Solstice of Soul

By: Scott Tolhurst

This past week we experienced the summer solstice. For the northern hemisphere, it was the longest day of the year. The sun reached its apex last Sunday and now begins a slow descent until the next solstice - the long shadows of an abbreviated winter’s day. So just as the summer begins, the days are now getting shorter! If you didn’t notice it, that’s normal. Each day is diminished by just a few minutes and we don’t realize it at first. Then around the end of August, we are surprised to find that twilight is coming faster. The effect of solstice, both summer and winter, is gradual. The dawning of light and dimming of darkness is subtle. In that way, there is a solstice of soul as well.

Redemption is to be moved from darkness into light by the grace of Jesus. Our minds are illuminated by truth and the Spirit brightens our character with godliness. But our daily experience of that light is not absolute. We do not dwell in complete brightness nor walk in pitch darkness. Our souls go through times of dimming or dawning. We wear an internal patchwork of flicker and fade which shifts gradually. Faintly the darkness falls. We may not be aware that our spirit is sliding into grey. A small decision, a brief lapse of judgement, a temporary neglect of essentials; and dull can become dingy, dingy can turn into dark. We look inward and confess that we are not where we used to be, nor where we want to be. It feels like winter and we wonder how we got here.

Since the slide of soul is incremental, do not be caught unawares. Don’t allow a slight decline to immunize you into false confidence. Take inventory daily. Watch over the moments which seem small. Take care for that which is little. Jesus posed that faithfulness in little leads to large faithfulness. (Luke 16:10) More than anything - take hope.

If you are in a winter solstice of soul, light is coming. The horizon will brighten every day, if only by minute glimmers. Just as the darkness is gradual, so too, the dawning takes time. We want God to floodlight us instantly. But our souls can be overcome by too much too soon. The wisdom of the Spirit suggests that we move from “one degree of glory to the next.” (2 Cor.3:18) So let patience have its fruit. Persevere even if there is not as much illumination or warmth as you wish. Trust the Son to do His work. Prayerfully bask before Him. He is taking us to a place where there is no night and winter solstice will be no more.