This Little Light of Mine!

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Through the years, many children have learned this fun little song - along with all the motions! It was one of my favorite songs as a kid too. Up until this week, I have always thought of the ‘little light’ as the light of my salvation. The witness of Jesus living inside of me, transforming me. Yes, I want my light to shine. Yes, I want people to see Jesus in me. No! I don’t want Satan to ‘blow it out,’ and I surely don’t want my light hidden ‘under a bushel.’

Remarkably, I just realized that I have been hiding my light - the light that shines when we use our spiritual gifts as God intended. Those unique qualities and abilities that God has entrusted into our care to share with others. This is a new revelation to me, and that is a good thing as I am still trying to figure out how to walk confidently, and in obedience, in some areas of my life. Some gifts and talents just come naturally. To use them is as easy as breathing, and yet it is easy to then miss the supernatural reality of those gifts. Other gifts require me to be more vulnerable to criticism or rejection. These gifts bring about the inner struggle of obedience caused by being too self-focused, rather than God-focused.

When I finally do face my fears and strive to be obedient to the Holy Spirit’s promptings, the faith process begins. One small step, then another. If fear creeps in, I get stuck holding my breath on the sidelines and praying. Now, there is definitely wisdom in prayer and earnestly seeking God’s will. But, after reading Exodus 14:15 today, I gained a new perspective on this vicious cycle of...

- Nudge
- Prayer 
- Movement 
- Hesitation 

It says, “Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Quit praying and get the people moving! Forward, march!’” (TLB) Wow! That verse really jumped out at me. God basically said, quit praying and get moving! Moses had been instructed by God as to what he should do. Moses then instructed the Israelites regarding God's plan. He even encouraged them with these words in Exodus 14:13a & 14, "Do not be afraid. Stand firm. The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still." 

Wow! I need to embrace these marching orders too! Yes, I need to seek God’s will and the guidance of His Word. Yes, I need to listen to the Holy Spirit's promptings and seek confirmation from those in spiritual authority over me. Yes, I need to pray - earnestly pray. And, if all these things align, I need to 'quit praying' and instead move forward. I must not allow myself to keep praying and waiting on 'a sign from heaven' or a 'movement of the Holy Spirit.' I need to pray and move. God is asking me to take the basket off of my light and let it shine.

How about you?

Has Satan snuffed out your light – of witness or giftedness? Are you hiding your witness and waiting for God to expose it? If so, I pray that you too have the courage to take the next step of faith. God has given us each at least one gift to bless others. Let’s not allow our insecurities to rob us of seeking God’s will, receiving Godly counsel and moving forward in faith and in the power of God’s grace.

I’m gonna let it shine. How about you?  

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