Day 55 (Year 2)

Walking in the Night Leads to Stumbling  

Jesus said, “But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.” (John 11:10 NASB)

Walking in the night makes stumbling likely. Jesus implies that if someone does not walk in the night, he or she will likely not stumble. In Scripture, “walking” often symbolizes one’s habitual conduct and usual way of decision-making. When believers are in darkness, the most vital issue is to wait for and seek God’s light, avoid danger, and refrain as much as possible from doing influential actions according to our wills. Similarly, if a person’s eyesight is impaired and vision is unclear, it is wiser to make cautious decisions. At that time, the priority is to restore vision and regain clarity. As some spiritual traditions, counseling principles, and pastoral wisdom all suggest, when a person is in emotional depression or spiritual weakness, it is best to avoid making major life decisions. 

In scriptural context, the “light” today refers to Jesus Himself. When we have His presence, permission, and blessing, our actions will not go astray or lead to stumbling. Today’s teaching suggests a proper order of actions. Some act rashly without waiting for God’s light and end up stumbling. But when we first seek His illumination and receive His approval, even the same action can lead to a much better outcome. In my experience, when two people commit similar mistakes, sometimes the unbeliever appears to suffer fewer consequences, while the believer sometimes faces severe discipline. At other times, both face similar consequences. Thus, we must focus on seeking God’s light and abandon the habit of acting in darkness. We should also avoid walking alongside those who persist in darkness, lest we be dragged down.

If you find yourself—or someone close to you—afraid of taking risks and preferring only to remain in familiar surroundings, it may be worth examining whether you or others are walking in darkness or whether the eyes of the heart are impaired. While handling daily responsibilities is necessary, what is even more crucial for those in darkness is to see God’s light. Therefore, even in times of comfort and security, we need to actively seek Jesus and receive His light to safeguard our lives. We need to ask Him to heal our spiritual eyesight so that we can see Him clearly and not stumble in any way. Finally, recalling the earlier discussion about those who light their own torches to illuminate their path, can they avoid stumbling? According to Jesus’ teaching, they will ultimately stumble as well.

Reflection questions:

1) Do you make it a habit to avoid influential decisions during seasons of emotional or spiritual weakness? Why?  

2) Before making decisions, do you habitually ask the Lord Jesus to shine His light or make your spiritual eyesight sound, and then wait to follow His guidance? Why or why not?