Look for the Light

“The Word was first, the Word present to God, God present to the Word. The Word was God, in readiness for God from day one. Everything was created through him; nothing-not one thing-came into being without him. What came into existence was Life, and the Life was Light to live by. The Life-Light blazed out of the darkness; the darkness could not put it out.” (John 1:1-5 MSG)

Do you ever feel restless with the coming of the full moon or achy with an approaching weather change? The older I get, the more I realize how intimately connected my body is with the rhythms of nature. My body’s relationship to light makes this phenomenon starkly apparent.

My mom and dad tell stories of how, as a young child, I was always up with the sun. Spending my early years in South Florida, this meant I was awake quite a bit earlier than my parents wanted to roll out of bed. When I was still a toddler, they taught me how to pour some cereal in a bowl and turn on the TV so they could get an extra few minutes of sleep, a scarce commodity in the life of young parents.

At nearly forty years old, my body still follows the patterns of light. In the summer months, I am up early, out of bed quickly, and ready to start my day. Winter is a whole different story. For the past eleven years, our family has lived in Michigan. The summers here are the stuff that keeps the snowbirds coming back year after year: mild days, bright sun, and lots of lakes to swim in. As summer shifts into fall, my body does its best to embrace the dropping temperatures but struggles the lack of light.

I notice it first in the mornings. It gets a little harder to get out of bed early each week as the darkness creeps into the morning hours. By the time winter begins with the solstice, it’s dark by 5 p.m., and I find myself yawning before I even get dinner on the table.

Unfortunately for me and an estimated ten million Americans, the lack of light also leads to seasonal affective disorder, also known as seasonal depression. I have a tool kit I use to get me through the worst of the winter months. I try to get out for a walk every day and eat healthy food. I make plans to see friends and get out of the house as much as possible. This year, an antidepressant is part of my tool kit, and I am exceedingly grateful to live in a time when medication is an option.

One of the most effective and affordable additions to my tool kit was a full spectrum sun lamp. The light bulb in this lamp simulates the sun’s rays, increasing serotonin levels and melatonin in the body, which regulate mood and sleep. I start my days in the winter with thirty minutes under the sun lamp, reading under its glow while the world around me is still dark.

I love that John refers to Jesus as the Light shining in the darkness (John 1:5 ESV), so much so that I have those words tattooed on my arm in Latin. I love to picture Jesus as just that, a bright beacon breaking into the darkness of this life. Just as I suffer from a lack of sunlight, when I don’t make time for the light that is Christ in my life, I find myself slipping into bitterness, judgment, and depression. To set myself up for mental and spiritual health, I start my days with the Light under the light. Sometimes starting my day with Jesus looks like reading my Bible or a devotional. Other days, I journal prayers or sit and pray silently. No matter how I fill that time, it’s always time well spent.

As created beings who are part of the natural order, we suffer from a lack of light. As spiritual beings, we need the Light of the World as part of our days. In these dark days of winter, find ways to make the Light part of your days.

Light of the World, you created us to live in harmony with our world and with you. Thank you for coming into the darkness to show us the way. Walk ahead of us, showing us the path to righteousness and sanctification. Comfort us in our dark days and bring the light of peace to our hearts. Amen.

Scripture for Reflection

Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12 ESV)

This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice 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 cleanses us from all sin. (1 John 1:5-7 ESV)

“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. (Matt. 5:14-16 ESV)

These Scriptures point to the active relationship we must have with Christ in order to be a light to a dark world. Meditate on these verses and ask God to reveal areas where you are still walking in darkness. Pray for his guidance to bring those areas into the light.

Reach for More

The short, cold days of winter provide an excellent opportunity to create slow rhythms to nourish your body and soul. Do you have any unique traditions or practices to care for yourself, body and soul, during the winter? Please share them with us on social media using the hashtag #tgtreachformore.

Lindsay Hufford is a small-scale farmer, home educator, chicken chaser, kitchen dancer, and mediocre knitter. Her favorite things include spending time with her family, exploring the natural world, reading, eating spicy food, and singing loudly in the car (to the embarrassment of her children). Lindsay believes sharing our stories will change the world. She writes about farming, homeschooling, faith, mental health, sobriety, and living an unconventional life. You can follow her adventures at Kinship Flower Farm.

Photograph © Steve Johnson, used with permission