There was a blackout one night. When the lights went out, I drowsily fumbled my way across the bed to the bed stand where we keep the flashlights for nights like this... I turned on four of them.  Yes, I like flashlights, and that’s a story for another day.

I was turning to leave with the largest and brightest flashlight in my hand when I heard a voice, "Now, hold it right there."

"Who said that?"

"I did." The voice was near my hand.

"Who are you? What are you?"

"I'm a flashlight." I lifted up the flashlight to take a closer look. There was a tiny face in the handle. I know...creepy, huh...it’s just a parable.

"Don't take me out of here!"

"What?"

"I said, don’t take me out of this room."

"What do you mean? I have to take you out. You're a flashlight. That’s your job.  That’s why I purchased you.  Your job is to give light. It's dark out there right now and your light is really needed."

"But you can't take me out. I'm not ready yet," the flashlight explained with pleading eyes. "I need more preparation before I can lead anyone out of the dark."

I couldn't believe my ears. "More preparation, are you kidding me?"

"Yeah, I've decided I need to research this job of light-giving so I won't go out and make a bunch of mistakes. I don’t want to look bad and besides you'd be surprised how ineffective the beam of an untrained flashlight can be...."

"All right then," I said. "You're not the only flashlight on the stand...I'll put you back and take another!"

But right then I heard other voices, "We aren't going either!"

I turned to the other flashlights, "C’mon man!  You are flashlights and your job is to light dark places!"

"Well, that may be what you think," said one. "You may think we should go, but you don’t understand just how busy I am.  Right now, guess what I’m doing...I'm meditating on the importance of light. It's really enlightening, so to speak"...

"And you other two," I asked, "are you going to stay too?"

A short, fat, purple flashlight with plump cheeks spoke up. "I'm waiting to get my life together. I'm not experienced enough yet to go out and light up the dark."

The last flashlight had a female voice, very pleasant to the ear. "I'd like to help," she explained, "but lighting the darkness is not my gift... y’know...I'm a singer. I sing to other flashlights to encourage them to burn more brightly. "She began a rendition of "This Little Light of Mine" The other three joined in, filling the room with singing...while everyone who needed their light was remaining in the dark.  “C’mon do your job...shine!”

Take a step back and consider the absurdity of it all. Four perfectly good flashlights singing to each other about light but refusing to come out and give the light that was needed.

I’m sure you get the gist; you understand the parable of the flashlights. So, here is a question for you.  When was the last time you had a conversation with someone about the Lord Jesus Christ, the Light of the world? This world is certainly full of darkness, with many people stumbling around, as lost as they can be, trying to find their way in the dark. They don’t know where they’ve been, they don’t know where they are, they’re not even sure where they’re heading, and where they’re heading is everlasting darkness. If we Love God...and I know you do...the measure of our love of Him is our obedience to Him.  And if you Love People...and I know you do...the measure of our love for people can be measured by the risks we take to light the way to Jesus.  The people we know, who right now are living in the dark, really need, most of all, more than anything else in their life, the saving life and light of Jesus Christ.  You can be a guiding light for them, by the way you live and by the conversations you have.  Show them the way to the only one who can save them and give them life for an eternity, so that they will never have to be in the dark again, for “Jesus is the way, the truth and the life and no one comes to the Father but through Him”. (John 14:6)

Probably time for those of us who are saved to stop with the excuses and realize the opportunities, the divine appointments, the Lord sets up for us to share with others what Jesus has done for us and what He will do for them. C’mon man...let’s do what we were saved to do.

Really, what good is a flashlight that won’t light the way.  And what good is a........who won’t............?  You can fill in the blanks.

In fact, it’s good for everyone we interact with, those that we know to understand that all we have, the blessings, the guidance, the salvation, the light...which shines the brightest during the darkest days, all comes from Him.

"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle and put it under a bushel, but on a candle stick and it gives the light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works, and glorify your father which is in heaven." Matthew 5:14-16

 “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.” Romans 1:16 (ESV)

Need to brush up on the gospel and how to present it in a meaningful way...just go to our website, fbcwentzville.com and hit the tab that says “about us”, and in that tab you will find the “gospel” in a video presentation.  Take it...and use it...because you want to...not because you have to.  That’s what Christians do.

