Out of darkness and into his marvelous Light

 

During the long winters in New York, there wasn’t much to do.  As teenagers, my siblings and I spent a lot of our time watching movies and shows together. It quickly became one of our favorite pastimes, and I often remember binge-watching late into the night.  What I didn't realize then was how slowly my soul was becoming unwell.  It was an open door.  I was constantly feeding it garbage.  I suddenly found myself in a very dark place.  Fear began creeping in, and I felt a heaviness deep within.  I felt alone, and this lingering heaviness became a constant battle within, choking the life out of me, for a long time.

I was desperate for change and began to turn to prayer.  Going to church no longer felt like an annoying chore—it became a breath of fresh air. I soon realized that attending service once a week wasn’t enough; I needed God’s presence every day. I committed myself to daily prayer and reading scripture, making it the first thing I did each morning. I began to cherish and eagerly look forward to those quiet moments at his feet, soaking in every word.  It became such a vital part of my life. The more time I spent in the Word, the more His light began to shine and push further my darkness and heal every area of my soul.  Peace overwhelmed my soul, and the heaviness gradually lifted. 

The bible tells the story of a man who was trapped in a very, very dark place.  It says he lived in solitary places, alone, and even made his home among the tombs.  But everything changed when Jesus showed up.  The Bible records that when the people of his town came to see what happened, they found the man sitting calmly at the feet of Jesus. I imagine him soaking in every word Jesus spoke. The light that radiated from Jesus cast out the forces of darkness and brought complete restoration to his soul.  My study Bible labels this verse as "restored," "new person," and "quietness."  (Luke 8:26-37)

“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in the darkness, but will have the light of life.”  (John 8:12)