In Your Light Do We See Light

This morning, as I struggled to wake up from my sleep, I decided to turn on the light in my bedroom. Hoping the brightness would jolt me awake, I stared directly at it, thinking that the sharp contrast would force my mind to become alert and active. The light pierced my eyes—it actually burned a little—because my pupils were still adjusted to the darkness.

In that moment, two verses came to mind: “In Your light, we see light,” and “Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”

It struck me how this simple act mirrored the spiritual awakening we experience when encountering Jesus. At first, we live in darkness—lost in sin or complacency. But the moment we choose to seek His light, even if just by turning our gaze toward Him, something begins to change. Just as I had to make the conscious decision to turn on the light in my room, we must also choose to seek the light of Christ. That initial encounter may feel uncomfortable or even painful because we aren’t yet used to His brilliance—but it’s a necessary part of awakening.

I could have stayed in bed, buried in sleep and darkness. Likewise, we can choose to remain spiritually asleep, weighed down and unmotivated, unwilling to expose our souls to the transforming light of Christ. But without that choice—without that first step—we remain in the dark, never allowing our hearts to adjust to His presence.

Later, when I stepped outside, the sunlight hit me with even greater intensity. It reminded me that Jesus meets us in stages. He doesn’t overwhelm us with the fullness of His glory all at once. Instead, He gradually shines brighter and brighter in our lives, preparing us to one day see Him fully—just as if we could look straight into the sun without being burned.

The light of Christ wakes us, changes us, and invites us into deeper clarity and life. But we must first make the choice to turn it on.