Throughout our lives, we struggle with direction. Which way do we go, which path or career or spouse do we choose? It is normal to undergo the difficulty in decision making. The conflict in these decisions should encourage us to be careful when we are charting our course through life.
One area of our life that challenges us to find a direction is in our spiritual lives. When we look for guidance spiritually, it is a profoundly emotional and life-changing decision. But when we look for that direction, for what should we look?
1. Light.
When we consider the needs of humanity, one of our most fundamental needs is light. In a physical sense, without light, we cannot live. Without the Sun, plants do not grow, and the air would rapidly become unbreathable.
In our spiritual lives, light is also a fundamental need. A person stumbling around in spiritual darkness, without purpose, hope, or understanding, is a disturbing thing to witness. Yet, it happens all around us daily.
Where then can we turn for spiritual light? We cannot turn inwardly for this light because we cannot see past ourselves; our knowledge is inherently limited, and our experience incredibly finite. Where then can we turn?
We should turn to someone of greater understanding than ourselves, but ideally, someone who is also infinitely more experienced than ourselves. It is no surprise then that John 1 begins with these words and answers this, one of man’s most basic needs:
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.
And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world (John 1:1-9).
How is the spiritual light in your life today? Where does it originate?