April 1 — Walking in the Light
God is light, the purest, most beautiful, and most joyful light. In that light, we see ourselves as we are, and we are not afraid. Gregory of Nyssa
Gregg’s Reflection
Walking in the light begins with a choice — a daily, sometimes moment-by-moment decision to turn toward truth, love, and transparency. In my own life, I have learned that hiding in shadows may feel safer for a time, but it always breeds fear, anxiety, and distance from God and others. Light, by contrast, exposes what is real and gives us the chance to live authentically.
There have been seasons when I wanted God’s light to reveal the path ahead, but not my own inner shadows. I feared what I might find there. Over time, I’ve discovered that the light does not come to condemn but to heal. It invites me to let go of the false self I have been protecting and to live more fully in the truth of who God created me to be.
Walking in the light doesn’t mean we never stumble. It means that when we do, we know where to turn. The light of Christ doesn’t blind us — it illuminates the next step. One helpful practice for staying in the light is the examen — a daily prayer of reflecting on where we have experienced God’s presence and where we have resisted it. In just a few quiet moments at the end of the day, we can name the light we’ve walked in, confess the shadows we’ve hidden in, and receive God’s grace to begin again tomorrow.
Scripture
For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light.
Ephesians 5:8
Ancient Quotes
God is light, the purest, most beautiful, and most joyful light. In that light, we see ourselves as we are, and we are not afraid.
Gregory of Nyssa, On the Soul and the Resurrection, p. 102
The eye through which I see God is the same eye through which God sees me; my eye and God’s eye are one eye, one seeing, one knowing, one love.
Meister Eckhart, Selected Writings, p. 179
Modern Quotes
The closer we get to the Light, the more of our shadow we see. But that is no reason to turn back — it is the very reason we were drawn toward the Light in the first place.
Richard Rohr, Falling Upward, p. 72
Journaling Prompts
- Where in your life are you walking in the light right now?
- Are there places where you are still hiding in shadows?
- How might God’s light bring healing rather than condemnation in those areas?
- What would it look like to practice a daily examen this week?
Eyes to see only helps if you can convey what you see to others. This largely depends upon trust. Trust allows us to see what we would otherwise reject. This is why trusting God and each other is so important.
Go deeper into this week’s theme:
Read the full Week 13 Reflection: Eyes to See