I was on my way home from a fantastic week of ministry when I heard this on the radio.

I’d rather light a match than curse the dark (Rend Collective) 

The line hit me like a ton of lead. I’d been trying to understand my struggle with social media for a while now. I’ve cut my use back lately (well at least most of the time) and in the past week, the busyness of a great week of ministry really helped me with that. Still I wondered why social media affects me the way it does at times. When I heard this line from the Rend Collective song Hallelujah Anyway, it kind of became clear. 

Social media (and the news, etc.) can make me angry, and I don’t want to be angry. I see so many things that are wrong in our world and it makes me want to “curse the dark.” I’m starting to wonder if that is really the best cause of action. After all most of the things I read that anger me come from people who couldn’t care less if I’m angry. So does me being angry about a situation really help? Will it change anything? For the most part, that answer is no.

Some might want to take me to Ephesians 4:26 which says “Be angry and sin not.” And that’s true. I’m not condemning the emotion of anger. It has it’s place, but a little further in the verse it also says, “let not the sun go down upon your wrath: 27 Neither give place to the devil.” The kind of anger I can experience over these things often goes far beyond sundown. I’m not condemning anger, but again, I question the value of my anger. Does it change anything but my mood and my attitude? I think that answer is no, and cursing the dark might be allowing the devil to live rent free in my head, as negativity can follow anger and negativity is the exact opposite of the positivity I desire.

The thing is my head and my heart should have a “No Vacancy” sign. My heart and mind should be filled by the Savior. Am I saying ignore sin and the evil in our world? No, I’m saying why curse the darkness when I can light a match. I can be the light of the world that Jesus called all believers to be. I saw it this week. I got to minister to a bunch of wonderful people with a bunch of other wonderful people. We had struggles from time to time, but it was a very positive experience all the way around, and it was a real joy. We weren’t spending a lot of time cursing the darkness. Instead we were shining the light of the Lord. I agree with Rend Collective. There ma y be a time when I will need to curse the darkness, but I’d rather be a light. After all, anger and cursing don’t overcome darkness, they enhance it. What overcomes darkness is light. 

Remember what Jesus said to us in Matthew 5:14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. Next time you feel like cursing the darkness, maybe it’s time to light a match.