Recently my friend Paul guided group of us through a Lectio Divina practice on some verses from the book of Isaiah in the Hebrew Bible. The words that resonated for me were:
“Arise, shine, for your light has come.”
What struck me was not just the hopeful beauty of those words, but the context — they were spoken into a time of deep darkness and great struggle. These weren’t lines for an easy season, when all was well. They were words of comfort and inspiration for people on the verge of hopelessness and despair.
As I sat with the passage, a question rose up for me:
What does it mean for me to shine in a troubled world?
I realized how often my spiritual focus is on me — how I might become more content, more effective, more receptive to the Spirit. And, these are important. But Isaiah’s call invited me to flip the perspective. Instead of asking how I can feel supported or renewed, I found myself wondering:
How can my presence make things better for others?
What would it mean for me to be a source of light, to shine — not just to improve my days, but to offer support and warmth for someone else who is struggling or searching?
Shining doesn’t necessarily mean doing something dramatic or grand. Sometimes it’s shifting into kindness when irritation would be easier. Sometimes it’s listening without rushing to fix. Sometimes it’s taking in a neighbor’s Amazon package when their on vacation. Sometimes it’s offering a smile to someone passing in a store.
As I think about it, it’s been my experience that when I extend my inner spiritual work into sharing light with others, I do find more contentment, effectiveness, and spiritual receptivity. It’s as if light, by its very nature, increases when it’s shared.
Isaiah’s words still stand: Arise, shine, for our light has come. Not because we’ve solved every problem or become spiritually impressive, but because light is already within us, given by a Source that never dims. The invitation is simply to let it spill out.
And maybe, just maybe, the darkness is the perfect backdrop for that light to be seen.