April 17, 2021

Bob Maas
"The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!"
Matthew 6:22-23
"This is the message we have heard from Him and declare to you: God is light; in Him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. 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."
1 John 1:5-7

Whenever I dwell on negative thoughts, I start feeling like I am surrounded by darkness. If I engage in a conversation about pessimistic or controversial ideas, I begin to lose my conscious awareness of God’s presence. However, if I stop contributing to the negative dialogue and redirect my thoughts towards Him and His kingdom, it is like having the sun come out from behind the clouds. The light of the Lord’s presence enables me to see things from a much different perspective. I can listen objectively and maintain a sense of His peace and joy which gives me the energy I need to overcome the darkness. I pray that God will help me maintain my focus on Him in every moment so that when shadows begin to form around me I will remain in the light of His grace, mercy, and love.