Undeveloped Film

I believe most of what we need to know is already within us.

When N. Eldon Tanner was made president of the West European Mission in the early 1960’s he visited the missionaries in France. He told them that they were not really taking to their investigators some new and undreamed–of doctrine. “No,” he said. “Instead, think of it this way: all these people were exposed to the gospel long before you or they came to this earth. It’s all these in their minds and spirits, like undeveloped photographic film, your job is just to develop the film.”

When I was a little girl we used to have a darkroom in our attic as one of my brothers was very much into photography. I used to love going up there and watching the film develop in the dark. Just like an undeveloped photographic film, it seems to me that the way that we are developed is often in a ‘darkroom’ also. The times of greatest growth seem to happen at times of our greatest need or trial. It’s those times that we realise what is really within us, and what our relationship with our beautiful Saviour is.

I am so grateful for the times in the dark, but also for the times in the Light which is when I can fully appreciate what has developed within me.

“For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ" (2 Corinthians 4:6).

May the Light shine in your hearts today.