Even a Dim Candle

At the point when this article is published, I estimate that a few months of 2026 will already have passed. I may deviate a little from the theme, “Ye Are the Light of the World,” to give everyone a life update, but please continue reading.

The year 2025 led me to understand more deeply the power of God and His providence. Through seasons of uncertainty and struggle, I learned that God’s light never fails to guide me, even when the path ahead appears dim.

I have come to reflect more deeply on the meaning of Matthew 7:7–8: “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.”

I may bring my petitions to God freely, but I must also remember that only He knows what is truly best for me. His wisdom is far beyond my limited understanding. For several years, there were matters I brought before God in prayer, trusting that He would open the right doors in His own time. Yet some of the answers I hoped for did not come in the way I expected, and at times, His response seemed to be no. That was disappointing and confusing, because I could not understand why.

It was especially in 2025, a year marked by major transitions, that I began to understand an important truth: I may know what I want, but God knows what I need. I was preparing to relocate to a new home and transfer to a different workplace, all while struggling professionally, emotionally, and mentally. Looking back, I can now see that God was at work in both the outward changes of my life and the inward burdens I was carrying.

My husband and I considered moving to two possible areas. He preferred one over the other, and we placed our offer accordingly. In the end, we did not get that place. At first, it felt disappointing. Yet the home we eventually moved into proved to be a better provision than we had expected. Although it took us further away from my family, it offers greater convenience in travelling to many parts of Singapore, especially to the church building. We also ended up living in the same block as another family from our congregation, giving us more opportunities for fellowship and mutual encouragement. The Scripture reminds us, “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another...” (Hebrews 10:25). It is always a blessing for young children to build friendships within the church, especially in a family unit like mine, where every interaction with church members can make a difference. Looking back, I can see that what seemed at first like a disappointment was actually part of God’s gracious and wiser provision.

The same lesson became clearer in my work situation. For several years, I had hoped to take on a particular role at my previous workplace, but the opportunity never came. At the time, I could not understand why God seemed to be withholding something I had prayed for so earnestly. Yet in 2025, He opened a door I had never expected. I was given the opportunity to move to a new workplace, even though such vacancies are rare. Through that move, the Lord blessed me with the very role I had once desired but had never been given the chance to undertake in my previous workplace. What had once felt like delay or denial, I can now see more clearly as God’s wisdom and perfect timing. He did not answer my prayer in the way I had imagined, but His answer was better than anything I could have arranged for myself. Furthermore, my children now get to travel to school together with me in the mornings.

Through these changes, God taught me to trust, obey, and follow His light. Letting go and allowing Him to decide my next step is never easy, but it is necessary. At times, His light leads me to places I never imagined I would go. Yet when I look back, I see that His path is always better than anything I could have planned for myself.

At the same time, however, these outward provisions did not mean that the season itself was easy. Even as God was ordering my circumstances wisely, I was still struggling inwardly. That, too, became part of what He was teaching me.

I have also come to understand that being in the world does not mean being of the world. When I gave too much of myself to commitments that drew me away from the Lord, I became weary and discouraged. That heavy feeling was a gentle reminder to turn back to Him, the true source of light, and to keep His work in its rightful place in my life.

This did not mean that I neglected my responsibilities at work. I continued to give my best in the classroom and the staffroom. A few close colleagues were aware that I was praying for guidance through a difficult season. But this period taught me that God’s light is not seen only when He changes our circumstances for the better. It is also seen in the way He sustains us when our hearts are tired. Even in struggle, a Christian testimony can still shine through quiet faith, kindness, and compassion. When others see you continuing to seek God and care for others even while hurting, they see not human strength, but God at work.

To continue this journey called life, I must be humble and courageous enough to admit when I need help, from God and from the people He places around me.

“Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” (1 Peter 5:7)

Acknowledging my struggles and allowing myself to rest is not a sign of weakness, but a mark of faith. When I am honest before God in prayer, I allow His light to shine into my darkest moments. He guides me through the storm and sends the right people to support me along the way.

Sisters who noticed that something was different about me expressed their concern in their own ways. Those who had experienced similar struggles opened their hearts to share their journeys with me. I was not alone. Many who shone their Christian light provided me with much-needed encouragement. Through their care, God reminded me that His light often reaches us through the love, concern, and fellowship of His people.

“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.” (Psalm 23:4)

As I reflect on this season of my life, I realise that God’s light was present in more ways than one. It was there in the doors He closed and the better ones He opened. It was there in the unexpected blessings He provided for my family. And it was there in the midst of my weakness, when He sustained me through His Word and through the care of His people. His light not only directed my path; it also upheld my heart.

That is why the words “Ye are the light of the world” (Matthew 5:14) speak to me differently now. Being the light of the world does not mean that I must always feel strong, cheerful, or untroubled. Rather, it means that when I continue to trust God and walk in His truth, His light can still shine through me, even in a season of weariness. Sometimes His light is seen not in dramatic acts, but in quiet faithfulness.

We often associate light with strength, joy, and confidence. Yet over the past year, I have learned that God’s light does not depend on how strong I feel. There may be times when we feel discouraged or uncertain about the road ahead. Yet even then, the Lord’s calling remains the same. Jesus did not say, “Ye are the light of the world” only when ye are strong. He simply said, “Ye are the light of the world” (Matthew 5:14). That identity remains true even in seasons of weariness and struggle.

We do not need to do great things to shine while struggling. Being the light of the world may simply mean lending a listening ear to someone who is hurting, taking one faithful step forward each day to serve God despite the chaos of life, or drawing closer to Him in prayer and letting that quiet faith encourage others.

Even a dim candle makes a difference in a dark room.