It was on the night of October 31, 2024, that I truly realized the significance of this scripture in my life. You see, as I was watching television with my 8-year-old daughter, the power was abruptly shut off, and the room became dark. She leaned over to me, with fear trembling in her voice, as she asked me, “Mommy, what happened to the lights?” As I stood up to canvas the window, I noticed darkness throughout the entire neighborhood. It was then that I accessed the flashlight from my cellular phone, that I was able to see inside of the room. At that moment, I realized the importance of light and its powerful impact within the dark space. Although the power outage lasted less than 5 minutes, the few minutes gave me a revelation about darkness and light.
As a forty-something-year-old woman, I have experienced several dark places. As I write, I recall sleepless nights, being treated unfairly by others, abuses at the hands of leadership, a broken marriage, financial pitfalls, and the aftermath of trauma. In reflection on the present, we are faced with the darkness of uncertainty of our next President, as well as the fate of tomorrow.
However, as women of faith, we can rest assured that Christ, who is the light of the world, continuously provides us with hope, joy, confidence, and assurance that no matter how dark things seem to be, He will always shine brightly. It is through Christ that we carry the light of hope, praise, and faith that cannot be contained or destroyed. It is this light that continues to shine within us, around us and through us despite the darkness of our circumstances and experiences.
While inside the dark room, my daughter’s question revealed that I had to answer a few questions about my spiritual journey and personal circumstances. The question, that I now pose to you is “What happened to your light?” As you ponder on this question, purpose in your heart, as I have done, that the light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it. I implore you to reflect on God’s light, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who is the light of the world.
Be encouraged.