This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light and in him there is no darkness at all.
1 John 1:5
This message that the prophet John receives is one of great importance. John tells the great truth that God, being pure light, has no part in darkness.
What is this darkness that John speaks of?
It is sin, death, dysfunction, or anything else that isn’t in perfect accordance with God’s good purpose.
We, however, know darkness quite well. As John continues:
If we say that we have fellowship with him while we are walking in darkness, we lie and do not do what is true; but if we walk in the light as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.
1 John 1:6-7
This leads us to one burning question:
How do we, who, at times, still walk in darkness, have fellowship with the God of perfect light?
The answer: How we walk with God makes all the difference.
Here are 5 ways to walk in the light, instead of walking blindly in the world’s darkness
Listen to God Alone
Oftentimes, we can easily get caught up in ourselves. We easily place too much trust in our thoughts and especially our opinions. We can be obsessed with what we believe, with the things that we do, and the numerous words that we say.
And all of us have, at one time or another, been more interested in telling others exactly what is the “right” opinion to have, and what is the “right” way to do things, than listening to God.
Because, guess what? We can easily love talking rather than listening. We can put our trust in our opinions, instead of God. It’s natural, then, to come to God, sure of our right opinions and righteous actions, assuming that He agrees with us.
We use our prayers then, to ask Him to help us carry out our will for ourselves and others. After all, we know what’s best, right?
Wrong! God’s will for us is so much better our own plans for our life. He has so much more in store for us than we can even imagine!
God is offering us all, not merely a solution to our worldly problems, but rather, a complete and total transformation to become like His Son, Jesus Christ. He is offering us a life free of all darkness- and free of all desire for anything that isn’t pure light.
So, instead of coming to God sure of ourselves and our “right” opinions, satisfied with our “correct” actions, let’s instead come to God and ask Him for the right answers.
Let’s come to our Father like children, asking for help and guidance, sure of one thing: that we all have much to learn- from God and God alone.
Cultivate Humility
The more we listen to God, the more we will discover just how much we still need to learn. When we begin to understand God and His goodness, the more we will recognize our lack of it.
And this is a good thing- to see ourselves as we truly are.
Compared to God, we are little, we are lesser. This isn’t to diminish us, but to glorify God.
In our current culture, pride is the word of the day. We’re encouraged to have pride in ourselves, in our family, in our communities, in our choices, and in our own glory.
But, compared to the Creator of the universe, how can we see ourselves as great? How can we glorify ourselves to the Creator of glory?
And why do we think we are better than any other person? Aren’t we all sinners in the eyes of God? Why would I even think myself superior over another human being who was created in the image of God, the same as me? As Jesus says:
How can you believe when you accept glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the one who alone is God?
John 5:44
However, the opposite of pride is not degradation, as is so often thought. The opposite of pride is gratitude. All good things come from God, not from ourselves, and are a glorious and generous gift. If everything good that I possess is really a gift, then I can be grateful for it, not proud of it.
Instead of being proud of our accomplishments, today, let’s be grateful to God from whom all good things come. God has given us strong bodies to do His good work, wise minds to meditate on Scripture, and tongues to proclaim His praise.
Thanks be to God!
Repent Often and Always
You know what’s great about sin? Nothing, of course. Sin separates us from our loving God.
But do you know what’s great about God?
Out of His love for us, He has already forgiven us all our sins. All our accounts are squared up, and our debts are paid. How wonderful is His love?
So then, what about sin? Do we just keep on going, sinning as we wish? Is it business as usual?
Not at all!
We have forgiveness of sin only if we truly want it. And we show God we want forgiveness by turning away from our sins. We confess them to God and repent, each and every time we sin.
As often as we wash our hands when they get dirty, or more, we ask God to wash us of our sins. Minute by minute, if necessary. God is generous and gracious and wants to take all of them from us, permanently.
Does that sound exhausting? Trust me, it’s energizing!
We have the cure to what ails us at hand at every moment, and He is ever ready and desires to help rid us of all our infirmities. Repentance shouldn’t lead us to feel burdened and ashamed of our sins, but should instead, lead us to true gratitude to God who loves us and forgives us all of them.
Are you confused as to why you might need to confess sins so often? I’ll do a blog post about it, and link it here.
Ask God for What You Want
If you want to walk with God in the light, and have fellowship with Him, simply ask Him for it. As Jesus Himself tells us:
‘Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.
Matthew 7:7-8
If you want the things of God, ask Him in prayer. Not just once, but daily. Many times a day, even. And keep asking. Our Father is good and faithful, and gives good things to those who ask. As Jesus continues in that same address:
If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him!
Matthew 7:11
God wants nothing more than for all of His beloved Creation to be remade in His glorious light. If that’s what you want, tell Him, ask Him- and then listen to Him.
And finally,
Persevere
All who want salvation will receive it, as long as they don’t give up. Persevere in prayer at all times, repenting when necessary, and asking God for His good gifts of faithfulness and perseverance.
As James writes in his letter:
But those who look into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and persevere, being not hearers who forget but doers who act—they will be blessed in their doing.
James 1:25
None of us can do this for ourselves, but God will do it for us- if living forever in the light with God and each other is what we desire. Don’t fear and don’t give up!
Keep reading Scripture every day.
Repent of your sins, joyfully and often.
Worship God, your loving Father, in a community of believers.
We don’t need to worry about believing perfectly. Instead, let’s imperfectly grow in the Lord today.
We were all created to love God above all things, and our neighbor as God loves us. Who wouldn’t want to live, by God’s grace in His coming Kingdom, a life like that?