Because of the way our house sits, there isn’t a lot of natural light that flows into our home. As a girl who loves the sun and works at home, this has been a problem, especially in the winter months. I often find myself identifying deeply with my dog, who walks around the house in search of patches of sunlight to lay in.

In fact, there is a section of my kitchen where I often sit and do my devotions because the sun shines down on me—a physical reminder of God’s love and presence.

The first time I did this was a few years ago during a season of struggle.

We had just found out that our youngest daughter was dealing with another health setback, and life felt heavy and dark. I woke up feeling a little hopeless, and I desperately needed a reminder that everything would be OK.

After I made myself a decent breakfast—a self-care practice I follow when life feels hard—I walked into the eating area of our kitchen and noticed that a small corner of our table was covered in sunlight. It felt like an invitation from God to sit in His presence and read His Word. So, I did, and I felt a renewed sense of hope rising up within my heart, even though the circumstances didn’t actually change.

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Here’s a simple truth that day taught me: sometimes we need to seek out the light and sit in it. Even if everything around us feels dark, we still have a choice—we can either get lost in the darkness or we can search for slivers of light, glimmers of hope, and sparks of joy.

We can (and often should) acknowledge the darkness, but God’s Word reminds us: “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”
(John 1:5)

God’s light is always present and available.

We just have to have the eyes to see it and even more so, the faith to walk toward it.

If you are feeling the heaviness of the world—or if your own world feels a little dark—it might be time to refocus and seek out the corners of your life where God is shining.

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That might be something as simple as appreciating the flowers blooming in your yard or thanking God for the decent breakfast you prepared for yourself.

And don’t just notice those slices of goodness—sit in them, enjoy them, and let them remind you of God’s provision.

Allow the presence and small movements of God in your life to encourage you and refresh you.

Because it is there, in the light, that hope is found.

And it is there, in the light, where we are empowered to not only move forward, but to bring that light back into the world around us.

Originally published on the author’s Facebook page