In the Biblical account of the Creation, the author mentions three main problems facing the earth:
- The earth was without form.
- It was void.
- Darkness covered everything.
All three are big issues. So God issued the first commandment recorded in the Bible:
“Let there be light.”
Light? Not “Let there be something to fill the void” or “give it some form”? Wouldn’t it be better to organize things and make them pretty before making them visible?
Nope. Let there be light.
When the first dawn broke and the first Day began, it didn’t break on a beautiful, organized home for God’s children. It broke into a world without form and void.
And God saw it was good anyway.
Maybe there’s something we can learn from this.
Physical Light, Spiritual Light
I find light fascinating. It lets us see and makes color possible. Research also shows that it increases happiness. But it’s more than that.
Spiritually, we cannot survive without it.
But what is spiritual light?
We learn in Doctrine and Covenants that all light comes from Christ. Just as our sun is the source of physical light, God’s Son is the source of spiritual light. All good things come from Him.
In the Book of Mormon, Alma teaches that this light is good because it is discernable. In other words, it lets us see clearly. Likewise, the light of Christ helps us see clearly what is right and wrong. This knowledge helps us make better choices, get along with others, and enjoy the good things of the world. We have an innate sense of right and wrong. Just as the sun shines on all of God’s children equally, the Light of Christ lives in each of us.
As children of God, we are creatures of light and cannot survive without it–physically or spiritually. The more we expose ourselves to it, the more we crave it. We find it. We create it. The more we avoid it, the less impact it has on us. That’s often when the darkness moves in.
Darkness Moving
Before there was light, darkness “moved upon the face of the deep.” I don’t like the idea of darkness moving. It’s so sinister. We often equate darkness with cold, fear, the unknown. It is associated with grief and loss, sickness and death, and hopelessness. When I recall the hardest times in my life, I use the word dark.
Physically, darkness is nothing more than the absence of light. Spiritually, darkness is the absence of Christ. Before He created light, darkness reigned. After He died, darkness covered part of the world. When it moves in, it can cause the earth to groan (D&C 84:49) and corrupt people (D&C 112:23). The scriptures define darkness as anything that doesn’t edify or build (D&C 50:23). Since it’s not edifying and building, it must be tearing things down.
But as scary as it is, darkness is weak. It always melts away in the presence of light. The presence of Christ diminishes its impact.
Creating Light In…
Have you felt darkness moving in on your life before? Have you invited or ignored it as it came in? Or has it pushed through your defenses despite your best efforts to keep it at bay? Perhaps you have never known anything other than darkness.
Maybe the darkness is just an effort to cover the formless, void world you feel you have been living in.
Regardless, you can create light in your life. You don’t have to wait to be organized. Nothing has to be fixed first. You can create light today in simple ways.
Because Jesus Christ is the light of the world, He can be the light in your world too. Increasing and sharing your faith in Him is the best way to bring light in.
Your Daily Routine
- Pray when you wake up in the morning. Starting your day with prayer can help you refocus on what is important and invites God to teach you what He wants you to do with your day.
- Spend just a few minutes reading the scriptures. It can be from a physical book in the morning, on your phone before going to bed, or listening to it in the car. Regardless of how and when you do it, bringing the scriptures into your life is a sure way to bring in light.
Home
- Display a picture of Christ in your home. Even a small one will work. You can get a free one from this link.
- Put a scripture about Christ or His teachings somewhere you will see it. Your mirror, office wall, or even on your home screen will work.
- Play inspiring music in the background. YouTube, music apps, and Christian radio are all good places to find music.
Family
- Find a small and simple way to serve a family member. Share Christ’s love with them.
- Who in your family do you need to forgive? Ask Christ to help your relationship heal.
- Hold a Family Home Evening night. Gather your family for a short devotional and prayer, and include an activity and treat to get everyone involved.
Community
- Check out JustServe.org for ideas to spread Christlike love to your community. This resource is full of ideas for community service.
- Find a way to serve at church. Talk to someone new there, or help a mom pick up dropped Cheerios after a service. Ask your church leaders how you can help. They are always looking for people willing to serve.
- Don’t forget your social media communities! Share an uplifting quote or scripture. Better yet, share about a spiritual experience you or your family has had recently! Add a picture so more people will pay attention.
Friendships
- Who in your friend group needs some extra love? Set aside some time to serve them.
- Talk about Christ in your friend circles. It can seem scary at first, but the more important He is in your life, the more natural it will be. (Do you need ideas to share the gospel with friends? Try these.)
- There may be someone who isn’t in your circle of friends that needs a shoulder to lean on. Pray for inspiration and reach out to someone new. Maybe while you’re trying to serve them, they’ll bring more light to you.
Let There Be Light in Your Life
None of these things require you to have your ducks all in a row. They don’t require you to be perfect, organized, or a theologian. All you have to do is want to have a little more light and a little more of Christ in your life. When you’re ready to take the next steps, He will be there to guide you through the process.
Christ came to “give light to them that sat in the darkness” (Luke 1:79). At some point, each of us has been or will be in darkness. Our task is to learn from this commandment, follow the example that God has set for us in His scriptures, and create light in a darkening world.
What are you waiting for? Go let the light in.