Such a poignant song, ‘Candle in the Wind’ speaks of brief moments in time others share with us. How they burn brightly for a while, and then they leave, taking their light with them. When my husband died, the brevity of life hit me hard. I had lost other family members, friends, and unborn children, but this was my best friend, my soul mate. He had shared the load of those other losses, but he could not share this one. At his service, I gave a eulogy encouraging others to embrace their loved ones. To take every opportunity to tell them how much they enrich our life is precious for too soon, they cannot hear us. We are here only for a blink, a moment, compared with eternity. Those moments are valuable and far too few when you lose your spouse. No matter how long you were together, you want more – love, time, songs, adventures, embraces, conversations, touches, encouragement, kisses, - more of everything! How we miss the warmth of their candle beside ours as if in the extinguishing of theirs our light diminishes.
A candle requires maintenance to keep the flame steady and bright. The wick must be trimmed to prevent wavering fire. We must keep it out of a breeze lest it causes one side to melt faster than the other. We need to let pillars burn for an hour or two to keep the height reducing at an even level. We must keep all candles away from combustible objects. We must never leave them unattended.
When the flameless candles came out, I welcomed the forever flame concept. No longer did I need to be concerned about falling asleep while enjoying candlelight! No longer was it a big deal to run the fan while having candles lit. The bright LED’s, or the softer flicker of incandescent bulbs gives the illusion of a candle without all the fuss or the hazards. I still enjoy the flameless candles, but I do miss the scents of favored wax ones. They require battery replacement to prevent dimming or going out completely, but oh the convenience and the beauty.
Just like a candle, we require maintenance to keep our flame steady and bright. We must guard against becoming an illusion of what we claim to be. When we face trials, especially loss or a crisis with our health, we have an opportunity to strengthen our faith. I’ve not only seen loyalties waver like a candle flame, I’ve lived them. Burning bright with promise, I claimed faith would get me through this season of widowhood. But the winds of change blew hard, and the shell melted unevenly, to the point of me collapsing in a puddle. I didn’t lack faith, but doubt had crept in causing my flame to waver. I focused on my circumstances that prevented from seeing the next step.
I relate our trials in this life to the wick trimming of a candle. We must have our faith strengthened to keep our flame burning bright. The hardships we face are temporary, and no one escapes them. There is a variety in what we face and when we face it, but we all encounter challenges to our resilience and independence. How we come out of these seasons of suffering is in direct proportion to our faith. How well we hold up through the trials stems from how well we stay focused on God - being in His word, fellowship with other believers, singing praises and prayer.
My light may waver and dim from time to time because it needs maintenance, but His light is always shining brightly. In the darkest times, I seek the comfort of His love and peace that surpasses all understanding flows through me, giving me strength and increasing His light in me. What about you? Is your candle lit? Does the wick need a trim? Do you need your batteries charged? Pray. Seek Him with all your heart. He’s waiting for you; a lighthouse in every storm, His light is always on.
