Meet Me Hiding in the Shadow

Events happen in our lives. Are you hiding in the shadow of them? Perhaps you need someone to bring some wisdom’d love into the dark.

An event had happened in his life. He could tell you every detail. Well, his version of it, but it was as real to him now as it was then. Or maybe even more so.

Under the shame of that event, he hid.

Behind it.

It had cast its shadow for a very long time.

She left the cult-like church.

It was an event.

Now people shunned her, avoided her.

She wasn’t invited to family events. Even her mother, when she saw her walking down the street, would cross to the other side of the road.

It was an action of shame. A casting of a shadow.

A control, a shunning, an excommunication, and estrangement.

A shadow was hanging over her.

Oh yes, they believed in yesterday.

There’s a shadow hanging over me
Now I need a place to hide away
Oh, I believe in yesterday

Shadow hanging over me

Light moves incredibly fast. The speed of light is 1.79 billion kilometres an hour.

When something blocks its travel, a shadow is formed. Few things grow well in shadows, but some adapt and prefer shadowy light.

I have events that have happened in my life, and they still cast a shadow over me. They still stop me from experiencing the fullness of light. I have become well adapted to the partial light they offer, but still they quietly disable my dance.

Have you got events like this?

I think everyone of us does.

An abuse or trauma.

A time when we should have done this but chose to do that.

Calender dates provide us with yearly reminders of that event. Places trigger memories.

Sometimes people and entire cultures keep the event live and present.

Some events cling to our brains like limpets on a rock.

Do you experience this?

Who will meet the one hiding in the shadow of a past event?

Moses in the shadow

He did something rash.

He killed someone.

Then he ran for dear life to a desert of shadow.

I think Moses may well have said ‘They won’t find me there’.

One day, after Moses had grown up, he went out to his people and saw their forced labour.

He saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his kinsfolk.

He looked this way and that, and seeing no one he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand.

When he went out the next day, he saw two Hebrews fighting; and he said to the one who was in the wrong, ‘Why do you strike your fellow Hebrew?’

He answered, ‘Who made you a ruler and judge over us? Do you mean to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?’ Then Moses was afraid and thought, ‘Surely the thing is known.’

When Pharaoh heard of it, he sought to kill Moses.

But Moses fled from Pharaoh. He settled in the land of Midian, and sat down by a well. Exodus 2:11-15

Moses hid away for 40 years. A shadow of a reckless youthful event kept him in hiding.

We all have events. Do they keep us in a shadow?

God met him in the desert.

God met him where he was. In the shadow of an event.

God meets us where we are, not where we think we have to be.

Has an event dominated your life? Has a shadow been cast over you? Do others keep holding it up to you?

Reassessing the event

I wonder what happened in those 40 years of hiding.

Was there a wrestling of the soul? Did Moses revisit the event over and over again in his mind?

Was he overthinking it?

Was he under thinking it?

Perhaps a reassessment of youthful rash actions occured.

Perhaps a little truth syphoned into his thinking. An acceptance, a forgiveness, a repentance.

Perhaps his father-in-law, a priest, gave him some ‘spiritual direction’.

Our life events need to be reassessed and talked through with older and wiser souls.

We need safe others to venture into our shadow hiding places.

People who won’t try to fix, advise, save, or set us straight. F.A.S.S.

Perhaps the situation in Egypt also changed, allowing a matured Moses to return.

After a long time the king of Egypt died. The Israelites groaned under their slavery, and cried out. Out of the slavery their cry for help rose up to God. E xodus 2:23

Another one who went to the desert was Saul. He went there to reassess the events of his life and the shadow formed by them. After three years, a new man emerged from the desert with a new name – Paul. Galatians 1:17-18

Sometimes the old events take a long time to slough off.

If God can use reformed murderers, such as Moses and Paul, then God can use you.

Hiding in the shadows

Meet me in the shadows

Meet me in the shadows
Meet me in that place
Meet in me the dark corner
But don’t look at my face

For if you do
You might turn away
You’ll see the ugly
Covered in disgrace

Meet with a flickering candle
Just enough for this day
Meet me with silence
Slow dance sway

I want to know a few words
Comfort for the pain
Let me shed a few tears
Your hands in mine

Speak to me the truth
Child needs old wisdomed love
Quietly lift my chin
Gentle floating dove

I’ve been hiding here
Alone in my dark
I want to soak in something else
Make a fresh start

Lift me up with soulful music
Bring me into thine
Help me leave that place
Your face love to shine

Barry Pearman

Questions?

Comments?

Email me 🙂📨 barry@turningthepage.co.nz

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Quotes to consider

God meets us where we are, not where we pretend to be or wish we were. Larry Crabb
Although incredibly seductive, anything that promises the light without acknowledging the shadow isn’t telling the whole story. Ingrid Mathieu
The past describes what happened. It does not decide what will happen. Rob Bell
Negative perceptions from your past can be a prime source of fear and shame in the present. Patricia Love Steven Stosny
Real encouragement occurs when words are spoken from a heart of love to another’s recognized fear. Larry Crabb
You have to dare to live through the pain and struggle. Acknowledge your anguish but do not let it pull you out of yourself. Hold on to your chosen direction, your discipline, your prayer, your work, your guides, and trust that one day love will have conquered enough of you that even the most fearful part will allow love to cast out all fear. Henri Nouwen

Questions to answer

What events in your life have left you hiding in a shadow?
Who, if anyone, has entered that shadow?
Why do we keep hanging on to the events of our past?

Formation exercise

Jesus said, ‘If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed’ John 8:36. What role does Jesus’ viewpoint of the events that have happened to you play in being ‘set free’ from the shadow of the event?