Flooded With Light

          

        There has been a lot of rain on the East Coast the last few days and has caused much worry in the minds of millions of people with the threat of hurricane force winds, rain and flooding, even with the storm going well away from the coast.  Cloudy, rainy days make for a slower, sleepy kind of feeling.  They have a similar ambiance as snow storms in winter, in the sense it makes us feel inclined to pull out a good book, turn up the fire place (or add another log to the fire), and sit down to enjoy a tale that creates amazing visuals in our mind!

While I usually enjoy these kinds of days, sometimes, even when I seem to have no reason to feel sad, I feel dreary and blue.  Then the sun peeks out and suddenly I feel warm and cheerful again.  The light from the sun honestly changes my mood.

What’s interesting, is to learn some people suffer from “Seasonal Affective Disorder” meaning clouds and darkness can actually increase negative feelings that seem to be stronger than the energy around that might create a good feeling!  Some people have even found the need to move to another climate (or at least make a seasonal move) to help alleviate these feelings that can have a debilitating effect on daily activities.  Only when they can feel the warmth of the sunshine can they finally feel alive again.

            The Living Bible in Ephesians 1:18 inserts the words “I pray your hearts be flooded with light….” instead of using "I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened...." found in other versions. When our hearts are flooded with God’s light from his Word, we can feel the warmth, peace and “cheerfulness” of knowing a God who loves and cares for us.  Just like the sun’s light changed my mood from dreary to happy, so God’s word can change my mind and heart from cloudy and uncertain to positive certainty of His presence and peace that passes all understanding.

       This is especially important when I’m facing a challenge or trial in my life where there doesn’t seem to be any answers.  We each deal with situations in our lives which can be particularly burdensome whether it’s health related, financial, in relationships, or even within our families.  Life seems to have a way of throwing us a curve which sometimes darkens not only one day, but several and in some situations weeks, months and even years where we just can’t seem to see the sunshine for more than a moment at a time, and even those moments seem far and few between!  It’s dark and dreary, stressful and frustrating.

            It’s only when we can see and accept God’s love and light that we can have a measurable amount of peace.  Our lives, when focused on Christ, can truly be “flooded with a Light” that no amount of darkness can hide.  So I challenge you to dig deep into God'w Word and let Him flood your heart with a warm glow that infuses you with positive energy and sustains you no matter what the circumstance.