We have all heard the phrase ‘there is a light at the end of the tunnel’.
Recently on one of my weekend adventures when I was with my kids, we visited an old railroad tunnel that never was finished.
As we proceeded into the empty and dark tunnel you could feel the cold set in, the walls begin to enclose around us, and the light getting farther and farther away. My daughter walked closer to me as I said: “isn’t this cool, to think that men hand chiseled some of this and look how the water running through the mountain has carved space in the rocks.” She did not find it amusing, as she snugged up close to my side. At this point, we had to turn our flashlights on because we were so far from the entrance and the light was dim. Then turning and looking for my son, not much to my surprise, he was lagging behind doing his creative thing. Hahaha.
We continued to walk blindly towards the end, our voices were echoing, it was cold and dark. My daughter was definitely uneasy and wasn’t comforted by my “you don’t need to be scared, I’m right here and the Lord is with us.” As I saw that she was seriously being affected by fear, I told her we would turn back. Honestly, there was nothing to be afraid of, it was completely safe. There had even been people coming back and passing us as we proceeded in the tunnel. Might I add here that she is a strong teen of the faith and she herself is a light, but sometimes darkness creeps up on us and we are not prepared.
So at this point I tried being a courageous voice and encourage her to continue all the way down the tunnel with me but not a chance. So I did what any compassionate mother would do, we turned back. As soon as we turned and faced the entrance, there was the light! Her fear melted away, you could almost see it and you could definitely hear it in her tone of voice. The light had been there all along, but our backs were to it so we couldn’t see the way. I know this sounds like a cliche analogy but it was very real for my daughter that day.
The other thing I noticed about the entrance and the light was how far away it seemed and how small and out of focus things were. Nothing had changed at the entrance but our perspective and distance from it and from the light. Isn’t this so true about so many things in life including our own personal relationship with God and our gifts.
This isn’t a “creative blog” but very much applies to us as creatives. Everything we Kingdom Artists do must point to and reflect the Light. But in order for us to do that we must be able to ‘see the Light and remain in the Light’ along with keeping in proper alignment with the Light so we can see from His perceptive. His perspective about us as Sons and Daughters and HIs perspective about our gifts. The minute we turn our back to the Light the way gets dim and darkness begins to overshadow our thoughts and gifts. Distorting our vision and making us doubt the way we are walking at all. Tell me I’m not the only one here that deals with this. You’d be inhuman if this didn’t happen to you once in a great while. It just shows me how much HE IS A LIGHT UNTO MY PATH! It just shows me how much I NEED THEE EVERY HOUR!
I’m not too proud to say that feelings or thoughts of inadequacy come but the test is, do I believe them or give in to them. If there is one thing that I have learned about being an anointed and called Daughter of the King, it is that the enemy (both Satan and my flesh) will attack those who are working and making a difference for the Kingdom. A close friend of mine told me 20 years ago when I was just a few years into being born again, that I must be doing something right for the enemy to be shooting his fiery darts so ferociously. In other words, He was ticked! I remind myself of that when I feel myself or my gift under attack. Some days it may take me a minute or a reminder from a close friend, but for the most part, I try to align myself with the Light where HE can shed His Light on the truth.
That day in the tunnel was a very real moment of how powerful light is and how powerful the absence of it is as well. The Light nourishes, the light warms and comforts, the light illuminates, and the light guides and directs our steps.
I couldn’t comfort my daughter enough in the dark at that moment but somehow the sight of the light did. That was all it took, seeing the light. Once she saw it she quickened her pace and she was happy and hopeful again. I would never in a million years condemn her for not having enough faith in that moment. There are just some things that only THE LIGHT can do and it is a journey we must walk on our own, no matter the comforting words of another.
The Light puts everything into perspective….His perspective.
Written by Dionne White