I was thinking this morning that there are two types of anxiety: anxiety over what is real ( Jonny losing his job) and anxiety over what is not real ( I'm dying of cancer). The real source of anxiety is here and your looking it in the face-yet the Lord can bring such a sweet sense of peace, and hope and even joy in the midst of very real darkness. However, with the not so real anxiety-it is shifting shadows-never looking you square in the face. Always slipping out of the way when the light comes on or you try to call it by its real name. And there is no peace, no hope and no joy to get through it because its not really there. The only solution is to switch on the light.
" God is light and in Him there is no darkness at all " 1John 1:5
" Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shift due to change" James 1:16-17
" I am the light of the world, he who follows Me shall not walk in darkness but shall have the light of life" John 8:12
So, very plainly, where He is there can be no darkness, no shadows. If its a good gift and brings light its from Him....if it shifts about and resembles darkness it is not from Him.
Why is it I am falling back into the shadows so often? The shadows of fear, anxiety, and crushing worry? Why cant I just keep up with Him? Stay close and abide and bask in the warmth of His all embracing, all illuminating, joy producing light? I cant hang on to Him and hang onto my fears. I cant have Him and control over my life, my body, my finances. I have to lift hands up, palms open. Offer the days of my life to Him-the minutes and hours I have left to live-the provision, the manna, the daily bread to live out those days. I only have to surrender and receive. Surrender my clinging, tight-fisted control for His freedom. Give up dark brooding unrest for His peace, give up my discontent and grumbling for His joy.
Lord, let Your light shine!
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