I remember being afraid of the dark until I was about twenty years old. I remember shutting off all of the lights in my little one bedroom apartment and running back to my bed and hiding under the covers. It was all a mind game really, having seen scary things in the past I would conjur them up in my mind at bed time or when I couldn’t physically see what was around me. But the funny thing is, when I got to my bed, being able to cover myself up was where I felt better. I could burrow under my covers and none of the awful things that I thought about could get me there. I was safe and had complete control. I wouldn’t come out and face the world until the sun came back out.
I imagine that living in spiritual darkness is a similar experience. 1 John 1:5-7 Tells us that “God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all. So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth. But if we are living in the light as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin.”
I use to fear the images my mind would dream up at night or the possibility of someone else being in my apartment with me. (Which is silly because it was only 580 sq. ft. and I totally would have known) but the other side of that was that once I was buried under my covers, no one could see me. I was free to do whatever I wanted and no one would ever know unless I told them.
It’s easy to profess around other believers that we love God and fellowship with him daily. We sings songs of worship, we study our bibles, we join small groups, we pray…occasionally. But what are we doing in the darkness, where no one can see us? Who are we in our private time when it’s just us? Are we scrolling through social media, jealous in our hearts over the lives that all of our “friends” are leading? Are we gorging ourselves on food or substances to help us medicate our insecurity? Are we entertaining pornography or engaging in selfish sexual practices out of boredom or lust?
The Bible says that we are not able to truly fellowship with our Abba father or to be cleansed of our sins if we are not proactively living in the light. In the light is not only where God lives and who he is, but it is where truth lives, it is where forgiveness lives and it’s where our cleansing takes place. If we are not able to let go of the things that have us bound in the darkness, then there is no way that we could ever experience true fellowship and relation with God.
Our hearts are rebellious at best and unrepentant hearts is what pushes us further and further away from the light. Now that’s not to say that once you come in to the light you will be perfect, but you will have the opportunity to see yourself and to see God. You can be open, honest and transparent before the father when you fall and he is faithful and just to forgive.
It’s when we try and hide what we are struggling with and try to push God away while we get ourselves together, that we begin to make spiritual darkness our home.
I want to encourage you today and let you know that no shame, no fear, no sin, no nothing is strong enough to keep you from God and his marvelous light. So what have you given the power and authority over your life? Whatever it is isn’t worth it, and no match for our almighty, Abba. So whatever it is that you’re going through or may be struggling with, say no today.
Be intentional with your walk, come out into the light where God is able to see the beautiful child that he has created. He longs to cleanse us, affirm us, love us and guide us. All he needs is our sincerity and attention.
Will you give him all of you today?
Love you!
Amber D. Avery
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