Reflection:
When I was 10 years old, I had a monster living under my bed.
He was terrifying but he also had a lot of very specific weaknesses. For one thing, I suspected he was as afraid of me as I was of him. He was also afraid of light. When I think of him now, I see that this monster was rather weak, as all childhood monsters tend to be.
If I could just be brave enough to put my foot on the floor and leg it to the light switch, everything would be ok. I would be safe. Because monsters can’t bite in the light.
It’s like that with sin and shame. In the dark, that heavy dark thing, festers and torments us. It consumes our thoughts and saps our energy. It convinces us that it’s best to pull the blankets over our head, hang tight and hope for the best.
But when we’re brave enough to throw off the covers and run to the light (switch), we find that the big scary thing was more bark than bite. Yes, there may be consequences for our mistakes, we should seek to make things right when we’ve done wrong. The light of God’s love brings correction, and it breaks the back of shame. It’s not a battle between darkness and light or sin and grace, the victory is instant and complete. Once we know the truth of God’s love and Christ’s sacrifice, it is then our own choices that keep us in darkness.
As the year draws to a close, consider the areas of your life that have been in darkness. Mistakes, unforgiveness, relational tension, regrets. Allow God’s light to touch those bruised places and bring healing. Run into the light and see how those things begin to fade.
Prayer:
Illuminate our hearts, Lord. Help us to see where we’ve done wrong and help us to make amends. And help us also to forgive others as you forgive us. As the psalmist says, “create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.