A Bright Light

Can you turn on the light for me?  Would you like me to turn the light on for you to see better?  These are two questions I have asked people in my family.  Light is a fantastic thing.  Without a light source, our life becomes increasingly more complex and duller.  I used to get so depressed in the winter when I lived in the northern part of the country.    It is harder for me to get going on gloomy days.  Light makes you feel better. God is the ultimate source of light.  On the first day of creation, He said, “let there be light,” yet did not create the sun, moon, and stars until the fourth day.

I have a fluorescent light in my laundry room but am also blessed to have a window.  This window became very important over the week around Christmas.  I had been having trouble getting the light to come on consistently.  Sometimes I would have to flick the switch several times to get the bulbs to illuminate.  Eventually, this process stopped working, and I needed to replace the bulbs.  No big deal, just a pain to get the ladder out.  My husband got the ladder positioned under the light and went to unscrew the bulbs.  A wooden frame encases the light fixture.  No matter how many ways he maneuvered the bulb, it was not coming out.  There was no way to get the bulb out without breaking it.  We checked for a way to remove the frame.  There was no obvious way of taking it down.  We asked people if they had any idea how to fix our problem.  No one seemed to know what to do.  If it was light out, I could do laundry, but doing laundry or anything in the laundry room became more problematic when it was gloomy or dark.  I was ok with my new routine for a couple of days.  But after a while, I became more and more frustrated.  The lack of light started getting to me.

It turns out there is a small screw on one end of the wooden frame.  From my perspective, this screw was hard to see, but it held everything in place.  Once I removed the screw, the frame came right off, and we could replace the burned-out bulbs.

Two days later, I was in my closet, and I noticed the light was flickering.  One of the two fluorescent bulbs is starting to burn out.  Fortunately, there is no wooden frame to deal with; just another reminder of how essential light is.

These two light fixtures started me thinking about the light in my life.  The light in the closet was still working because the one bulb was in good working order.  Even though one bulb was flickering, I could still see because one bulb was still working correctly.  Sometimes, I am like the flickering bulb.  I am trying to be light, but in reality, I am relying on the light of Christ to shine.  The only light I have comes from God, and I need to be sensitive to His leading, not my agenda.  I am to reflect the light of Christ in a dark world.  God can be seen despite my flickering light because He never burns out or grows weary of drawing people to Him.  Psalm 73:26 says, “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”

The laundry room light made me think about pretty covers that may be hiding a problem.  Not only did the wooden frame come off, but it slipped out of my hands and broke.  I picked it up and realized that I could repair the frame, and with a bit of paint, it would be almost like new.  I began to ponder what in my life do I need to let go of so the cover can come off and repairs can take place so my light can shine bright again?  Is there something small and hidden that needs to be removed?  Maybe something concealed that only God could see that I need to give over so replacing an attitude or behavior may occur.  I looked at this as unfavorable, but it could be positive.  It could be a release of some sort.  It is a good reminder that not all things removed bring hardship or difficulty.  Because God knows everything, He may remove hindrances to my dull light and bring peace and joy

Once we repaired the cover, we could put it back into place.  The laundry room light looked nice once again, and the light shone as intended.  It made me wonder if this is how God looks at me sometimes.  Once he changes me so I can fulfill his purpose for me, He puts me back together, and my light can once again shine as He intends. 

I realize that my life is more than just changing a bulb for the light to shine again.  Bulbs incorrectly inserted into the bulb holder will not produce a bright light.  In living my life, it is not just enough to be a “bulb.”  I also have to be plugged into the source of my light correctly.  If a bulb is loose, it does not work correctly, and when it has reached the end of its life, the light no longer shines and needs to be replaced.  Some days I feel like I have come to the end of my useful life.  I am burned out or loose in my holder.  Life is chaotic, and somedays I forget to plug into my life-giving source.  Jesus becomes my ballast.  The part of the fluorescent lamp that keeps the bulbs from burning out by controlling the amount of current flowing through the bulbs.  Without Jesus taking my burdens, I would be like the fluorescent bulb and self-destruct because I may not regulate myself effectively.  I remember it is ok to have days of rest.  God commands us to rest on the seventh day.  Some days we are just weary, and carrying our burdens further wears us out.  Jesus said, “come unto me all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  (Matthew 11:28-29)

How can I let my light shine in the darkness so God can be seen and magnified?  It seems to me the core issue is a heart attitude.  Is my heart open to God and His ways and not on myself?  If I am doing something with a willing heart, the result will be brighter and more honoring to God.  I can also be the hands of feet of Jesus to those around me by looking for opportunities to lend a helping hand.  And I can praise God and be thankful in the middle of hard times.  Nothing speaks louder to the world around me than a joyful spirit, even when things are not going great.  People might wonder why I have joy in difficulty.  Displaying joy in the face of adversity is an excellent opportunity to tell them about the amazing God I serve.

The lesson I learned from my light fixtures is this: to shine brightly, I have to have the proper connection to my light source.  If I feel burned out, I will need to make some changes so that Christ’s light will again shine brilliantly through me.  I may have to go through a time of dismantling to get to the source of what is keeping my light from shining, but whatever that entails will be worth it.  God never does anything for my harm but for my good and His glory.  Jesus said, “I am the vine; you are the branches.  If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5).  No matter what, I need to stay firmly connected to my light source.

Shine Brilliantly!