Spiritual Growth
Let Your Light Shine
By Rev. Donna Maurice-Winchell
Apr 22, 2008

When my husband and I visited Unity Village in Missouri several years ago, we spent a few lovely evenings simply sitting and drinking in the atmosphere. Evenings were idyllic with the sounds of crickets and fireflies or “lightning bugs” in the air to mystify us with their mysterious glow. These bugs literally would glow in the dark. The first time I saw them I didn’t know what I was seeing.

I've known humans like that too. These special people could enter the darkness of a negative situation and glow like a candle in a darkened room. Watching these special people, I have been as mystified as I was watching the fireflies.

This inner light is simply the light of God shining within our hearts and minds. God's light guides us and transforms our lives for the better. This light can shine through us, to lighten darkened, negative situations, people and places. And … we need to be open to allowing this to happen. We can give light to our own darkness only by allowing faith in God to light a path in our thoughts.

When we have a firmly grounded faith that knows the LOVE of God, it is like turning on the light to dispel the darkness of thoughts that may be fearful, worried, or lonely. It is often said that you can’t give what you don’t have. This is why it is so important to acknowledge yourself as God’s child. As a child of God can you be anything less than love? As a child of God can you be anything less than whole? As a child of God can you be anything less than complete?

I think not. What can we do to become more aware of our inner light? We’ve been told to let our light shine. How can we do this? The first step is to realize that the light comes from God – we do not generate it ourselves – and that we are simply the channels through which this light shines. I am reminded of Francis of Assisi’s statement: “Lord, make me a channel of thy peace…”

Our responsibility is simply to be fully present in this moment. To be aware that our opportunities to allow God’s light to shine through us will be many – the child who is hurting; the homeless who are hungry; the elderly who are lonely. If we are alive, awake and enthusiastic – the occasions will be many. Then you, too, will be one of those people of whom others say, “What is it about them that is so loving and kind? They just shine!”