Finding the Light

Whenever I think about the Israelites and their exodus from Egypt, the guiding pillar of cloud by day and fire by night always sticks out to me the most.

It was always there and shone through the darkest night, guiding and showing them the way to go. I have always wanted that experience for myself.

How I wish there was a literal cloud I could see.

Living in the light is not always easy.

Sometimes, when we look at others, it may seem that the light just follows them—God’s presence, success, and blessing. But God’s light is always available to everyone, ready to guide us, even when we feel the farthest away. I remember one summer I felt exactly like that—far away from God and a failure in my own life. I just knew something had to change.

I remember standing on a balcony and wishing I did not have to face life anymore. I did not have the courage to die, but neither did I have the courage to live in the right way. Later that day, I walked slowly outside when some friends of the family I had not seen in a while walked up. They began enthusiastically telling me what a blessing I was to others and how valuable I was to God. I hoped they had not noticed that the light had died out of my eyes and that I felt far from being a blessing to anyone. I felt convicted. Once again I knew I had to choose to step back into the light and share it with others. I had a purpose and a reason to live.

Though I did not realize it that night, I have seen how, over and over again, I am reminded that the deepest, dark holes we fall into are never too deep for that light to reach us. God’s mercy is unchanging, and His light always shines deeper into our hearts, souls, and lives than we can imagine. God is only waiting for us to accept His grace and peace in our lives. In those circumstances, when we feel that everyone is against us and life is not worth living, God is ready to give us a reason to live. He is ready to give us the power to help us choose the light each new day and through each trial we face. In a world growing increasingly darker, let us join hands and choose to live in the light.

Anne Crosby