Light Exposure
A Harvard study on light exposure therapy showed that 40–60% of people struggling with depression felt immediate improvement just by being exposed to light. When combined with the right treatment, those numbers jumped even higher.
I tell many of my counseling clients the same thing: get outside, move, and get some sunlight.
But as powerful as physical light is, there’s something even more life-changing—exposure to the Light of the World, Jesus Christ.
“Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”
(Ephesians 4:13–14)
The question is: How do we actually live free from the darkness?
John gives us the answer in 1 John 1:8–2:2. It comes down to being radically committed to three things.
1. Radically Commit to Removing Self-Deception (1 John 1:8)
We all lie—to others, and often to ourselves. Sometimes we hide the truth by pretending to be someone we’re not. Sometimes we believe our own lies until they shape the way we live.
Abraham Lincoln once said, “If a man is going to be a good liar, he’d better have a great memory.”
The problem is, none of us have a great enough memory to keep our lies straight. Darkness grows when we deny the truth.
Freedom begins with honesty—with God, with others, and with ourselves.
2. Radically Commit to Confession (1 John 1:9–10)
Once we deceive ourselves, the next step is deceiving God. But here’s the thing—we can’t fool Him. Pretending we’re fine doesn’t make us fine.
John says confession is the key:
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Confess to God → Agree with Him about what’s true.
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Confess to others → Safe, trusted people who can help us walk in the light.
Confession isn’t about shame—it’s about freedom. Relationships (with God or with people) built on lies won’t last. But when we confess, we receive forgiveness, cleansing, and the gift of connection.
3. Radically Commit to Our Advocate (1 John 2:1–2)
The word radical also means someone who fights for freedom on behalf of others. That’s exactly who Jesus is—our Advocate.
We can’t fix the problem of sin and darkness on our own. But Jesus can, and He already has.
“This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.”
(1 John 4:10)
Just like an advocate fights for victims of injustice, Jesus stands in our place before God—reminding us we are forgiven, free, and loved.
The Bottom Line
You don’t need a Harvard study to know that you need light to live. What you need most is the light and love of Christ.
“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.”
(John 8:12)
The more you step into His light, the more you’ll experience His love—and the more His love will shine through you to others.
“We are being transformed into His image with ever-increasing glory…”
(2 Corinthians 3:18)
So let me ask you: What darkness are you still holding onto—and what would it look like to bring it into the light today?
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