The Light Continues To Shine Always

I seem to have a light motif the last few posts, today is no exception. (That is light motif, not leitmotif, which is an entirely different subject which I also have no qualifications to speak about).

Today I am pondering passages in the previous two days in Oswald Chamber's My Utmost For His Highest:

If human beings were not capable of depression, we would have no capacity for happiness and exaltation. There are things in life that are designed to depress us; for example, things that are associated with death. Whenever you examine yourself, always take into account your capacity for depression...If, however, we do something simply to overcome our depression, we will only deepen it. But when the Spirit of God leads us instinctively to do something, the moment we do it the depression is gone.
My Utmost For His Highest-2/17 Devotional

The sense of having done something irreversible tends to make us despair. We say, "Well, it’s all over and ruined now; what’s the point in trying anymore." If we think this kind of despair is an exception, we are mistaken. It is a very ordinary human experience. Whenever we realize we have not taken advantage of a magnificent opportunity, we are apt to sink into despair. But Jesus comes and lovingly says to us, in essence, "Sleep on now. That opportunity is lost forever and you can’t change that. But get up, and let’s go on to the next thing." In other words, let the past sleep, but let it sleep in the sweet embrace of Christ, and let us go on into the invincible future with Him.There will be experiences like this in each of our lives. We will have times of despair caused by real events in our lives, and we will be unable to lift ourselves out of them. The disciples, in this instance, had done a downright unthinkable thing— they had gone to sleep instead of watching with Jesus. But our Lord came to them taking the spiritual initiative against their despair and said, in effect, "Get up, and do the next thing." If we are inspired by God, what is the next thing?
My Utmost For His Highest-2/18 Devotional

We must come out of our darkness into His light to fight off the depression and despair that our sin can rain down on our heads and hearts. I am not depressed or despairing, I am actually quite excited about some of the new things happening in my life. But I am confused and perplexed about others, which I do not want turning into dread, depression or despair. I seek His light at all times for understanding. Failing that for comfort through faith and trust.

As I can see in the reminders He has chosen to put before me these past few days, I need to always swim in His light, or I could easily sink into my darkness. If you are wrestling with issues of depression or despair, consider taking the time to read these two devotionals by clicking through to the links above. They may provide some comfort and guidance.

Swim or sink, it is a simple choice to make, why do we make it so hard?