Rediscover His Light

Distractions do not have to be bad, wrong or evil. A distraction can be anything that pulls attention away from primary objectives. Distractions do, however, tend to interfere with our commitments to significant others, Christ Jesus and ourselves. Distractions can appear by invitation and serve as an excuse to discard what God intended for us to pursue.

 

There was something about the little town of Shechem that caught Jacob’s attention. He evidently saw opportunity in Shechem, but in God’s plan, there was a better place for him to settle. God's heart is saddened when we choose less than his purpose for us. Worse still is choosing what is disastrous.

Jacob's decision to stop at Shechem would bring heartbreak. He observed his children experience issues that would affect their lives indefinitely. Yet Jesus is our Redeemer and is faithful to seek and to save all who have gone astray and are lost. Jesus is the Light that never goes out. His light can be rediscovered when we seek it with all our heart. 

Infused with God's Love and Light - Part 2

So often in counseling, a person leaves a session with enthusiasm because hope has been renewed, even with the realization that lasting change doesn’t come without struggle. Yet what we imagine can be either a powerful inspiration or a deterrent to progress. One man described it as a shadow that created fear of being honest.

His daughter confessed to struggling with an internal conflict she had failed to resolve. The advice he gave her was like a mirror reflecting his own face concerning what he was unable to work out with her mother, his wife. That shadow he identified was fear of being powerless, weak and inferior in the face of truth and honesty.

This man finally revealed to his wife the root of their conflict hidden in his feelings of insecurity, which were the source of their troubles. Keeping secrets hidden in darkness makes their shadow grow larger and more intense. Jesus said, “I am the light of the world,” so permit the light of Jesus to shine on the shadows in your life.