Noticing the Darkness

At work on Monday, I was so focused on my computer and the emails and tasks I was working on that I didn’t even notice how dark it had gotten when 5:00 PM hit and it was time to leave.  It seemed to come out of nowhere, but it was only because I hadn’t noticed the gradual changing of the sky.  I wasn’t looking out the window or paying attention, even though I should have known how dark it would be because of clocks being turned back over the weekend.  A different kind of darkness can slip into our lives in the same way.  If we are not paying attention, or remaining alert and mindful, it is easy for darkness to seep into our lives without us noticing.

Everything we watch, listen to, and surround ourselves with can have an impact on us.  Everything we take in on a daily basis can affect our thoughts, and furthermore, our actions.  When we consume anything that is contrary to Christ and the Gospel, it leads us to tolerate and accept evil and sin.  We may find ourselves brushing it off as no big deal.  But it is a huge deal.  Because when we tolerate and accept the evil and sin in our culture, and within our own lives, we grow further away from Christ.

How many times have you watched a TV show that you probably shouldn’t have been watching?  And maybe you tried to justify it by telling yourself, “it’s just a show” or “it’s just for entertainment.”  Have you ever been a part of a conversation with a group of people that involved gossip or disrespecting someone’s reputation?  Maybe it was easier to not walk away or end the conversation because you wanted to fit in.  These are just a few examples of the many ways we can allow darkness into our lives.  Seemingly small choices, such as these, are choices that people often do not realize are impacting them negatively.

Darkness is strong and powerful and can easily overtake us.  But the good thing is, Christ and His light are stronger.  In every choice we make, we must pay attention and remain alert so as to notice what is around us and what we are taking in and how it affects us and our relationship with Him.
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May we all take time to more carefully examine our choices.  Are they pulling us into the darkness or are they drawing us more closely to Christ and His light?