What is My Light?
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~4 min read
“This little light of mine, I’m going to let it shine. Let it shine, all the time, let it shine.” It’s a familiar hymn sung all over the world. But what is the “light” being referred to here? What is “this little light of mine”?
Since I started a company called “Well Lit Soul”, I thought it would be useful to articulate what I mean by “inner light”, “shine brightly”, and anything related to a “well lit soul”. As I set out to write this post, I started reading, digging, and peeling back layers and I quickly realized I can (and will) spend the rest of my life learning and understanding what God tells us about light. It’s an incredibly vast topic, and to reduce it to one concept would minimize all of its meaning and power. To give you an idea, some of the things I know about light are:
God is light: John 1:4-5, 9
Our soul/spirit produces light: Matthew 5:14-16
The light of our spirit comes from God living within us (fellowship with Him): 1 John 1:5-9
Our light shines by representing God externally: Philippians 2:15
Light symbolizes truth, righteousness, holiness, and more: 2 Corinthians 4:1-6
And we will spend much more time unpacking what the bible says about light. But in this moment, when I think about “this little light of mine” I think about the fire of my spirit. The glow of my soul that is a direct reflection of the state of my spiritual well-being. When I nourish myself with light (God and His word), my spirit will shine and brighten the dark spaces around me. Luke 11:35-36 says, “Therefore take heed that the light which is in you is not darkness. If then your whole body is full of light, having no part dark, the whole body will be full of light, as when the bright shining of a lamp gives you light.”
At the same time, if I allow darkness in or even make room for things that emit a dim or dull light, the strength of my own light can suffer. I spent the last year learning and reflecting on what fuels my fire and what hinders it. I will share those over time, but my primary takeaway is that I have to actively work to maintain the strength of my flame and keep it burning at a steady rate. Because when the highs and lows of life come my way, I need the peace that surpasses all understanding to keep my light going strong (Philippians 4:4-7).
Therefore, the work of Well Lit Soul is all about nourishing and nurturing our spiritual light so we can shine brightly from the inside out. Learning what sparks and dims our light so we can respond accordingly. And I say “we” because this is a communal effort. So often our walk with God can feel isolating. And while it is an individual walk, the hope is that we can walk side by side with one another, supporting and encouraging each other along the way.
So, when I ask you “how is your light” this is what I mean. And when I ask, I am making space for you to answer with sincerity because I genuinely want to know. That way, we can support each other in our spiritual nourishment and well-being (Matthew 5:15-16).
Connection Question: What would you say the inner light is? How would you describe or define it? Bonus points if you have a scripture to support your answer! Leave a comment and let me know. I’d love to connect with you about it.
