Today, the world feels bigger than hope. I woke up and saw the sun shining outside my window. A new day has arrived on my doorstep. Another chance to find light and shine it into the world has presented itself, yet the journey is overshadowed by the onslaught of bad news. Heartbreak, grief, pain, loneliness, and even war are the topics on the minds of many. It seems almost insensitive to seek joy among so much sadness. Moving forward suddenly feels like an overwhelming task and feeling the weight of it all makes me question how anything I do could make a wave big enough to wash that pain away.
The truth is, I can’t.
I cannot stop the misery that is driving the lead story. I cannot take away a mother’s grief for the child she lost. I cannot stop the heartache of betrayal for this one or circumvent the worry of another. I cannot stop the crimes, protect every innocence, or make war disappear. There is nothing I can write or say that could ever overcome these monumental devastations of the world. Even though the sun shines upon me today, I walk into it, knowing I cannot shine enough light to stop the pain.
I can’t. But He can.
And He asks me to shine despite what I see and feel.
He asks me to remember that even if I cannot overcome an overwhelming world; I serve a God who can. I serve a God who can turn the struggles for good, who understands the pain, and who shines light for me even on the days I feel like I can’t. I can shine because He reminded me of how much power a little light, no matter how small in comparison, can bring to darkness. He reminds me a little yeast works through the whole batch of dough. I may feel little in this huge and imperfect world, and I may feel like my small corner of hope cannot possibly make a difference amid such massive pain, but He says it can.
I may never see how. I may never know what impact He made with one small word or one small moment of encouragement. But He does. And because He can see a picture that I cannot see, He asks me to trust Him and do what He created me to do and be who He created me to be, despite what I feel. I cannot make a wave to wash away all that pain, but He can. He can take my little bit and make it something much greater. Something that can bring light to what looks like insurmountable darkness. Something that can make hope feel bigger than the world.
Lord, today I ask you to make me the yeast in the dough. I thank you for giving me a compassionate heart that can feel the pain of others and be aware of the weight of the world. I ask you to grant me the strength to not buckle under that heaviness and still shine for your glory. I pray you use every bit of it for others to light their way when they need it. Amen.
