God's Light

   Today as I was walking back from class, I realized how fast I was going and wondered to myself "What's the rush?" I am so blessed to be here and I find myself too often just quickly going one place to the next without any purpose. I slowed down and made the decision to enjoy my walk back. As I walked around puddles that the melting snow was making on the sidewalk, I was reminded how spring is on its way. The sun shone brightly above me. The refreshing air reminded me to take a deep breath and remember that God is in control. 

   I was really convicted by the message in chapel today. This week we are going through a series titled History. We've had different people come in and tell us their testimonies. Through these stories, it is evident how God is working through everyone and how all our stories point to Him. Today the woman that spoke talked about how she had been in bondage to her past. She felt chained down by the hurts and darkness of some of her past decisions and situations. She told us about how God has broken those chains and how He has revealed His purpose for her life to her. She also discussed how, for many years, she pushed any anger, grief, or sadness down deeper, not wanting to look at it or deal with it. This only caused bitterness within her and random bursts of emotion, that come along with many unanswered questions and uncertainties attached to it.

   As she spoke, she told us about this dream she had. It was very encouraging to me. She told us how in her dream God was walking with her down a dark hallway and there were dark rooms off of the hallway. As they walked, God turned on the light in each room, exposing what was inside. Each room represented a painful situation or experience she had faced in her past. As God exposed these memories to her, she was able to grieve them in a way that she never had before. She was able to admit to the heartache and hurt that she had experienced, instead of trying to hide it or bury it. The darkness of her life was being overcome by God's light. She was being given purpose to a life that she thought was only good for going through pain and hurt, but now she is sharing her story with others, encouraging them by her testimony. She is now spreading God's light to this fallen and darkened world. God is using her times of trial and pain to show others God's hope and love for them. 

   At the end of her story, she encouraged us to let God shine His light into the dark, painful rooms in our lives. As hard as addressing those hurts is, it will be so freeing. God will heal us and renew us. We no longer need to live in our shame and guilt because we are new in Him. God wants to use us to share His good news with others, to encourage others through our stories and experiences. He calls us to be a light in this fallen world.

   God is with us always, even through the difficult times. He never leaves us, but is right there beside us; brushing away our tears, holding us in His arms, and loving us unconditionally. He wants to shine His light into our lives so we can be a tangible example to others of His faithfulness. Through doing this, we will no longer live lives led by guilt and shame, but rather have lives filled with hope in Jesus Christ and the purpose He gives us.