God's Healing Light

The healing power of light

“Don't you ever let your shadow graze my doorstep ever again!"

A number of years ago, I ran into conflict with another person, who will remain without a name. I was startled and stunned by the comment that had been thrown at me so unexpectedly, particularly since I had recently grown to respect and to love this person.

In thinking about it later, I realized that this was probably a delayed grief reaction, as we had both just attended a graveside funeral, held on a bright, cool autumn day, about mid-morning.

I did not understand the significance of this statement, until a later date, when I had some photos from the funeral developed. Then, I began to understand what had triggered this unexpected outburst of anger.

In the photos, with the direction of the lighting, coming from behind all of those who were in attendance, I could see each of the shadows of the people present at the funeral.

Every shadow was very long in the photograph, but to me, the shadows seemed to be quite appropriate for the power of the morning sun light, at that time. My shadow was long too, but not unusually long, in comparison to the other shadows. Every single person had a shadow, including the one from whom the adverse comment had arisen.

I had never paid much attention to light and shadows in pictures, before this time.

I remembered how hurt and stunned, I had been by the words thrown at me. After all, was I not grieving too?

Not long after, I was watching the flickering shadow on a candle and began to realize that unless there was a light of some kind, there could be no shadow.

Obviously, at the funeral, I had been standing in the light or the person who had made the comment, would not have seen my shadow.

In attempting to understand this, I looked at what had happened seriously and knew that often, grief reactions can take on unusual forms of expression. Many people are overwhelmed by their feeling of loss and hurt others, knowingly or unknowingly, before, during or after funerals.

I soon realized that this had been an abrupt expression of the loss, anger and grief that this person had experienced, at that time.

In this kind of a scenario, where numerous people are grieving, now what I suggest as a counselor, is that they pray for the Comforter, because God has promised to send His Comforter to each one of us.

Most of us do not know enough to pray that prayer and thus, may tend to hit out at others, in times of grief.

The healing power of the light is truly wonderful and it is something that we really do not understand in total.

We also know that when we walk in truth, as Christians, we will also walk in the healing light that God gives to us.

Yes, others will see our shadows too, particularly if the light is so bright that it almost blinds their vision. That can be a frightening experience for people and can cause them or even one person to focus purely on the shadow that is being generated, at that moment in time. Instead of seeing the light in terms of healing or being a comfort, those people or that person, may see only the darkness of their own fear and despair.

The bottom line in all of this is "Do not fear the light." But, do not fear the shadows either.

The healing power of the light can erase all of life's shadows and be a comfort to those who are grieving. We will all grieve at one time or another for someone we love. Let us always seek to be a comforter to one another.