In the shadows

“Where life brings you shadows remember that means there is light.”

I recently did some off-roading in search of the yellow aspens of Colorado.  As much as I love shade on a hot day I found the shadows to be the hardest roads to navigate because they were the hardest to see what the road conditions were like.  It was those shadowed spots that required slower speeds and lots of trust for the unknown of what the tires might find beneath the shadows.  It’s interesting that something so refreshing in other circumstances can also be the most unsettling and blinding.  So many things in life feel shadowed and unknown.  They require slower speeds and more trust.  While the road I drove was hard to see at spots I had seen other cars coming and going and so I knew that I could trust the road.  Whatever shadows life brings we can trust the road is taking us somewhere for behind every shadow there is light.  Slow down, trust the light, and enjoy the ride.  

“Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.”

James 1:17 NASB

Even in scripture shadows have conflicting representation.  While we can find rest in the shadows it is also the shadows that bring deception and trials.  James is encouraging believers to persevere in trials knowing the goodness of our God.  He is the Father of light, except in His Light there is no shifting shadow.  He won’t deceive us.  He is constant and true in His goodness.  So then no matter what shadows we walk through, no matter how many pot holes lie unseen in the shadows we can trust His goodness to see us through.  We can trust Him to show us the way through every shadowed road knowing He is a good God, giving good gifts to His children.  If you can’t see any gifts remember that behind the shadow there is light, His light there to guide you through every shadow.    

Check out this song, Hidden by United Pursuit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqa8O1ktxk8

“Now I am hidden, in the safety of Your love

I trust Your heart and Your intentions

Trust You completely, I’m listening intently

You’ll guide me through these many shadows”