first.
So in my stubbornness, I often think that talking about my problems, the things that are eating away at me, doesn’t make that much of a difference.
I remember one particular time when I was worrying about something, so much so that I was in danger of drowning in a sea of darkness and worries. It seemed like I was spiralling, and I didn’t know how to get out of it.
A friend asked me to talk about it. I told her that talking about it doesn’t help anyway, it won’t change the situation or show me a solution.
But as I started talking about it, tears were released. She prayed for me.
And by the end of it, I felt so much better.
The situation wasn’t changed. The issues were still there, my thoughts were still there.
But I had brought it to light.
It was no longer a secret I carried around in my heart, but something known that gave my friend a chance to pray into. And that made all the difference.
It’s just the same with anything in our lives.
Anything that we think we need or should or want to keep in the dark, covered up, stored away will always, always haunt us.
Secrets are never holy.
Secrets are never from Jesus.
Secrets are always from the enemy.
Secrets are always in the dark.
Secrets will always destroy us, sooner or later.
Light will always bring relieve. Light will always bring hope.
So as I’m starting this new year, I want this light within me, cutting through every dark corner of my heart.
It won’t be pretty or nice. It will be messy and humbling.
But it will give me hope.
It will lead me to freedom.
It will be light breaking through me.
It will be light in me.
