“My God turns my darkness into light.” Psalms 18:28

Every person at some point in their life feels like they are consumed by darkness. Whether it’s the loss of a family member, struggles at work, a sick child, an injury, or a combination of many other things. Every person has let darkness in, and I am no exception.

This past fall I started my third year of college. I kept myself extremely busy with classes, two jobs, my soccer season, bowling, and every intramural sport I could possibly play. My time was consumed by so many things that I ran myself right into the ground. I was so busy I forgot to take a second to check on myself. I started to let these feelings of darkness into my life. I was angry I had to deal with different medical issues. My brain was filled with things I thought were difficult and unfair. I was defeated by things before they even happened. I was exhausted, overwhelmed and lost in my own world. I tried to fight through each day, but my ability to fight got weaker and weaker. I lost the light in my life and had no idea how to get it back.

On one of my most difficult days, I felt myself being drawn to church. So, I went to church. At the end of the service while the New Song Band played their final song, the curtains in the sanctuary began to rise. Sunlight flooded the room. That sunlight surrounded me in a time where I needed light in my life the most. I looked around and saw the light shining on my family and looked down to see the light shining on me. At that moment I realized that I had not lost any of the light in my life. I had simply been so focused on the darkness that I refused to see the light. In the next couple weeks, I focused on all the little things in life that made me smile and feel happy. I stopped dwelling on the darkness and started to accept the light God was shining on me. In a world where it is so easy to see the darkness, I decided to take the road less traveled. I decided to let God turn my darkness into light.

As we approach this season of lent, I want to remember that God is with me through the good and the bad. He will always be there to turn my darkness into light.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for providing light in our lives. Please bless us with strength to give you our darkness so that you can turn it into light. Open our eyes so we can see your light and encourage us to be a light to others. Amen.

Karyn Chuckel