I am not a jump out of my bed and start singing “Mornings Here” kind of person. I will do everything I possibly can in the dark, just so I don’t have to turn on a light. I cringe in knowing the undesired physical result that will happen once I hit the switch, and immediately the room is illuminated with a bright light. The dark spaces disappear and the groans of my morning’s reality begin.

Have you ever been shown love that made you uncomfortable but was so beautiful that you couldn’t help but receive it? When you are a “self- protector”, such as myself, being shown genuine love can be about as harsh to the heart as the light of a new day is to the eyes. Staying hidden in the shadows of life is comfortable, easy, and safe. The light challenges you to see the world in an array of colors, shapes, and depth. “Wake up, sleeper rise from the dead and Christ will shine on you.” – Ephesians 5:14

Several years ago I received a call from a new friend inviting me over for coffee and some girl time. I kindly accepted the offer and was excited that I was even asked. The night came and as I walked up to the door my heart almost stopped because I began to notice all the cars in her driveway. I wanted so badly to be liked, that I was battling my fear all the way there. The ideas of rejection had already began building wall of lies around my heart. As I entered in, several women were there greeting me, serving me, and were genuinely excited for my appearance. I only thought I was uncomfortable until they decided to present me with “Thank You” gifts….

The back story to this was I had opened up our lake house to them, for a weekend, so they could host a business ministry retreat.

As each gift had been thoughtfully prepared and presented I began to feel the walls of my heart cracking. At this point I was trying so hard to make light-hearted jokes to brush away the moment. Then for the first time ever one of them got up and performed a dance. It was the most uncomfortable I have ever been, but the beauty in her gift was genuine and pure. I was in awe of her grace and courage. This room full of women stirred something within me to WAKE UP from the slumber of my pitifully protected, lonely, safe life. I wanted to be like them! I wanted to know what they knew. I wanted to know how to live a life with a genuine free spirited love.

As a mirror reflects light from a source and then transfers that source of light onto an object, so is God’s love when He shines down on us and we become that reflective source into another dark soul. Those women were that source of God’s bright illuminating love shining onto me that night.

You are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. -1 Thessalonians 5:5  

But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet. For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing. 1 Thessalonians 5:8-11

We are often afraid to submit our lives to God because we are afraid of what He might call us to do, when all He’s asking is for us to be a reflective light of His love to those around us. We just need to WAKE UP.