How you can be light, now more than ever
End of 2021. Police officers checking the QR code of guests in the café. Pictures of demonstrators. Horrific news of full intensive care units. One headline after another in the news. Omicron. Chaos. Confusion.
And all these topics come to mind as soon as you open your eyes, the radio, the newspaper or the mobile phone app in the morning. Your heart gets heavy first thing in the morning.
It's not in our hands. That scares us. Unfortunately, we humans react in such a situation in such a way that we are reluctant to face the fear. Then we need an outlet for our fear. We look for a way out so that we don't feel that what is happening hurts. The best and quickest way to do this is to find someone else to blame.
Each accuses the other: "You're partly to blame because..."
We are experiencing this first-hand: where there is darkness, hatred, destruction, illness and lack of freedom, there is a lack of light, love, healing, restoration and freedom. Where there is darkness, there is no light.
I don't have enough fingers to point at everyone who could be to blame - Kerstin Hack
Yes, it is. It also pains me a lot that I don't have control over developments at the moment. It doesn't feel good when the world is falling apart at the seams. When you feel that there's nothing you can do.
How are you feeling about the current situation? Are you asking yourself: What can I do? Are you experiencing unrest and discord? What is spreading more in your heart right now: hopeful light or heavy darkness? Let's find peace for our own hearts together today.
Light or darkness?
From Shield citizens It is said that they carried darkness in large sacks into a room that was too bright for them. That's silly, of course.
Darkness and light do not fight against each other. Darkness is absolutely inferior to light. As soon as a light source is brought into the darkness, the darkness is immediately displaced: at the speed of light. By the way, that's 300,000 km/s. Isn't that crazy? Light breaks through the darkness instantly and at lightning speed. The effect can be seen, felt and experienced in an instant. Light is invincible.
To be honest, I don't think it makes much sense to constantly deal with the darkness.
An artist once expressed this beautifully. He was asked to design a prayer room in which people could pray around the clock. When the pastor saw the finished work, he was shocked: the whole room - doors, ceilings, walls - was painted pitch black. From top to bottom.
The artist explained his concept to him: "The world is dark. Every prayer, every request to God to intervene, every loving action brings light into the darkness. Here is white chalk. People who come here can use it to write their prayers on the walls." After a few weeks, there were words of blessing everywhere. The room was bright and white.
Peace for your own heart
Instead of focussing on where there is darkness, it is better to ask yourself how light can come to where there is darkness.
So I don't point my fingers at the supposedly guilty, but take my hand back and place it on my heart. Firstly, I allow light to enter my heart. What do I need to find peace in this situation?
Do the same and ask yourself what you need:
- The latest figures and statistics?
- Looking for good ways to protect myself in the best possible way?
- Nice moments to calm down for a moment?
- Change of perspective?
- The trust that my life is still wonderfully protected by good powers?
- ...
Perhaps it will also help you to write down all the stressful and beautiful things first. There is so much going on in your head. That's why it can be extremely helpful to simply write down what is difficult at the moment. Having it on paper ensures that it comes out from the inside, where it is a burden. This creates a bit of distance and the opportunity to look at the stressful things.
Symbolism of light
I am so grateful that it is Advent. The symbolism of light characterises the customs of Advent. Every Sunday in Advent, the next candle is lit. It gets brighter from Sunday to Sunday. The burning candles light up the room and my heart.Light of calm and peace in Advent
The symbolism of the candlelight is interpreted in various ways. The most original meaning is that the candlelight represents the joy and expectation of the birth of Jesus Christ: The "Light of the world", in the Bible also "Prince of Peace"In the Bible, Jesus says about himself: "I am the light of the world; he who follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life" (John 8:12). Verses like this bring peace to my heart.Switch on a light
I hope that you too will not have to repress pain by accusing yourself or others during these Christmas days, but that you will find deep peace. Perhaps this daily ritual can help you right now:An Advent ritual
When you open your eyes in the morning over the next few days, light a candle instead of the radio, the news, your mobile phone... Find and consciously create moments of peace. If you have an Advent wreath, you can light three candles now. Let the candlelight penetrate and displace the darkness. Look at the flickering of the seemingly inconspicuous and small flames and how invincible they are, and if you like, you can pray or practise the exercise of writing down (the beautiful and stressful things). Feel what the candlelight does to you:- Where do your thoughts wander?
- How is your heart?
- How do you go about your day afterwards and how do you meet people?
Faith & trust and Rest & regeneration are two elements of the 8+1 elements of life that help me to find peace in these uncertain and hectic times.
Be a light of peace yourself
I have decided: I don't want to blame others for the current misery and point the finger at them, because that robs me of the peace and quiet that I need so much for times like these.
Martin Luther King says: "Darkness cannot drive out darkness. Only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can."
History teaches us that it has never helped to fight hate with hate, anger with anger and darkness with darkness. That leads nowhere.
Even right now, it doesn't help to point the finger at others. It won't get you or them anywhere and it won't solve the problems we are currently facing.
You can decide how you want to treat people (even those with a different opinion): Appreciative or belittling. Even if not much is in your hands, it is.
Even if you don't like a certain situation, way of thinking or approach, you can still react lovingly and appreciatively. And through your manner and choice of words, you can bring hope, courage and calm to the people around you who are currently in the dark - even if you don't agree with them. In this way, you can be light.
Every loving action brings light into the darkness.
When you are light, you also illuminate those around you. It doesn't matter whether your lighting power is that of a candle or a construction spotlight. When you shine, you shine and cannot be overlooked in the dark.
Of course, this is only possible if you have peace and tranquillity that can radiate from you.
I held a webinar on how you can find inner peace.
"Coming to rest. Three practical ways."
I'll explain to you how you can become calm when everything inside you is in turmoil.
Today I have two of the 8+1 elements of life from my Swing-concept that you need for a strong, balanced life.
In my online life training "LEO. Living strong as a lion" I will teach you how to integrate all 8+1 into your life so that you become strong and flourish.
I invite you to find out more about LEO and join us in 2022 - so that you don't miss out on life, but can enjoy it to the full and make the most of it.
Find out more here: LEO
