This morning I noticed the shadows on the road where I walk.  Today the temperature is in the 60’s and the wind is blowing steady and strong. Most of the time shadows remain stationary, but because these particular shadows are made by trees, the shadows are moving as the wind blows the trees. The position of the sun or the time of day also changes where the shadows are.

The “winds” of life are constantly changing. Sometimes they bring shadows into our lives, seeming to keep us there for days, weeks, months, or even years. We may feel as though we are walking through “the valley of the shadow of death” (Psalm 23:4 NKJV). But as someone has said, there cannot be a shadow if there is no light.

In the natural world we can easily move from the shadows into the sunlight in just a few steps. In daily life sometimes situations can change just as easily, but not always. We may have to search to find the light we need to get us out of the shadows. Psalm 27:1 (NKJV) says “the Lord is my light” and Psalm 119:105 (NKJV) says “Your word is . . . a light unto my path”. Just as the shadows move with the light of the sun, the “shadow times” of our lives can brighten with the help of God and His Word.

Another thought about the shadows and the temperature is this. Today the shadows were cool and the sun brought a welcome warmth. However, when the temperature is warmer, we seek the coolness that the shade provides. In the same way, our outlook or perspective, our “temperature” at a given time, can affect the way we react and respond to life’s shadows.

Just as wind and light affect the shadows in the natural world, the wind of the Holy Spirit and the light of God’s love can bring us out of the shadows and help us live daily in the light.