I am convinced we were made for our battles more than our victories, not because we can’t win but because we’ve already won. The key to creation is that nothing that has been made is made lacking purpose because no one makes something they don’t plan to use. Understanding we have a purpose, life beyond ourselves, not only teaches us how to love but it teaches us how to give and how to live.
When you know you have everything you need the journey to receive it is found in identity, not validity; you’re valid by design. So why do we allow obstacles to dictate our position? Does the sun not shine in darkness? The beautiful thing about the sun is that it’s not just a source of light it’s also a consuming fire. Anything that attempts to penetrate the sun is consumed and melted even before entry.
We have to remember that the light we are is also a fire and when we stand firm in our identity what was meant to harm us will help us grow and what has been challenging us will reveal just how amazing we are. We’ve been so focused on being noticed that we’ve quenched our own flames and now life has been kicking our butts. It’s not enough to just want to shine, you have to truly be lit and we don’t wait to be lit, we light it up.
BE A LIGHT
Look for the light and where you can’t find the light be the light. We have to stop waiting for others to do what we know to do. We don’t need permission to do good or to be great we just need the heart that knows it. With all of the tragedy that has been taking place, I asked God where He was and why everything was so crazy. I asked what was the point of life if someone could easily shoot us and take it. I asked why we should even try to overcome if there will always be something trying to stop us. Then I realized something. What we know to do that’s good; that is what we do. The sun isn’t concerned about the amount of darkness or even where its placed in the solar system, it walks in its purpose and by default that’s enough. I think we’ve been so caught up in the war of what’s right and wrong that we’ve actually not been doing anything at all.
We’ve been talking when we need to be living. I’m a believer in Jesus and the power of salvation but even if life ended up being a figment of someone’s imagination I still know what I know and that I must do. Being a light is about having the willingness to illuminate, the courage to divide and the endurance to burn. Being a light isn’t about asking questions as much as it is providing answers. We have to live in a such a way that our lives become an answer to the problems that we see. Most complain or run away but we are the ones who need to run to them. Now I’m not saying go and try to save the world but if every man and woman became a sun where they stand there would be less darkness. If enough people stopped looking for the light and became it, so many more would see.
THE FIRE INSIDE
To be alive is to burn with the fire of our creation. What makes you burn may need to be refined but it will become a key to the doors you find. Most of us are struggling not because what we desire isn’t good but because we have no power. We are walking around un-lit yet asking if its lit. The suns center to Earths center is 1 astronomical unit away in distance which is about 93 billion miles from earth and yet we feel its light and warmth. If the sun only illuminated we would only be able to see but because it’s on fire its heat promotes life. This fire only takes a flame to start.
What in your life has become dormant because you’ve failed to turn on? Do you even know what inspires you any more or are you too busy chasing the flame that gets others noticed? We can’t lose our authenticity because we will lose our fire and If we settle just for being a light we won’t have the fire to consume the fight. Find the things that make your heart move, not just get you likes on Instagram and shape that passion into brush fire of change in the world/your life. You really can make a difference but only if you want to. And maybe you think the world is too big but I wonder if the sun knew its rays could travel 93 billion miles. I think the sun just does what it knows to do, BE and turn on. Its time to do something and that something starts within. Really work on yourself the rest of this year, your heart, habits, mindset, goals/worth ethic and your capacity to love and bit by bit you’ll find your fire and moment to moment it will shape and launch you into the deep. It’s time to get lit!
THE SUNLIFE
Life is about giving. I know we hear this all of the time but we can’t allow whats good to become cliche. In order to give I’m sure you agree you have to have something to give. This makes sense but I think we overlook what we have and therefore don’t give enough. Since most of us feel we don’t have anything special or have enough we wander through life needing to receive. This is why we get depressed if someone doesn’t follow us on Instagram or hires us for the job or notices we’ve been working out or have talent. What was meant to be our chimney has now needed to become our kaleidoscope. What am I saying? I’m saying that you’ll never have space to give until you discover what you have and you’ll never discover it if you’re waiting on someone to give it to you. Whats beautiful is the sun is actually white but because of our atmosphere, it appears yellow, red and sometimes magenta. This is key because it’s not about how you’re seen but the fact that you’re seen as you live out your purpose, not your success/popularity. Success and popularity are about you; your purpose is about what YOU CAN GIVE.
We too often settle for the glory of how we are seen and miss out on the work to just be and help others see. If the sun was just a light we would only see it and not reap from it. If the sun was just a flame we would only suffer its wrath. It is the combination of potential and power that launches its purpose and gives us sunlight and that light propels life on earth; It helps things grow and come alive. Have you been living in a way that your life gives and promotes life or have you been so desperately seeking to feel good about yourself and reach a certain platform that you only take from it? Do you require too much from people? Are you only happy when you’re noticed? Are you constantly manipulating and using people? When was the last time you went the extra mile for someone who didn’t matter or have you reserved all of your hard work only for those who can give you something? One thing I know is if you have to receive in order to give it’s not giving, its an exchange. In as much love that needs isn’t love at all. When you can give without needing anything in return you’ll find you have more than enough to stand proudly today. Give life don’t just seek to reap it. The suns flames have no boundaries yet in its burn creates almost a perfect shape. I think the mystery is in its balance of giving.
SEE
When you look at life do you see what it’s not or what it can be? If you see what it can be you’ll always be motivated to do the work to see it but if all you see is what it’s not you’ll never find a reason why. I started this blog talking about overcoming trials and notice I ended up speaking about GIVING. This is because we are created for our battles, not our victories. We’ve already won so the purpose is to fight. Living beyond your problems isn’t ignoring them its just not stopping at them. Do what you can with what you have and you’ll always have enough even when you feel you can’t anymore.
This is the moment where true stars shine, because it’s night. And even when its day they still shine. The goal of life, for me, has become more than just trying to get to heaven, rather on earth or after this life, but the goal of life is me living out the good I know as best as I can. I don’t have all of the answers and I can’t guarantee my tomorrows but today I know to fight, today I know to love, today I know to overcome and while its day I will try. My identity is found in who I am made to be not what I can gain. I am the sun because my life can bring light, blaze a trial and give life. And guess what, you are a sun too. The sun is simply a larger star. We all have our place to shine and when we do it with intention we have impact beyond self. This is what it means to be alive, this is what it means to be a blessing to creation.
Inspired after I prayed for 3 hours at 5 am disheartened about my friend Donyelle battling cancer, me needing to be a better man and the church shooting in Texas that left 26 people dead.