“If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.” – 1 John 1:10
It is ironic that individuals engraved by sin become unable to see their sin and have little sense of how perilously they walk. One of the most pernicious effects of sin is that sin carries its own blindness. The more the soul sins, the less he is aware of the darkness in which he walks. The soul becomes less accustomed to the light, grows more used to ‘seeing’ in the darkness – believing even that the darkness is light (enough). Eventually the soul becomes like the Gerasene demoniac who lived amid tombs and wandered the night screaming and gashing himself (Matthew 5:1-20).
It isn’t difficult to see the signs of this violence and rage in our society today. Even now we see the darkness of Hell.
But, God illuminates every inch of our beings. His light shows us the truth. The light of God is glorious but can be painful. When the light of God shines on us, we are raised up in joy. We understand what are the beauty and goodness. We see clearly the truth of sin and evil. We see sin clearly for what it is – the lies of sin are transparent in the light of God.
Those who have and live in this light are justly and very appropriately frightened of falling into the darkness. Especially the soul who felt that darkness firsthand.
Ever notice that things you see as sin now, once was nothing of thought? Awareness of the light exposes one to more sin in a soul’s life. That is because the closer the soul moves toward the light of God, the stronger the pure light of God becomes. It pierces ever more deeply into the crevices of our heart. We see more clearly the darkness within us. This lead the desirous soul to further seek the light of God and draw ever more into this blazing brilliance.
So, I say, Come Holy Spirit, shine Your Holy Light upon me. Illumine my soul that I may be aware of every spot of darkness within and every sin that lies hidden in my soul. Make me aware of the sinner that I am, that I may push forward in honest awareness of my sin and need for my Savior.