How to Cultivate Inner Light

Grounded with Chuck Quinley

I hate election years. I didn’t always feel like this, but since 2016, elections have become a blood sport and all the power of the internet and traditional media is honed to do maximum damage.

Families and friends have become divided. You can lose your job for just saying what you think. It’s never been like this in my lifetime.

I’m not sure what it will take to change it. Changing the behavior of even one other adult is a challenge—unless that adult is me. The question is, “Can I develop an inner source of light and just drive by that guidance throughout life without needing any outside reference?”

That’s what this episode of the newsletter and podcast is about.

The Bible Opens With Darkness in Charge

The Big Story of the Bible opens on a universe bathed in darkness, making life impossible. Nothing can survive, much less thrive.

We are absolutely dependent upon Light for our physical, spiritual, emotional, and intellectual life. Tragically, we cannot produce it.

This episode is about the grace gift of light. In Genesis 1, God walks on the stage and His first words are the command, “Let there be light!” That's when hope enters the story. The power of the darkness is broken and life can now begin.

Light is the central hopeful symbol of the Bible

Genesis 1:3-5 NKJV Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good; and God divided the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. So the evening and the morning were the first day.

What we learn

The immediate thing we learn is that light wins. Even in a tomb of darkness, one match can light your way. Darkness can’t extinguish light. There's nothing the darkness can do to turn itself up and become more dark.

Light defeats darkness instantly.

The Bible introduces the Creator as the champion of life in our universe. He rises up and defeats the darkness in an instant with his own inner light, allowing life to burst forth.

This isn’t the light of the Sun or Moon. (In the narrative, they aren’t created for three more days).

This light is the radiance that comes out of God himself. It is the presence of God bathing the universe. There is no place you can go in the galaxy without being bathed in the Shekinah light of God’s presence. It’s the Creator’s first, and most essential, gift.

David pondered this.

Ps. 139 NKJV

7Where can I go from Your Spirit?Or where can I flee from Your presence?8 If I ascend into heaven, You are there;If I make my bed in [c]hell, behold, You are there.9 If I take the wings of the morning,And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,10 Even there Your hand shall lead me,And Your right hand shall hold me.11 If I say, “Surely the darkness shall [d]fall on me,”Even the night shall be light about me;12 Indeed, the darkness [e]shall not hide from You,But the night shines as the day;The darkness and the light are both alike to You.

Before there anything could live anywhere, the presence of God had to saturate the darkness and weaken its power.

The thought of God’s presence being everywhere to guide, comfort, protect and provide security is one of the great sources of hope for those who are walking in submission with Him.

God glows and so do his people

In the Bible, everyone who encounters God faces an overwhelming radiance as bright as lightning. Those who spend time in an encounter with God glow from the experience. One way to get more of God’s light is to hang out with those who glow.

There’s so much more to say. The podcast is a better place to share it. Hope you’ll give it a listen so you can hear the answer to the question of whether we can, in fact cultivate inner light that guides us without additional help.

And so, dear friend, I hereby deliver to you this week’s video podcast.

This substack is very convenient. You can watch the video above or on YouTube. You can also listen to the audio version on your computer or on your phone through Spotify or Apple Podcasts or by clicking this link.

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Discussion

This week, let’s read 1 John every day and post what we get from it in the chat. Everyone who has subscribed has access to the chat box. See you there!

Walk in the Light!

Chuck

YouTube Version

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chuckquinley.substack.com