Christ: The Light That Shines in Darkness

Christ: The Light That 

Shines in Darkness

Excerpts from a talk by Sharon Eubank

First Counselor in the Relief Society General Presidency, 2019

Jesus Christ. 

He is the source of our power, the Light and Life of the World.

 

Without a strong connection to Him, 

we begin to spiritually die.

 

Knowing that, 

Satan tries to exploit the worldly pressures we all face. 

He works to dim our light, 

short-circuit the connection, 

cut off the power supply, 

leaving us alone in the dark. 

These pressures are common conditions in mortality, 

but Satan works hard to isolate us 

and tell us 

we are the only one experiencing them.

When tragedies overtake us, 

when life hurts so much we can’t breathe, 

when we’ve taken a beating like the man on the road to Jericho 

and been left for dead, 

Jesus comes along and 

pours oil into our wounds, 

lifts us tenderly up, 

takes us to an inn, 

looks after us. 

To those of us in grief, 

He says, 

“I will … ease the burdens 

which are put upon your shoulders, 

that even you 

cannot feel them upon your backs, … 

that ye may know of a surety that 

I, the Lord God, 

do visit my people 

in their afflictions.” 

Christ heals wounds.

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland said:   

“It is not intended that we run faster than we have strength. … 

But [in spite of] that, 

I know … many of you run [very,] very fast 

and that [the] energy and emotional supply 

sometimes registers close to empty.” 

When expectations overwhelm us, 

we can step back and ask Heavenly Father what to let go of. 

Part of our life experience is learning what not to do. 

But even so, sometimes life can be exhausting. 

Jesus assures us,

 “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, 

and I will give you rest.”

Christ is willing to join with us in the yoke 

and pull in order to lighten our burdens. 

Christ is rest.

Our mortal brains are made to seek understanding and meaning in tidy bundles. 

I don’t know all the reasons why the veil over mortality is so thick. 

This is not the stage in our eternal development where we have all answers. 

It is the stage where we develop our assurance (or sometimes our hope) 

in the evidence of things not seen. 

Assurance comes in ways that aren’t always easy to analyze, 

but there is light in our darkness.

 Jesus said,

 “I am the light, and the life, and the truth of the world.” 

For those seeking truth, 

it may seem at first to be the foolish claustrophobia

 of windows made of stone. 

But with patience and faithful questions, 

Jesus can transform our windows of stone 

to glass and light. 

Christ is light to see.

Ether  4:12

12 And whatsoever thing persuadeth men to do good is of me; 

for good cometh of none save it be of me. 

I am the same that leadeth men to all good; 

he that will not believe my words will not believe me—

that I am; 

and he that will not believe me will not believe the Father who sent me. 

For behold, 

I am the Father, 

I am the light, 

and the life, and 

the truth of the world.

Jesus said, 

“I am the light [that] shineth in darkness, 

and the darkness comprehendeth it not.” 

That means no matter how hard it tries, 

the darkness cannot put out that light. 

Ever. 

You can trust that His light will be there for you.

I testify you are beloved. 

The Lord knows how hard you are trying. 

You are making progress. 

Keep going. 

He sees all your hidden sacrifices 

and counts them to your good and the good of those you love. 

Your work is not in vain. 

You are not alone. 

His very name, Emmanuel, means

 “God with us.” 

He is surely with you.

Doctrine and Covenants 6:21.

21 Behold, I am Jesus Christ, 

the Son of God. 

I am the same that came unto mine own, 

and mine own received me not. 

I am the light which shineth in darkness, 

and the darkness comprehendeth it not.

Doctrine and Covenants 88:63

63 Draw near unto me and I will draw near unto you; 

seek me diligently 

and ye shall find me; 

ask, 

and ye shall receive; 

knock, 

and it shall be opened unto you.