The Day the Lights Went Out

On our third week of the Prom Closet this year something strange happened that has never happened in our 12-year history. The lights went out. 

Have you ever been in darkness? During those times I have not always been at my smartest. For example, one time at home when the lights went out, I decided to look for a candle but couldn't find one.  I decided to open the refrigerator for some light. Go ahead and laugh. Definitely not my smartest move since the fridge runs with electricity.

However, I realized something as my eyes were trying to adjust to the dark.  I was able to remember familiar things around the house so I could get where I needed to go without getting hurt. (Or at least that is what I thought until I stepped on my son's tiny Lego.)  I tried not to cry as my eyes adjusted to the dark and my foot throbbed in pain.

Darkness is not a place that God has designed for us to remain in. We can take the darkness for granted and not even think about it.  Better yet, you can look at the darkness in a deep and spiritual way. 

In my faith walk I had moments that felt like either the lights went out or they were too dim.  My eyes were adjusting to get familiar with my surroundings and keep moving forward without getting hurt.  Much like moving around in my house in the dark I can still get hurt (remember the Lego) but my eyes can adjust to the surroundings.

When the lights went out at the Prom Closet we had only been open an hour and a half and were full of shoppers.  To my surprise (eye roll and all) God used that moment!  It was pitch black inside and as my eyes adjusted to the dark, I realized it was hard to pick out dresses in the dark.  Before long phone flashlights came on to fits of laughter and fun as the shoppers adapted to the new situation.

Are you ready to be my twin again?

I apologized to people for the inconvenience.  I felt like I needed to do that even though I was not the one who broke the tree that took the power lines down (I think it was the strong squirrel that hangs around.) I told them that they will never forget this experience! Who else is going to give them a prom shopping experience in the dark? But, did you notice a couple of things I mentioned before?

1. My eyes were trying to adjust to the dark.

2. People couldn't be in the dark for long before turning on their phone flashlights. 

In my faith walk sometimes I have tried to adjust and just roll with it. After all isn’t it my responsibility to grow my faith? At times it was hard to see people holding their flashlights in the form of hope, grace, and mercy.   I was missing God because I was focused on adjusting my eyes to my surroundings - not realizing how faith grows. 

Faith grows when surrounded by people who love God that are willing to share their light when it is too dark for you to see God's mercy, grace, and love.

That day at the Prom Closet strangers were surrounding each other with their flashlights. They let their little light shine and instead all I could think of was “are the lights ever going to come back on?”

We are created to chase the light because darkness is not a place God has designed for us to remain. Just like the tree that fell on the power lines and took the light away from the Prom Closet, there are things in our lives that happen that take the away our faith in people.  We often hope that someone else with a good deed will restore it forgetting that true faith doesn’t come from people.  People can’t provide you with faith only God can. However, we have responsibilities as people of God. 

1 Peter 2:9 New International Version

9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

It reminds me of the lyrics to the song Gratitude that has become a challenge to me in my praise time:

So come on my soul, oh, don't you get shy on me

Lift up your song, 'cause you've got a lion

Inside of those lungs

Get up and praise the Lord

If you are struggling to see THE LIGHT, you are not alone.  Remember that there is a lion inside of your lungs.  Don’t get shy and dim your light.  Lift your voice! 

After all, you are a light chaser! 

Blessings, 

Aileen