Tag Christian living

Spring can be a time of renewal for us.

What? You mean spring might mean more than just the appearance of flowers.

When I think of spring, I think of renewal—renewal of our spirits. I think about the flowers that will start to emerge from the earth. They begin from blackness, looking for the light. It’s so brave of them to push through the way they do. I’m not always that brave.

I was reading the first chapter of I John today. It’s some of my favorite verses.

⁵ This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. ⁶ If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. ⁷ But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.

Spring is the time we can plow through the dark ourselves. We can push through the dark towards the light, just like the flowers, and grow stronger and more beautiful each day.

When we say we believe in God, we have to walk in the light, or we are lying to ourselves.

So, how do we avoid that?

By becoming acutely aware of those times when we are blue, anxious, depressed, angry, or fearful. We recognize them for what they are-darkness. We do everything we can to let God’s light shine through the darkness of these emotions. It doesn’t mean that every time we feel those emotions, we are living in the dark. No, it means we are human. But being human is not an excuse. As Christians, we must do our best to choose the light. Certainly easier said than done.

We’re only lost for as long as we choose to be

To be clear, going through struggles doesn’t mean we have denied Christ. Walking in the dark for a time doesn’t mean we have denied Christ in any way. It only means we have lost our way. When we walk in the woods, and it gets dark, we need a light to find our way out.

God is our light when we walk through the valley of the shadow of death. And it doesn’t have to be a physical death of a person. It can also represent the death of dreams, hopes, or relationships that once brought us joy. A lot of our emotions feel as dark as death, casting shadows that can be overwhelming and confusing. But we are never condemned because we’ve lost our way.

God is always walking ahead of us, illuminating our path and providing guidance even when we feel lost. Yet, the truth is, sometimes, we prefer to remain where we are, clinging to the familiar darkness that surrounds us. We get comfortable in our darkness, finding a false sense of security in our struggles. But it is in that very discomfort that we often find the strength to rise, seek the light, and reclaim the life that God intends for us.

Again, we are human.

The next time you feel darkness surround you, remember you can push through the dirt of despair. You can find the Son, just like the flowers do. Or you can be that flower that doesn’t bloom because you didn’t try.

Which are you going to be?

Walking in the light. What does spring mean for us?

We are human and make mistakes. All of us “walk in the dark” at times, navigating through the uncertainties and challenges of life. However, that’s not what this section in 1 John means. It addresses the concept of knowingly walking in the dark, which presents a profound dilemma for many of us. I find it hard to understand. How can any authentic believer in Christ knowingly choose to walk in the dark? Why would someone deliberately turn away from the light that guides them?

It feels contradictory to the essence of faith. And yet, as much as we strive to live in the light, we know we have stumbled and walked in the dark on occasion, succumbing to temptations or doubts that cloud our judgment. These remind me that even in our journeys of faith, we are still vulnerable to poor choices and missteps. The struggle between light and dark is real, and acknowledging this dilemma is part of our spiritual growth.

As Paul says in Romans 7:15-20, “I do what we don’t want to do, and I don’t do what I know I should.” If the great apostle Paul finds himself in this quandary, we are not exempt either. We need to admit we are in the dark and then seek the light. And we do that in three ways: