Like a candle… (2)

I lit the new candle and it was melting off centre so I blew out the wick and waited for the wax to cool. When the wax was cool enough but still pliable I tried to help the candle burn more evenly by reforming the wax around the wick and straightening the wick. I broke the wick down to the level of the candle. Now I had to coax the wick to light again. Doing this caused me to stop and think.

There have been times in my life when I have been burning off centre and needed to be helped by a reforming hand that may have come in the guise of consequence or in the guise of a friend with the courage to help. Sometimes the consequences of being off centred have been painful and it took a bit of coaxing to get my wick to light again. The important thing is that I allowed my light to shine again and did not remain in the darkness of painful consequences.

There is a difference in a candle that is just burning a bit off centre and a candle that is burning dangerously off centre. The consequences of how far off centre candles burn vary in degree and so do the efforts needed to correct the candle. Are you experiencing consequences and reformation? Have you had your wick trimmed back lately? Be glad for the discipline, learn from it and move on to better things.

'For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light! For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true.' Ephesians 5:8-9 (NLT)

Live as people of the Light! Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Light. Consequences of burning off centre are life lessons that help reform.

By Commissioner Debi Bell