Imagine your life without light. No corrective lenses would help. Without light, even 20/20 eyes see nothing. Why? Your ability to see comes from a source completely outside of yourself. Without light, you have no sight.
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So often life feels like we’re groping in the dark for answers. How do we know which way to go? How do we find answers to our questions? That’s why David writes:
The Lord is my light and my salvation. Whom shall I fear? —Psalm 27:1
The Lord illumines what otherwise would remain hidden in darkness. But there’s a problem. We need more than direction and even more than answers.
So God’s light gives us another essential help.
The Direction You Seek Only Goes so Far
Think about the headlights on your car. They don’t show you the whole trip. You just see the road in front of you. God’s Word is like that. It shows you the next step, like a lamp for your feet (Psalm 119:105).
God’s Word provides the first step, the encouragement when you feel lost, and the promise that God will bring you home—even when the path feels very dark.
Peter said this about God’s Word:
You do well to pay attention [to it] as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts. —2 Peter 1:19
Reading the Bible may seem a shaky first step when you don’t know what to do. But light for the path comes from no other source.
It’s hard to steer a parked car. If we’ll take the initiative to do the next right thing—as long as we keep off the path of compromise, and avoid the shortcut lies that deny the Bible’s words—the Lord will affirm, stop, or redirect our actions.
The Answers You Seek Only Go so Far
Information helps so little when the soul hurts so much. The light of God’s Word comforts us when the “why?” questions of life circle us like sharks. But seldom does the Bible offer answers to the “why?” questions.
Why? Because answers are never enough.
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Even after we “arrive” at the answers to our questions, we discover our destination has its own new dark places. Answers beget new questions.
Instead of mere answers, the Scriptures offer us a change of perspective—that the peace of mind we seek comes more from knowing God than knowing answers. Facts often beget only more questions. But faith puts our fears to rest. As David wrote:
The Lord is my light and my salvation. Whom shall I fear? —Psalm 27:1
David continues his words:
When you said, “Seek my face,” my heart said to You, “Your face, O Lord, I shall seek.” —Psalm 27:8
God’s Light Answers Your True Need
Reading the Bible shines a surprising light on our lives. The Bible never gives us answers that allow us to stop trusting God. Instead, the Scriptures lead us to places that require more trust. That’s a good thing.
Whereas we looked merely for a direction to go, God gives us a mindset to adopt. The light we seek is a greater understanding of the Lord Himself.
Reading God’s Word gives us light in our dark world. It gives us answers we never knew we needed.
Tell me what you think: How has God’s Word specifically guided you in the past? To leave a comment, just click here.