Last year my family went to explore some caves. Before we got out of the car, we each chose a flashlight to take in with us. My husband handed me a flashlight and said this is the newest and best. So, we entered the cave, I was excited, this was going to be a grand adventure, it had been years since I had been in a cave. We turned on our flashlights. Everyone had a bright light but mine seemed to be dimmer than the rest. This was supposed to be the newest and the best. I found I didn't like walking alone, my light was too dim, I had to walk close to someone else so I could see by their light. The floor of the cave was uneven, and wet from the recent rain seeping through the roof of the cave, making the floor slippery. The further we walked, the dimmer my light became and the more nervous I became. I really couldn't see well enough to go forward with just my own light and I began to want to turn back.
When we got to the end of the cave, I decided to change the batteries and see if it made this less than desirable flashlight (it may have been new but it was not the best) any brighter. Wow, now the was flashlight was bright! I could see much better and didn't have to walk close to anyone else to walk in their light. As we continued back towards the cave opening, I felt much happier. I could see on my own!
This experience reminds me of the grand adventure of life. We must carry a good strong light with us in order to stay on the strait and narrow pathway back to our Father in Heaven. If we don't renew our spiritual batteries, our light dims and we begin to lose our way. We can depend on others, family and friends, for awhile, but, it is never as easy to walk by someone else light for long. We must keep our own spiritual light strong.