Although our enemy lurks in the shadows, we are safe in Christ.   ~~~   What lurks in the darkness around you? Would you prefer not to know? Ignorance can be bliss, but still if something is creeping up on me, I’d rather know about it. When my girls were little and afraid of the dark at night I would turn their light on, open their closet door and show them that there is nothing in the darkness that isn’t in the light. Turning the light on reveals it for what it is. As we grow older what lurks in the darkness for us is no longer fears of the boogeyman or something living under our bed, it’s often inner struggles, insecurities, hurts and fears. Not long after my dad passed away I found myself one morning not wanting to get out of bed. Now this wasn’t a temptation to stay in my PJS all day and watch movies, this was deeper. I felt it. What lurked in the darkness of my mind was a deep sadness and a temptation to embrace a feeling of anger and hopelessness. I recognized it. It was very eerily inviting. While there IS a time for mourning, this was different. I had a choice and I felt the temptation of it. In almost the exact moment I recognized it, the spirit of the Lord spoke these words so clearly to my heart, ‘my child, turn on the light’. I got up and I did just that. I turned the light on. I cranked up some praise and worship music and began refocusing my eyes on Jesus. I needed to bring the light of truth, the light of hope, the light of love into that moment. It required action on my part and I had a choice of either entertaining the darkness or stepping into the light. What darkness are you being tempted to entertain? Maybe you’ve never thought of it that way, but we do in fact entertain darkness when we allow it into our minds and hearts. We mull over bitterness, we feed our anger, we buy into lies of defeat and embrace sin that ultimately entangles us like a sticky spider web. John 3:20 ​​Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. The more we entertain darkness, the more we avoid the light. Remember the light exposes what is true and those living in and choosing to cling to darkness do not want to be exposed. Think of any secret sins, dark thoughts or resentments you may have hidden away. What is in the darkness around you? Have you turned on the light lately to see? Jesus is calling you to turn on the light. Confess your sins one to another so you may be healed. (James 5:16) Forgive as the Lord has forgiven you. (Colossians 3:13) Above all, love one another. (1 Peter 4:8) We are called to walk in the light. 1 John 1:5-7 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. We have a very clear and present enemy lurking in the dark, creeping around every corner, seeking to bring us down, 1 Peter 5:8 reminds us. The war rages around us, but IN Christ we are victorious when we shine a light on anything that comes at us in the dark or that we may be entertaining. That’s the truth. I love these words of Martin Luther King Jr., “Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.” That’s what walking in the light of Jesus looks like. I’m Lori Cline.