Finding the Light
Beloved, have you felt discouraged and frustrated lately? Do things feel bleak and dark around you, or even in your heart? If so, this encouraging word is for you.
I've been reading the Psalms a lot lately, and I saw something I've never noticed as I was reading Psalm 36:9. This verse says, "For with You is the fountain of life; in Your light we see light" (Psalm 36:9 NKJV).
When I read this verse, I was in the middle of a long prayer session. I have been feeling tired and somewhat discouraged; things have been tough. And although it was a Sunday, and I would normally be in church, I decided to stay home and just have a long time of prayer.
As I was casting my burdens on the Lord in prayer, time seemed to stand still. At first, to be honest, I didn't "feel" much of anything, and I didn't feel particularly relieved as I began to pray. However, the Lord has a way of drawing you closer as you persist in prayer. And as the minutes rolled by, I began to sense more and more of His presence with me.
My prayers had started out without much feeling. I was just talking to the Lord and trying to cast my burdens on Him, even in the middle of all my tiredness, so He could give me rest. I needed (and still need) that rest!
But again, the more I pushed into God, the more I began to feel... both feel that passion for Him and a relief from my burdens. And where I had felt dry when I started praying, I began to feel the water of God's Holy Spirit seep into my bones. (Photo via Freerange Stock)
Feeling Lighter
That's when I realized I wasn't specifically talking to the Lord about anxiety or discouragement. However, I had definitely been feeling discouraged and very worried about various topics. Nevertheless, as I pressed into God and poured my heart out to Him (which took some hours), I started feeling lighter.
My spirit soaked up His anointing like a sponge, and I started to feel like I could breathe freely again, without so many burdens. I realized that I was actually seeing the activation of Psalm 36:9, "For with You is the fountain of life; in Your light we see light" (Psalm 36:9 NKJV).
I had been seeing so much darkness around me. Although I was fighting it, the enemy had been trying to steal my hope and courage. For quite a while, I had been feeling that hopelessness and darkness were encroaching, and I didn't like it, of course. That's why I was desperately petitioning God for His help with all things.
But I realized that although I wasn't specifically praying about feeling better (I was praying about all the things I had been worrying about instead), I was sitting in the presence of the Fountain of Life.
And in His light, I began to see light instead of darkness. I was just sitting in His presence, talking to Him and reading His Word, and praying through various Scriptures and promises. I was coming boldly to the throne of grace and admitting my neediness and total dependence on the Lord.
"Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need." (Hebrews 4:14–16 NKJV)
I was spending time with Him as a friend does, begging Him to draw me closer to Himself, to help me, to anoint me with fresh oil and the new wine of His Spirit. But, because He is the Fountain of Life, He filled me with new life while I prayed, even about other things. And He filled me up anew and afresh with His light, which dispels darkness every time.
In His Light, We See Light
O Beloved, do you need His light to dispel your darkness today? If so, might I challenge you to remember all the times you have sat down to have a serious time with the Lord in prayer, when you came in one way but you went out feeling totally different? When you went in discouraged, but you went out powered up and with your burdens relieved? (Photo via Pixabay)
It's almost like Jesus meant it when He said, "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light" (Matthew 11:28–30 NKJV). Because with Him is the fountain of life. Jesus Christ is life itself. He is life; He exudes life. Life itself flows from Him. And as we sit in His presence and lay our burdens down at His feet, He—the very Fountain of Life—fills us with His life abundant. And as we bask in His light, we will suddenly start seeing THE Light.
His Light Dispels the Darkness
His light will dispel the darkness that threatens to encroach you. His light will make the darkness, chaos, sadness, helplessness, and confusion of the burdens you are facing right now to flee away. And because He is light, we don't have to beg Him for light. All we have to do is sit with Him and rest awhile, because He is the light we need. And as we rest with Jesus, simply being in His light, we will start to see light.
His light will start to soak into your body, soul, mind, and spirit, and it will dispel the darkness. Not because you did anything right or fought the good fight (although, of course, obeying God and fighting the good fight of faith are important), but it is simply in His light that we see light. His light soaks and permeates, and simply being with Him and absorbing His light will make the darkness flee.
O Beloved, isn't that beautiful? I never saw it that way before; I never saw how very simple the application of this verse is.
"For with You is the fountain of life; in Your light we see light." (Psalm 36:9 NKJV)
So, are you tired or discouraged today? Do you find yourself heavily burdened with worries and cares? If so, then perhaps it's time to come away and simply sit with the Fountain of Life, Jesus Christ. Perhaps it's time to rest awhile in His presence and pour all of your burdens and cares out to Him. Perhaps it's time to stare at Him for one hour, or two hours, or three hours, or four—for however long it takes to begin to feel better.
Because with Jesus is the fountain of life. In His light, you will see light. It's that simple. If you will sit with Him and allow His light to soak into your spirit, the darkness will flee, and you will be able to see the light once again.
Do you need to see light today? Will you sit alone with the Fountain of Life, Jesus Christ, in His light?
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Jamie Rohrbaugh
From His Presence
Email:Â Jamie@FromHisPresence.com
Website:Â www.FromHisPresence.com
Jamie Rohrbaugh equips people to walk in the manifest presence of God. She blogs for a global readership at FromHisPresence.com, where she writes about prayer, the prophetic word, living supernaturally, inner healing, and Kingdom wealth. Her podcast, Take Your Territory with Jamie Rohrbaugh, can be found on iTunes and Spotify. Jamie holds a Master's in Biblical Studies from Berea Seminary and is the grateful servant-in-chief of the From His Presence Prophetic Hub in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Check out her FREE ebook, "Praying the Names of God: 555 Biblical Names of God and How to Use Them In Prayer and Worship," on her website.
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