The Dark Shadow verses the Light

I'm reading the book of Job again. Every year at this time in my One Year Bible I come to the book of Job. This book brings up the question we all ask,"How do I interpret the things that happen to me." Things happen, bad things happen but then how do we process them as Christians?

There was a song I heard when I was younger it was a funny song but the chorus reflects a way I often interpret the things that happen in my life. "Gloom, Despair, and agony on me, deep dark depression excessive misery, if it weren't for bad luck, I'd have no luck at all, gloom despair and agony on me." We live in a fallen world bad things happen but when I let this chorus interpret my life I am listening to a Dark Shadow.

The Dark Shadow tells tells me that there is no hope. In the darkness of that shadow things look bleak. A shadow is cast when something is blocking the light. This is exactly what happens when I let the enemy of my soul block the light of truth and cast his shadow on the events of my life. "What you see is what you get", he whispers in the cold darkness. "Nothing will ever change. There is no hope. Things will only get worse". What happens when I listen to the Dark Shadow's interpretation of my life is that I feel sucked into the vortex of gloom.

There is another voice that calls to me. It is the voice of light. In Psalm 36:9 I read," For with you is the fountain of life; in your light do we see light." I think about this when I think about Jesus on the Mountain of Transfiguration bathed in light. Jesus was transfigured before Peter,James and John. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light. However, when He came off the mountain He encountered a man wrapped in grief who had brought his demon-possessed son to be healed. The father was consumed with the plight of his son and did not see who Jesus really was.

3 John 4 says," I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth." So what is it to walk in the truth? I believe walking in the truth is to live my life interpreting all the parts of my life, both the good and the painful parts, in the light. The father who brought his son to Jesus did not see Jesus for who He is. When all the broken pieces of my life are spread out in the presence of Jesus they are spread before the Savoir and the Redeemer. When I see my life interpreted though the light of who Jesus is that I can gain true understanding.

Lord Jesus, help me today by faith to listen to the truth and walk in the light. Help me remember that although the Dark Shadow can hide the light he can never extinguish it!