But all things become visible when they are exposed by the light, for everything that becomes visible is light. For this reason it says, “Awake, sleeper, And arise from the dead, And Christ will shine on you.” (Ephesians 5:13-14)

Have you ever turned on the light first thing in the morning only to be surprised about what you see in the mirror? As we wake up for the day, sometimes we can be surprised with the mark on our face from how we were laying our head on our hand or hair that is particularly disheveled. What’s interesting is that before we turned the light on and looked in the mirror, that is how we looked. The light didn’t change reality, it helped us see it more clearly. When things are exposed by the light, it can be alarming at first. But the clarity is a gift because we can no longer live in denial as we had before.

When Christ shed His light on our lives, our secret sins and their grip on us are made visible. We are exposed for the good, the bad, and the ugly. But for those in Christ, we have no reason to be afraid. Like waking up in the morning and becoming aware of the ways we need to get ready for the day, we can receive this light of Christ to awaken the parts of us that were sleeping and bring those things that were harming us into the light. Christ’s light not only exposes what is wrong but shows us a new way forward following Him and being changed by Him. As we start to reflect on our goals for the new year, we can invite Christ’s light to shine on even the parts of our life we are most ashamed of knowing that His light will not only come with awareness of what is wrong but also will be received with grace as He shows us what in our lives needs to change.

• What are some of the parts of your life that you have had more hidden? What has been scary about getting it exposed?
• What are some of the benefits you have seen of Christ’s light? What are some areas of your life that still need to be shaped by Christ’s light?
• Pray and invite God to expose the parts of your life He is still wanting to form with His light.