I Have a Little Shadow

My shadow

As kids, we sang the song I Have a Little Shadow.  I was fascinated by this song and loved going out into the yard to watch its changing shape. The poem by Robert Louis Stevenson is correct; sometimes the shadow is tall and sometimes it is small. Where one stands at the edge of the shade changes its size and shape. I twirled around the yard, watching my shadow shift and change, running ahead of me or chasing from behind.

My life had its own shadows and I learned early that when I focused on the shadows I was unhappy. When I focused on the good things, my heaviness lifted.

How a shadow forms

For a shadow to be present, it needs three things: light; a blocking agent; a surface (for the light to fall on). You can’t have a shadow unless there is light. Yet, light cannot pass around an object (the block). Light travels in straight lines and that is how a shadow develops. The light cannot penetrate the “block”.

Whether we are children or adults, we need to remember that shadows are not real. They’re an image of who we are. Change your image, and the shadow changes. We can move around, wave our arms, or kick our feet in front of us, and it mimics our actions. Yet, the shadow is not truth; it only makes us think it is truth. Sometimes a shadow contains part of a truth (the shape, for example). Yet, it is not the actual object or person; it’s just the shadow.

Remove the block

Every day, we choose. We can focus on the shadows or focus on the light. It’s that simple – and that hard. Consider light as Truth. Stop listening to the lies and focus on what is real: the Light. We remove the block that creates the shadow by exposing ourselves to Truth.

You might struggle with insecurities from things said or done to you as a child. Your insecurities might be a result of a recent struggle, loss, or heartache. Whatever the block that causes your shadows, you can remove that block and go toward the Light. Stop listening to the lies from Satan or from others. Immerse yourself in what God says about you! Go to the Word. Psalm 139 is a great place to start. You are a person of worth because you are created and designed by God – with a purpose. No matter what anyone says, you are valuable. Claim that promise in Psalm 139.

The Light

God’s Word is full of Truth that dispels anything Satan wants us to believe. His Word is light, and facing the light puts the shadows behind you. When you’re struggling with feelings of isolation, loneliness, and inferiority, remember this. Face the light instead of the shadows and you can be whole.