Living in the Dark

   As we enter the holiday season the vibrant colors of Poinsettias and Christmas Cacti are beginning to fill spaces around offices, business displays, and possibly even in your home. At our office, a beautiful white Christmas Cactus greets visitors in the foyer area. A few weeks ago, I overheard Ms. Parker explaining to someone that for the Cactus to reach its full potential it is recommended that it be placed in a dark area for long periods of time, which in turn prepares it to soak up the sun light when it is finally exposed to the light of the day. Upon researching the Poinsettia, it too follows a similar plan of action for blooming into season. For these two Christmas adornments, the lack of light prepares the plant to "soak up" the light when it is finally exposed to daylight.
      Many people are just like the Christmas Cactus. They walk around in the dark, they can't grow, and they do not provide any positive type of hope to the people they live and work with each day. Actually, the darkness becomes their home. Negative attitudes, poor self-esteem, hopeless or helpless outlooks on life, and an overall doom and gloom forecast for tomorrow become who they are. In the case of humans, it isn't beneficial to live in darkness, where the Poinsettia and the cacti actually get prepared for their showy season in the dark, people can get stuck in a rut or even worse it becomes who they are and how others perceive them when they dwell in the gloom and dark of their day. Fortunately, we do not have to live in the dark, there is a light that is readily available and always shining brightly for us. It is our job to move towards that light and build our world there.
      In the book of John 8:12 Jesus proclaimed to the crowd of people gathered, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” We are blessed to have His light available to us so we do not have to live in the darkness of gloom and hopelessness. You can exist in darkness in much the same way as the Christmas Cactus, you can live in the dark as long as you receive the nourishment of food and water, but you were not created to just exist. You were created to shine God's light through your life and to live your life in the bright shining light that He has provided to you and to me. As is the case with the cacti, you can exist in the darkness, but to grow and blossom you need the light. To fully share what God has placed inside of each of us we need the light that will illuminate His light through the life we live for Him. In 
I Corinthians 3:6-7 Paul explains, "I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth." Paul understood that on our own we can accomplish nothing, but with the light of God pouring into us we can do all things. (Philippians 4:13)
       If you have been living in the dark, if you find that your days are actually filled with dark thoughts or you outlook is dreary at best, then it is time for you to move into the light. We are fortunate that we don't have to wait on someone to bring us out of the dark closet so we can take in the light, God's light is always on and it is always there for you even in what may appear to be a time of pitch black darkness in your life. Walk, no run to Him and then follow Him and you will receive His light. 
Coach Carter