The Value of God's Light

Have you ever heard that old saying, “In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king?” It’s one of those phrases that really makes you stop and think. It got me thinking, and I came up with my own version: “In the land of the slaves, the one who is truly free is king.”

And when you get right down to it, isn't freedom what we’re all looking for? That deep, settled feeling of being okay, no matter what’s happening around us.

I see it all the time, and I’ve felt it myself. That little voice that whispers, "If I could just land that dream job, then I'd be free from worrying about the future." Or maybe, "If I could just find my person, I'd be free from this feeling of being alone."

It’s a constant thread in our thoughts, isn’t it?

• Maybe if I had a bit more money, I could stop the endless hustle and finally live the life I see all over my social media feed.

• Maybe if I was a bit more disciplined, a bit more spiritual, I’d be free from all this anxiety.

• Maybe if I just prayed more… went to church more… I’d finally be free.

It really does feel like we're in a battle. And the first thing the enemy always tries to snatch away is our freedom.

But what is this freedom we’re chasing? I'm starting to realize that our definition of freedom—the one we get from the world—and God's definition are worlds apart. We tend to measure freedom by what we can see, by what we can achieve or acquire.

Think about it for a second. If I asked you to list all the things you feel are missing in your life—the things you need to be happy—you could probably name a few things right away. But what if I asked you to list what you already have? It takes a moment to switch gears, doesn't it? That’s so human. We’re wired to see the gaps.

So, let's gently set our own ideas aside and look at what God says freedom is. There’s a verse that cuts right through all the noise:

“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” — 2 Corinthians 3:17

It’s that simple, and that profound. Real freedom isn't something you can earn or buy. It's the presence of God in your life. It’s not about getting everything the world tells you that you need.

Freedom is God. It's having His Spirit with you, because when you have Him, you have everything that truly matters.

There’s a passage in Matthew that feels like a roadmap for this idea:

“The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!” — Matthew 6:22–23 (NKJV)

If freedom is the Spirit of God in our lives, then that feeling of being un-free—that lack of peace, joy, or rest—is a sign that some darkness has crept in.

So when this verse talks about the "lamp," what's it really getting at? I like to think of it as the inner compass of our heart.

Our direction comes from our heart. God is Spirit, so real life starts on the inside. Our heart is our point of connection to Him. When our heart is filled with His Spirit, it becomes this incredible light that guides us through a world that can often feel pretty dark.

This is the light that whispers, "It's okay, take a deep breath. Jesus has already overcome this." It’s the same light that reminds you of that time He came through for you before. It’s the voice that says, "If He gave you strength then, He will surely give you the strength you need to face what's in front of you now."

Honestly, when I find myself spiraling into doubt, worry, fear, or anger, I’ve learned to see it as a gentle warning light on my dashboard. It's a sign that maybe my connection with God isn’t as strong as I think it is. Because those heavy feelings don't come from Him. Where God is, there is peace. There is freedom.

And this doesn't mean life suddenly becomes easy. Not at all. But you see people who have the Spirit of God, and even when their bank account is low or they're walking through a tough season, they have a sense of peace. They still have hope. Why? Because they know God is with them. They trust that even if the answer doesn't come today or tomorrow, He will see them through.

So, what's on your mind today? What's that weight you're carrying? Maybe the real reason we get so tangled up in worry is that our trust in God is still growing. And sometimes, He allows a challenge in our lives to show us where those trust-muscles need a little more exercise.

We say we believe in God, right? So if He’s all-powerful and nothing is impossible for Him, why are we so stressed? Why is there so much fear and anxiety in our hearts?

For me, true freedom is just letting the Spirit of God into my daily life. It's knowing that whatever I'm in, God will see me through it—in His time, not mine. My job isn't to direct God; my job is just to be His child. To listen and obey.

It's in that simple obedience that I find my way. When the verse says, “your whole body will be full of light,” it means your whole life.

This journey is full of traps. The world will try to convince you that your value is in your career, your relationship status, or how good your life looks online. But as humans, we just can't see all these traps on our own. Only God can.

So to navigate it all, I need to listen to Him. He has to be the one telling me, “Go left here. Wait a minute. Okay, now go.” Without that guidance, I know I'm just going to stumble.

Imagine walking a path in pitch-black darkness. No phone, no flashlight, nothing. The path is littered with things meant to trip you up. How could you ever make it? You need the Light.

You need the Light to show you that the world's definition of success is a lie. That chasing money or status will only leave you feeling desperate and vulnerable.

You need the Spirit.

So if you’re holding onto worry or doubt today, do yourself a kindness. Find a quiet moment, open your Bible, and just try to find one verse that gives you permission to be anxious.

If you can’t find one, it's a good sign that darkness has taken up a little too much space in your life. It means you need more of God's Spirit. You need real freedom.

Out there, people are slaves to so many things: to what others think, to looking perfect, to the hustle, to fear, to comparison, to anger, to unforgiveness.

We all need God. We need to be set free. And that's a freedom that no amount of success or money can ever buy.

I pray that God bless His Word in our hearts in the mighty name of Jesus Christ. Amen.