Being A Light In Darkness

A few of the people I work with don't even believe in God, so you can imagine the challenge that poses to the everyday believer. Back-stabbing, envy, emulation, and lying are a normal part of the day.

So it really hadn't occurred to me that I was getting sucked into all of the negativity, until I heard myself talking one day. It was a normal day like any other and a co-worker walked into my office and sat down.

Visibly upset, he began to unload about his boss and how unfair he was being by dumping so much work on him. I listened, and rolled my eyes in agreement.

When he finished, I started in on his boss too, about how he's always been that way, and he doesn't care about anybody but himself.

In mid stream, the Holy Spirit nudged me. Of course I didn't feel a finger poke me in the back or anything. But there was a nudge in my spirit-a poke of conviction.

And in my mind I could hear, "Why are you talking so negatively? You have been called out of darkness. You are supposed to be a light, yet you sound just like him."

"For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light;" Ephesians 5:8

Whoa! Immediately, I knew that I had missed my opportunity to be a light in a world of darkness. So I finished my sentence, with much less passion then when I had started, and pretended to be very busy, so that my co-worker would leave.

After he left, I asked God to forgive me for allowing my self to be sucked in by the negativity and gossip. And I confessed by faith that I would become a Romans 12:21 Christian.

"Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."

No longer would I allow myself to be overcome by the evil and strife around me. I didn't want to be sucked into the darkness. Truthfully, all the complaining was just causing more stress.

Not to mention listening to all the gossiping and complaining from everyone else left me feeling drained and unmotivated for the rest of the day!

From that time on, I would do my very best to overcome evil communication with good and positive words.

I'm not perfect. Some days I want to kick, scream, complain, and blame! But I remember that nudge of conviction.

It's still a challenge. And I can't say that I get it right every time. Let's face it, it's not always easy to be a light. But because I've asked God to help me, I definitely get it right more often.

"But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light." I Peter 2:9

Be blessed!




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