I’ve always loved the colour and sparkling spectacle of fireworks, vibrant against the night sky’s dark canvas; the anticipation of aerial theatre in the crackle and fizz of explosions; the quiet effervescent excitement of a waiting audience, eyes raised heavenwards. Yet, the show is short lived, gone too soon- and all we are left with is the remnant of the evenings drizzle, the smell of gunpowder and fond memories…
How I long to shine and sparkle in my daily life like the vibrancy of fireworks against the dark night sky!
Is it wrong to desire this? After all, Christ himself tells us that, as his children, we are “lights of the world, and that we are to let our light shine before others.”
But often, we can feel far from sparkly, ground down by the difficulties of life. So, how can we rediscover the sparkle within us; the things that light us up, bringing joy and smiles?
Our natural sparkle may often feel hidden, but it is good to remember that it is actually innate, created by our unique God-given joy, faith and strength within us, meaning there is less pressure to achieve or be concerned that our “sparkle” is reliant on anything we have to do. Our light is not meant to dazzle with our own achievements, but quietly sparkle, shine and show the light of Christ through all we do. We are made to shine by doing the things that bring us joy and bring light to others.
Rockets shoot upwards, exploding with cascading light to pierce the darkness.
Life is full of difficulties, and I don’t know about you, but I often find it can be hard to rise above the noise and chaos of earthly life in our own strength.
Scripture tells us “But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength; they will soar on wings like eagles.” Isaiah 40:31
Lifting our hearts in prayer and worship daily, as a spiritual practice, can provide a “launch pad” to rise above the chaos of life, igniting our hearts to set our sights on God, rather than earthly troubles.
The central pin of the wheel is pivotal to the Catherine wheel’s spiralling fiery display…too loose and it comes free, unpredictable and potentially dangerous. Too tight, and the wheel cannot spin to create its pyrotechnic pirouettes.
Have you ever felt in a complete spin; your mind going round in circles, or that part of your life is spinning out of control? It is especially at times like this, that it’s so important to stay grounded in our faith, anchored firmly in Christ. He does not pin us down nor allow us to veer off course.
“I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.” says Psalm 16:8
Building a rhythm of reading Scripture alongside living a life of gratitude can keep our soul centred and safe in the eye of the storm even when circumstances whirl around us.
When life gets tricky, we often turn to people we know to be steadfast who provide a steadying influence in our lives. Their constancy in faith and hope, even in times of hardship, waiting or testing through illness or painful life events, steadies us, too, providing us with strength to go on.
“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” Romans 12:12
When we persevere in prayer and steadfast faith, we build God given strength to support others. Each small, faithful act has the potential to build to a burst of colour that lights up the life of another.
Sparklers hold such wonder for us all. They don’t match the magnificence of skyward borne displays, but many of us hold fond memories of childhood wonder in the beauty and radiance of swirling hand held simple sparklers.
So often we search for the big, bold gestures in our lives and miss the simple, radiant joy in daily living. There is real light in the little things…a kind word, a smile, a prayer whispered into a busy day, appreciation of a welcome coffee, a small daisy growing through the crack in a wall.
“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” Philippians 4:4
Golden fountains pour forth streams of glorious golden fire, but it is a short-lived spectacle. Conversely, our God is one of abundance, freely blessing us with his grace. We are designed to live from that abundant overflow of grace and love, freely sharing all we have been given- offering forgiveness, blessings, encouragement and love from the abundance that God has poured into us.
“Whoever believes in me… rivers of living water will flow from within them.” John 7:38
Each time we hear the distinctive sound of the release of a large firework, there is great anticipation as our eyes scan the skies for evidence of that beautiful burst of colour that lights up the dark night. We wait for the blossoming sparks to cascade chrysanthemum blooms across the sky.
Likewise, in our lives, particularly in difficult seasons, we often wait impatiently, for something beautiful to emerge from the darkness. With God’s light in us, as we trust His timing, we can be assured of our blossoming and blooming when we trust and surrender ourselves to him.
“For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ made his light shine in our hearts.” 2 Corinthians 4:6
“Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him” Psalm 37:7
There is always a grand finale at the end of every firework display with a barrage of multiple colours blossoming and blooming across the skies. Such a spectacle is only possible with multiple fireworks to create a cohesive extravaganza. When we shine together, each sparkle of individual lives creates impact. Together, we can achieve so much more. For we are created for community to both illuminate the world more brightly and celebrate together.
“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.” Hebrews 10:24–25
The bright streak of a comet lingers long after it passes. So, when we live our lives prayerfully in and through our faith, being the person God made us to be and shining the natural light we have been given, we can help to provide a lasting impression of God’s faith and love. We are to live with eternity in mind, allowing our light to point others to Jesus, long after we are gone.
We are designed to shine for Gods glory. So, yes, it is right to embrace our God-given sparkle, quietly shining His light through cultivating a quiet presence with him.
“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure… It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be?”
quote from Marianne Williamson’s 1992 book, A Return to Love.
So, be confident to sparkle and shine your God-given light, lighting up this dark world, for the glory of God.
