For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor. No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly.
Psalm 84:1 (ESV)
In my recent book club book, a phrase jumped off the page likening happiness—to swallowing sunshine! I love the concept that sunshine is sunlight uninterrupted by clouds. 1 Timothy 6:16 says God “dwells in unapproachable light” and therefore, light is associated with God and His word, with salvation, with goodness, with truth, with life.
One of the exercises I assign to mentees is to fill in two large heart drawings with an artistic portrayal of how life looks to them in one heart and how it feels to them in the other. I appreciate the effort put into this exercise as individuals evaluate their true sense of wellbeing and happiness. Their willingness to be honest helps me understand if they are currently experiencing sunshine or darkness at the core of their lives.
As you can imagine, sometimes clouds loom and churn—blocking the sunshine. When this happens, it is extremely helpful to bring to the light the hidden pain, brokenness and disappointment hiding under the radar. One woman colored her whole heart black and then added two eyes peeking over the top—a graphic way to display her fear of knowing and being known.
Once individuals see their unembellished condition, they are sincerely motivated to dive into God’s Word to find the hope that resides there. Many times, I have witnessed the power of God’s truth when it is humbly received. Countenances change and the dark clouds are parted. Because of what I have witnessed, I will never discount the power of God’s Word to change a life. The secret is to identify the clouds first—and then help a person make the choice to focus instead on the sunshine of God’s blessing.
How would you portray your heart pictures? Do you believe God bestows favor and honor and all manner of goodness on those He loves? If you do, I cannot guarantee your life will be perfect, but it will be wonderfully reoriented—around the radiant sunshine of desires satisfied, never satiated, but continually renewed. Run toward the sunshine, reach out, grab it and swallow it quickly! Bon appetite!