Take a good look at the photo above. It was taken about a month ago out West, standing on my uncle’s back porch. That strip of color in the middle is pure sunlight. In the middle of a dark, cloudy day, we were given a reminder that the sun is still there behind the clouds, just beyond our sight. And oh how different the mountain looks in the places touched by the light!

It’s so easy to get lost in the distorted perspective of our own darkness, we forget how different things look when we make time to shine light on them. I read a devotional this morning that really hit home, and it all boiled down to one question which is applicable to every circumstance we can face: with our choices and actions, are we choosing Jesus or are we choosing ourselves?

It’s so easy to get overwhelmed by the fears and hardships of this life, we begin to lose sight of what’s truly important. We quickly forget that, if we let Him, God will carry us through anything the world throws at us. Instead, we tighten our death grip on our false sense of control and power over whatever crisis we are facing.

That death grip causes us to isolate ourselves. We become hyper focused on our circumstances, soon becoming ruled by them. Maybe we feel that taking our focus off the worldly journey will make all the dominoes start to fall. But that’s exactly what the father of lies wants us to feel. The last thing Satan want’s is for us to put our focus on the things of God.

This is my favorite part of a recent Facebook post from Lysa TerKeurst:

“I know how hard it is to open up about our deepest disappointments. I deeply understand how terrifying vulnerability can be. But I also know there’s someone else in the world who would drown in their own tears if not for seeing yours. And when you make one other human simply see they aren’t alone, you make the world a better place.”

By choosing to spend our time in the ways we are commanded to spend our time, we will actually begin to feel a sense of peace and stability that can only come from the Lord. It is in the course of love and fellowship that we find strength and hope. It is that hope we find in the heart of another believer that brings oxygen to our battle weary souls.

“Such hope [in God’s promises] never disappoints us, because God’s love has been abundantly poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”

‭Romans‬ ‭5:5‬ ‭AMP‬‬

Part of giving our lives to God means being willing to take a little time to shine light into the dark places, and not holding fast to that death grip on imagined control. Holding on to that illusion solidifies your isolation because perhaps you feel you can’t afford to consider your own weakness. Make time to consider what priorities are getting your attention, and then be honest about whether those are priorities of self and the world, or priorities of a believer in Christ.