Can you imagine being without electricity for almost 72 hours straight? No lights, fans, refrigerator, washing machine, charging cell phones and computers…nothing. As I write this our little city of Fria has just endured 3 days without power anywhere in the city because the factory workers were on strike. Thankfully the Coleman’s have a generator, so we were able to use power from it for a few hours a day to print, charge computers and phones, and do other tasks. Without the generator these past few days would have been even more frustrating and difficult. Tonight, around 9:30, the real electricity finally returned! It was amazing. My first thoughts were Praise God, because although we were able to get electricity from the generator it wasn’t the same as having the real thing. So then I started to think…
Is that how it is with God? We go about our lives in the dark; struggling, frustrated, not able to complete important tasks because we lack light or power. Sometimes we can find light for our lives in “generators”, but it doesn’t last, eventually the gas runs out. We have moments where we think “Oh, I’ve finally found the light!” “I’ve found the truth!” But if this light and truth doesn’t last is it the real deal? On the other hand, when we find Christ and open the door at which God has been knocking, light floods our soul. A real, lasting Light and Power fills us. Unlike the power from generator-like sources, this Source will not run out or falter. Is that why Jesus invites us to come “out of the darkness into His marvelous light”? [2 Peter 2:9] He invites us to experience the His wonderful power flooding our souls. After becoming accustomed to living with electricity, its difficult if not impossible to go back to living without, and so it is with Christ. Once you allow Him into your life, its almost crazy to even think about returning to the frustrations and difficulties of your former life in the darkness.
Sadly, my time here in Guinea is coming to an end. As I reflect on these past months, I pray that I have aided at least one person in coming further our of the darkness and into the light of God. There’s so much spiritual darkness here and its easy to believe that I don’t have what it will take to make a difference among the people. Yet, the more I think the more I realize that the little things I say or do, and whether I choose to walk in darkness or light can have a great influence on whether those around me will make the decision to continue to walk in or turn from their life of difficulty and frustration in the darkness. My prayer is that more people here in Guinea will get to experience that moment when the Light comes on in their lives and they’ll stop looking to other sources to produce light and power that will only fade after a time. Over these previous months I pray that I’ve planted many seeds and now I must pray that God will nurture them and draw these individuals to Him, the true source of Light and Power.
“For you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light” Ephesians 5:8
