Not Just A Sun Rise

I woke up earlier than usual & felt nudged to go watch the sun rise. By the time I got outside, it was light but the sun hadn’t made its full appearance. I noticed that I could see the details of the trees that had light on them but not the trees in the shadows. I also thought that, with my eyesight getting worse, I see better with glasses. I couldn’t help but wonder: What is God showing me through this?

From a distance, all the trees in the shadows looked the same. But as I stepped off the mowed path and walked closer, I began to notice differences: oaks, cedars, even a dead tree I hadn’t seen before. And the closer I got, the more details appeared—even in the healthiest trees, I saw dead branches mixed among the living ones.

I stared as the sun crested over a nearby roofline. Beautiful. Yet when I looked directly at it, I couldn’t see at all. I turned. With the sun at my back, I could see clearly, but it also cast dark shadows on what was ahead and didn’t illuminate me.

I bow my head and turn back toward the sun. My face is illuminated, and I can see without shadow. Yet because of the glare and my lowered gaze, I can only see what’s directly in front of me. How interesting.

It struck me: in the posture of prayer, God illuminates us so others can see Him. He lights the path, though often only a step at a time. And as the sun continues to rise higher, the path ahead becomes clearer.

Thinking about this in terms of God’s plans and the dreams He places in our hearts:

• At the beginning (early morning): the path is hard to see. Many things look good and it’s often difficult to see the right path. We just have to keep walking, moving closer to God as we do.
• As the sun first peaks over the horizon: we start to notice what’s alive and what’s not. The path becomes a little more clear but we must keep moving forward to see the details.
• When the sun is up but still low: the easiest way to see clearly may be to turn our back to the sun. But turning our back to God takes us further from Him. Instead, we bow our heads, let His light shine on our faces, and walk step by step on the part of the path He illuminates.
• As the sun rises higher: we are able see further and more clearly, but the details are still glared in the distance. Keep praying and walking toward Him.
• When the sun is at its highest: we can see far and even run. But that doesn’t mean obstacles disappear—so we stay alert, watchful of things in the shadows that might trip us up.
• As the sun sets: shadows fall differently, and the path may grow dim. Sometimes we need extra light. Sometimes we simply pause, wait, and trust the sun to rise again. It always rises again.

As I squinted to see something in the distance, I was reminded of my glasses—sitting in my purse, not on my nose. The Bible is like my glasses—it can help us see things more clearly, but only if we use it.

And what about a flashlight? I don’t want to walk in the dark without one, but it only helps if I know the direction to aim it. The advice of others might be like a flashlight: helpful when pointed in the right direction, but dangerous if it’s shining the wrong way. We must pay attention to where it’s aimed.

As I’m in the trenches of trying to get a business off the ground, I needed that reminder: to keep taking the steps I can see, to bow my head, and to keep walking. And also the reminder that sometimes the “easy way” is turning away from God and His plans—and that path only leads in the wrong direction. When I choose instead to keep my face toward His light, I can trust that He’ll guide each step—even if I can only see the path right in front of me.