Out of the Dark
On August 14, 2003, I was sitting at my desk in my office building on East 42nd Street in New York City, typing away at my computer when the lights went out just after 4pm. I immediately took my handbag and headed for the stairs. As my boss poked her head out of her office, she saw me walking towards the stairs and asked where I was going. Where was I going? Out of the building; that’s where! You know the person in the movies who runs towards danger to see what it is? Well, that isn’t me. I didn’t know what was happening, and it was a little scary, but I knew I didn’t want to be in that building in the semi-darkness. Outside, the Summer sun was still bright. That’s where I wanted to be. The backup electricity system kicked in very quickly, and although visibility was still low, I was able to make my way around the office.
My boss managed to convince me to stick around, and with cell phone towers rendered useless, after some calls from my new GSM phone (shout out to AT&T) to my cousin in England, my boyfriend, and my sister, I discovered the reach of the blackout and decided to start the walk home…to Brooklyn. I met my sister near City Hall so we could walk together. Have you ever set out on your journey, with your way well-lit, and, before you reached your destination, you found yourself walking in the dark? I didn’t have the option of stopping. I had to get home. After about 8 miles and hours of walking, in the dim light of nothing but the moon, we made it.
If your journey got dark, you can’t stop where you are. There is a part of you that is willing to press forward, even when you are afraid, or tired, or just plain frustrated. You might be scared of what’s in the dark but most of the time all that exists there is your fear. Like an energy-saving bulb, storing up power prepares you for dark times. I remember having to quickly get a flashlight when electricity went out in the past. Now, I have the security of knowing the lights will be back on in just a few seconds, thanks to energy-saving light bulbs. The darkness isn’t so scary when you know it’s temporary. As the old saying goes, “Trouble don’t last always.”
The Bible refers to God’s word as a light to our feet. Now think about this. If you keep God’s word inside you, when Life gets dark, you don’t have to worry about how dark your world becomes because you have a built-in Light. That Light in you isn’t just for you. It can shine bright enough to illuminate someone else’s journey. Depending on an external light source puts you at the whim of who controls that power behind it. You can’t look to your circumstances to light up your Life. Take back the power over your Life by collecting the spiritual and emotional energy to keep your Life lit up from within. I once saw a YouTube video of an actor who built a house that was completely “off the grid”. He powered his entire house through solar panels on the roof, and even figured out a way to use the kinetic energy from pedaling on a bicycle to provide electricity to his toaster. What’s powering you up? What are you doing daily to keep your spirit “lit?” Are you setting the tone for your day, powering up your Light, or does it dim even before darkness falls?
Use God’s Light to illuminate a path to a brighter Life. Darkness will inevitably come, but it can be overcome. Give yourself enough time for your eyes to adjust, and you will start to make out the shapes of the items and people around you. When your spiritual vision takes over, there’s always good Lighting to see the way.
One more thing…
Don’t ever confuse being in the dark with being blind. Darkness is a circumstance. It does not affect your ability to see. Be the Light you need, and you won’t ever be in the dark again.