Left in the Dark?

The other night, we were driving to dinner, and their house was way out where there are no street lights.  Like way out where they lived on a dirt road.  Once we turned off the main highway, we needed to use our high beams to see better.  For some reason, we couldn't figure out how to get them to work.  We flipped every switch, pushed every button, and twisted every nob, but we still couldn't find how to turn them on.  So we spent a good while only being able to see about 10 feet in front of us.  I wouldn't recommend doing that, but don't worry, we eventually found out how to turn the high beams on.

Relating this experience to us, we're all driving in the dark through life so to speak.  We can see a few feet in front of us, but never the whole picture.  We can't let that keep us from continuing to move.  We'll find that as we push forward, God will give us more vision.  That's the only way to see more of the picture.  We know from Paul, we are supposed to "walk by faith, not by sight."  (2 Cor. 5:7).  When we have that mind set, we'll be able to fight through the night to the bright, white light (rhymes!).  Just as the wise men were guided by the star of Bethlehem, we will be guided by the light of Christ.  God will never leave us in the dark.  So find the faith inside to press forward and finish.  You will become firmer in your faith, deeper in desire, tougher in testimony.

Casteth Out

Think of a world without light.  How could we survive?  Think off all of the things light does.  It helps plants grow, gives us nutrients, helps us see, comforts us (mainly because we're all scared of the dark), gives warmth, and so many other things.  The uses for light are almost innumerable.  Of all the differences in the uses of light, there is one thing that remains constant.

The Apostle John explains this constant characteristic of light in John 1:5, which reads, "And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not."  The imagery that this scripture portrays is so awesome.  Wherever there is light, darkness cannot be.  In reality, darkness is merely just lack of light.  The minute light enters the picture, darkness is instantly vanquished.  No matter how hard the darkness tries to stay in the room, the light will run it away.

As we keep the Light of Christ in our hearts and in our minds, there will be no room for darkness or evil.  That is the best cure to feeling dull.  Brighten the light inside and cast out the darkness.  The more we fuel the light, the stronger it will be.  The stronger it is, the harder it will be for Satan to try to put out our light.  May we keep the Light of Christ burning brightly in our hearts.

Sinks Canyon

If you've never been to Sinks Canyon, I highly recommend it.  It's such a cool sight to see.  Especially in the winter time because the water is frozen over.  We were able to walk across the frozen rapids and explore some of the caves around there.  We armed ourselves with flashlights so we would be able to see and hopefully get some pretty cool views.  There was one particular cave that we went into that was way sweet, but let me tell you this experience that I had there. 

There is absolutely no way we could travel in those caves safely without light.  Even sometimes with a flashlight, it can be tough to do.  Think of the cave as our journey through life.  Okay.  So we're all trying to make it through life.  If we have a light with us we can see fairly well as to where we're headed, but life can still be tough, even with light.  Sometimes we can misstep, but regardless, the light makes it easier for us to travel. 

While I was making my way to the exit of the cave, I bumped into a rock and my flashlight shut off.  This caused a short moment of panic and an impulse action.  I tried to move forward after the light had suddenly shut off, and I felt the consequences of that by slipping and scraping my hand.  Without light, we can still travel through the cave, but we have to try many different courses of action.  Most of the time, if we don't have the light to guide us, we choose the wrong one, or in this case, misstep.  Those are the times when we make choices that we wouldn't usually make; the times when we can't clearly see the right path. 

We have access to that light all of the time.  It's through Jesus Christ and his Atonement.  If we repent and allow him to heal our scrapes, then we can finish the journey through the cave of life.  There's no other way except through him.  "Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life."  (John 8:12).  He can, and wants to light the way for us.  It's up to us to let him into our lives.  Then once we have received his light, we can "let [our] light so shine before men" (Matt. 5:16).  May we always strive to have his light with us at all times, in all things, and in all places.