Blog writing, much of the time, feels like an avenue for confession and that can be hard and humbling.  That is this post for me, hard and humbling, but I’m hoping I’m not alone in these thoughts and possibly my journey may help a struggling sister or brother.  I’m writing on the illusiveness of happiness because often I struggle to maintain it!  In the past, on several occasions, Chad has asked, “what makes you happy?”  I want to give the Bible loving answer but I find myself saying “order” . . . “order” makes me happy.  Sigh . . . maybe because much of life is chaotic, out of my control and often doesn’t go as planned.  I will sometimes say in the serious moments of life that if you’re having a bad day, go clean a bathroom!  Back to that order thing again; that’s my go to, my comfort, and my control.   I believe there is something more to happiness than what I’m doing.   I know my JOY comes from the Lord – and that abiding in Him gives me the fullness of JOY despite my circumstances but my humanness longs for more!  Gasp!  I know, I said it – my heart wants more!!   But why would I dare want more?

Why would I dare want more . . . because we are designed for more, but more of what?  I will start here because many times my unhappiness is due to an over fixation on God’s gifts instead of the Giver Himself.    Other times my unhappiness stems from the knowledge that this earth is not my home and I feel done with it!  But let me be frank, more often than not, it’s simply sin.  John Piper, the author of  “When I Don’t Desire God” poignantly states it this way, 

“Preferring anything above Christ is the very essence of sin.  It must be fought.”

I’m in a daily battle over my preferences.  Anyone else?  When my preferences are wrong my happiness is at stake.  So happiness must be fought for in a battle, a battle over sin in the form of desiring order, control, focus and purpose. 

We must ask ourselves what do we prefer more than Christ?

Self? Husband? Wife? Family? Career? Well-behaved Children? Beautiful Home?  Associations? Material Possessions? Comfort? Social Media?  What is it that keeps our attention more than Christ?  Whatever it is . . . it is sin and the very robber of happiness.   So, lets square that one truth away and purpose to desire God over all things.  Psalm 37:4 demands that we “Take delight in the Lord.” It is a command and a promise.  I want to focus on our part - to take God’s command for delighting in Him with seriousness, asking for His guidance and confessing our weaknesses daily when we prefer anything above Him.

I recently picked up a book written by David Dunn entitled “Try Giving Yourself Away” and the title had me intrigued!  I thought, what does that mean “try giving yourself away” – I thought I was giving myself away but I’ve discovered I can do better.   A couple of areas of intention are challenging my self-absorption and they may challenge you as well.

Are you a “noticer”?

David Dunn encourages the habit of appreciation by being a noticer.  Being a noticer of others immediately takes your focus off of yourself – because you are busy building the habit of praise through noticing the little things others are doing or have done.  Once you begin to notice other’s actions – speak to them words of affirmation.  God shows us this in Proverbs 15:23 

An appropriate answer brings joy to a person,

and a well-timed word is a good thing.

Obey your warm-hearted impulses

Creating the habit of giving on the impulse is hard for us because we are too busy and we literally leave little to no white space on our calendars for the Holy Spirit to prompt us to acts of kindness.  We’ve even resorted to blessing people in the drive thru by paying for the people’s food behind us in line.  I’m not knocking this act of kindness – I’m just saying we’re in the drive thru!! We’re actually in the drive thru of life with little time to act on impulse.  When I’m spending time in God’s Word and He prompts me to make zucchini bread for my neighbor – I must obey this warm-hearted impulse or the opportunity to bless will be lost.  Dunn states it this way . . . “You have to train yourself to obey given impulses on the instant – before they get a chance to cool.”

For when my impulses to obey the Holy Spirit cools my happiness is at stake.

The more I give myself away in obedience to the Holy Spirit the more God fills my life with JOY.  That is where the promise comes in play from the later part of Psalm 37:4

and He will give you the desires of your heart.

Preferring God to all the distractions of life will prompt my sensitivities to His calling of obedience in my every day moments.  Obeying those impulses will lead me to finding fulfillment in right desires of my heart.