I just want to take 5 here and remind you of this fact. Darkness is merely the absence of light. Where there is no light, we have darkness, it's as simple as that.
A few years back my life was in what seemed to be engulfed in doom and gloom. My wife and I were in deep despair as we both stood in faith on scripture in our home life and in our autoeoectrical business. I really felt defeated and abandoned because none my tried and tested business plans seemed to work in my new found faith in Jesus Christ. We stood on principles that we never had before being found in Christ and my previous customers and business aquaintences wanted nothing to do with this changed man. We lost every customer in a matter of six months because we openly declared our business dedicated to Jesus. We became the laughing stock of our small town in which 90% of our clients were not believers and they scoffed at us whilst we struggled to pay off our debts and keep our head above water. Then one day I had a revelation about light and darkness. The Lord showed me that He had called be to shine a light into the darkness of the wicked business ethics that we're rife in our town. My wife and I were sleeping in our workshop because we could no longer afford the rent for our residential home. It was a big workshop and one night I woke up and it was really dark. I struck a match and was suddenly aware of how much light one tiny match could give out as the light from the match pushed back the darkness. At that moment I heard the Lord say "that match is you now allow me to light you up"
From that day on, things changed and people began to see me differently and started to listen more about how my faith in Jesus had changed my life into what it now had become and I realized that was trying too hard in my own righteousness to change the world instead of waiting for right moment where the Lord could "strike me up".
Often times those previous moments where you're used by God will come at the most unexpected times and on days when you're LEAST ready for it. When those moments come, I hope you'll remember this thread and remember most of all that darkness is merely the absence of light and that The Lord is willing to use you to be HIS LIGHT in a dark and depraved world.
Oh and remember just as a match cannot light up with out sulphur, in the same way we cannot be the light of Christ without believing that He wants us to shine.
