Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” John 8:12, ESV
It was almost Christmas, mere days from the 25th of December, and we were trying, despite numerous setbacks, to move into a new house. My husband worked in the cold rain for hours to prepare for the home inspection while I wrangled our toddlers in our temporary residence. We were exhausted and discouraged, but there was one last obstacle, and then we were move-in ready - get the lights turned on.
As I prayed about the situation, God continued to bring me to our key verse in His peculiar sense of humor. At first, I didn’t pay much attention because this verse is often seen during the Christmas season. We were preparing to celebrate the literal light of the world, after all.
While we waited for the power to get turned on, I used to sit in the living room while the light of day still shone through the windows. The kids would play in what would soon be their new rooms. But then as the day transitioned to dusk we would head out—walking in darkness to the car. One particular evening before I turned on the flashlight on my phone, I clicked on the Bible app only to see John 8:12 posted as the verse of the day.
After seeing the verse for about the fifth time, I realized that God wanted me to apply this verse as a personal promise. He was encouraging me that the lights would be turned on. He was reminding me to trust Him and place my hope in Him.
It is so hard to have hope some days, isn't it?
Maybe you are feeling weary and discouraged.
Maybe, like us, life doesn’t seem to be unfolding as you expected.
Or perhaps you are disappointed about the lack of progress on a current goal or dream.
What is beautiful about our key verse is the word follows. Sometimes following Jesus means walking into dark and disappointing spaces. Much like walking in a dark room, it's very easy to become disoriented. We lose focus. We can’t see the next step, and in our disillusionment, it's tempting to stay discouraged.
But in our distraction, I wonder if we have forgotten that God is light. And He isn’t a distant light. He is there with us in those dark places in our stories. The spaces where we aren’t sure what will happen next. He stands there reminding us that He is the light of the world, and He is illuminating our very next step. We can follow Him; He is safe. He will be the light of our life. With Him, we can have hope.
This doesn’t mean that we will never experience hardship. But John 8:12 does remind us that we don’t experience difficulties alone. We have a personal God who knows us and offers all that He is to us in every season, as we follow Him.
We moved in a few days shy of Christmas. I commemorated the experience by playing Lauren Daigle’s rendition of Light of the World. I still weep when I think about how God was present with us in that difficult transition in very personal ways. And I pray that as you walk through your dark seasons of discouragement, you will experience God as the light of your world, too.
Let’s pray:
Dear Lord,
You are the light of the world. Thank you that when we follow You, You illuminate the darkness. You lift the heavy clouds of discouragement, depression, and disillusionment off of your people. Your yoke is easy, and your burden is light (Matthew 11:28). Lord, forgive us when we stumble through, trying to make it on our own. Direct our gaze to you, again and again, as we are so very prone to wander. Thank you for meeting us in personal ways and speaking to the specifics of our situations. I pray that those who are reading today will sense your presence and light as they walk through difficult times. In Jesus’ name, amen.
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Related Resource: Jesus Calling - Stories of Faith
Kerry Washington, Andrea Bocelli, Reba McEntire, Mark Wahlberg, Tony Dungy, and Matthew McConaughey—what do all of these people have in common? They are all people of faith who have leaned on God in both the good and challenging times—and they’ve shown up to tell their stories of faith on The Jesus Calling Podcast. The Jesus Calling Podcast provides a place for people from all walks of life to share the heartaches, joys, and divine moments that keep them going.
Inspired by Sarah Young's classic devotional book, the Jesus Calling podcast has brought encouragement and peace to millions. New episodes drop every Thursday! Listen today on LifeAudio.com or wherever you find your podcasts.
Originally published Thursday, 28 December 2023.
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