Light

If there has ever been a time for your light to shine, it is now. Now is when the world needs your gift. It needs your hope. It needs your faith. It needs your God. It needs your profession. It needs your testimony. It needs you. It needs your light. So, shine.

Matthew 5:14-16 (KJV) Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

Lament

noun

1. a passionate expression of grief or sorrow.

verb-

1: to express sorrow, mourning, or regret for often demonstratively : 

2: to regret strongly

We all express regret or sorrow in different ways. We all have been touched by this pandemic in ways we couldn’t imagine. Solitude has a way of exacerbating our emotions. Lack of human connection and social distancing can negatively affect our psyche. Find ways to allow yourself to feel without going down the rabbit hole. Breathe. Cry. Scream. Write. Get it out. Lament!

Lamp

In times like these, it’s hard to know the right path. The future seems uncertain. Every news story is doom and gloom. Faith comes hard. Reality hits harder. Fear is everywhere. Doubt is easy. Unbelief seems like the normal. God never said it would be easy. God never said you would always be sure. God never said you wouldn’t have your skepticism. God never said you would always have the answers. He did say that his word would be a lamp. You only need a lamp when it’s dark. So, know that you have light during these dark times. You still can trust the word of God to be a lamp.

Psalm 119:105  (KJV) Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

Heart

In the midst of global chaos, I have seen our humanity shine. I have seen consideration for the less fortunate. I have seen food banks open in light of school closures. I have seen attention given to the elderly. I’ve seen courage in the face of despair. I’ve seen our heart. It doesn’t look as bad as I thought it would. We still have hope. We still have joy. We still have fight. We still believe. We still have love. It is a heart filled with love that cares for the needy, and feeds the homeless, and nurtures the sick.

The most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched, they must be felt with the heart. – Helen Keller

Hope

There are hundreds of verses in the bible that refer to hope. There are stories of people who were in dire circumstance who had nothing to hold onto, but hope. Humanity has endured genocide, war, famine, natural disasters and have survived. They survived because they had hope. They held onto a piece of peace. They held onto a promise. They held onto faith. They trusted in something bigger than their circumstances. I know it doesn’t look like it now. I know things may get worse before they get better, but better days are coming. You still serve a God who has plans for you. You still have hope. Don’t let go.

Headlines

Headlines have a way of catching our attention. We just read the headlines and not the article. Sometimes, if you read the article you may find out that the headline was just clickbait. You know something that was just meant to get your attention momentarily and had no real relevant information. We are living in a clickbait age. Saucy headlines with no valuable intel. I’m not saying don’t pay attention to the news. I am saying do your due diligence and read. Gather the information for yourself from trustworthy sources. There is a lot of misinformation out here. In the words of Gil Scott Heron, “the revolution will not be televised.”

Alert

1 Peter 5:8-9  (NIV) Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.

adjective

1. quick to notice any unusual and potentially dangerous or difficult circumstances; vigilant.

noun

1. the state of being watchful for possible danger.

verb

1. warn (someone) of a danger, threat, or problem, typically with the intention of having it avoided or dealt with.

Be alert. Be aware. Stay informed. It does not mean to behave recklessly. It doesn’t mean to panic. It does mean to be vigilant. It does mean to be prepared. Operate from a place of peace. This did not catch God by surprise. Have faith. This too shall pass.