Casandra Martin

It was the middle of the night and the unfamiliar shadows spooked me. It took me a minute to remember where I was and slow down the beating of my heart. I folded the blankets around my shoulders and tried to lie back down. It didn’t work. The shadows still raced around the walls, drawing my eyes and unsettling my thoughts.

Shadows are created when something stands between a surface and the sun. The light goes around the solid object leaving a dark tracing with just enough form to catch our imaginations and spark our fear. While shadows are real, they do not represent reality. Shadow and substance are not the same thing.

There is a Swedish proverb that says, “Worry often gives a small thing a big shadow.” Too many times I let worry shadow my days. I allow it to cloud my vision, darken my thoughts, and obscure my peace. But the shadow of worry is not a true picture of reality. Worry draws me to focus on what might happen if I can’t control the moment, figure out how to handle the situation, or don’t do the right thing. The reality is that God is sovereign and already prepared to meet whatever needs I will have tomorrow.

It is difficult to deal with a shadow because it has no substance. The only way to put things back into perspective is to turn around and face the Son.

My Jesus Resolution today is to remember that shadows are just shadows. I can let them spook me or I can let them remind me to turn my face toward the Son. The shadow of worry is created when I allow something to stand between me and the Light. When I am tempted to worry today, I am going to worship instead. I am going to praise Him for His power, remember that He is bigger than any problem, and let His Sonshine chase away the shadows.