How Bright is Your Light?

Hi and welcome to Brighter and Brighter, my name is Brenda, and I’ve created this blog and a corresponding YouTube Channel to share my testimony of Jesus Christ and His gospel.  I have been healed and blessed by living the gospel of Jesus Christ and I want to share this because it has made me a happier, better person.

The question for the day is, “How Bright is your light?”  When I was around 18 years old, I received a sure testimony that Jesus Christ is our Savior and that He lives through the power of the Holy Ghost.  It filled my body with love and light, and it changed my life. I became more sensitive to what I watched, read, and listened to. I became aware of things from my past that I wanted to repent of, and then I did.  I wanted to be a better disciple of Christ and keep His commandments and live worthy of the Spirit. My life was bright and happy at this time.

For a few years in my life after I had my first two children, I felt overwhelmed, stuck, and depressed.  And then I felt guilty for feeling depressed since I knew logically that I was very blessed. I felt guilty for not being the wife and mother I believed my wonderful family deserved.  I hated myself, I hated my life, and I wondered what was wrong with me. The gospel was the plan of happiness, right? I wondered why, if I was reading scriptures, praying, going to church and the temple, why did I feel so unhappy?   This was a dark time for me.

So I’ve been on both sides of the spectrum, and now I’m somewhere in the middle.  I’m not at a dark point in my life, but I’m also not as bright as I know I can be, and I’d like to change that. And I invite YOU to take this journey with me.  So ask yourself, how bright is your light? Would you say you are happy, calm, and confident most days? Or are you frustrated, worried, overwhelmed, resentful, or depressed?

I want those of you who are overwhelmed and depressed and worried to know that there is HOPE.  There is nothing wrong with you. This is just part of the human experience we all signed up for, and being a human means there will always be “opposition in all things.” (2 Nephi 2:11)  No matter what’s going on in your life, no matter how hard it is, “you have not traveled beyond the reach of divine love. It is not possible for you to sink lower than the infinite light of Christ’s Atonement shines.” (Jeffrey R Holland)

In John 8:12, Jesus says “I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.”  This doesn’t mean we won’t experience darkness in our lives. But light is stronger than darkness; even a small night light can be seen in a dark room. His light will help us to overcome the darkness we experience.  

He also says in 2 Nephi 10:14, “I will be a light unto them forever, that hear my words.” If we want more of God's light in our lives, we can start by reading and studying his words found in the scriptures.

In D&C 93:28 it says “He that keepeth his commandments receiveth truth and light, until he is glorified in truth and knoweth all things.”  So we read his word and then we keep his commandments to receive truth and light. We try to implement what we read and figure out how what was written so long ago can apply to our lives now.  

In D&C 50:23-24, it says “that which doth not edify is not of God, and is darkness.  That which is of God is light; and he that receiveth light, and continueth in God, receiveth more light; and that light groweth brighter and brighter until the perfect day.”  I think we’re all living below our privileges. God wants to give us revelation and inspiration for our lives, but if we’re overcome by the darkness, or becoming apathetic and lazy with our spirituality, we aren’t in a place to receive what He has to offer.    

There will always be a battle between light and darkness within you.  It reminds me of the story of the two wolves. One is fighting for good, light, faith, truth, love, hope, humility, kindness, forgiveness, compassion, etc.  And the other is fighting for evil, darkness, anger, regret, guilt, resentment, hate, etc. And in the story the question is asked, “which one will win?” And the answer is, “The one you feed.”  That’s the one that becomes stronger and that will dominate the other. Which wolf do you most regularly feed? How bright is your light?

I hope that no matter where we are, that we will determine to feed the light and the good within us, and to overcome the darkness in our lives.  I hope that together we can grow in the light, “brighter and brighter until the perfect day.”

Jeffrey R Holland

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2012/04/the-laborers-in-the-vineyard?lang=eng

Photos by: Burak K, Kat Jayne, and rawpixel.com from Pexels.com, and LDS Media Library