This morning at the dayschool, the fish tank was mysteriously covered with a blanket like it was being punished for bad behavior. If you didn’t know better, you might’ve thought the fish were grounded for talking back to the teacher or refusing to share their crayons. But no—turns out we’ve got ourselves an algae outbreak. A fullblown, green, slimy, “Swamp Thing” situation. And the only way to get it under control is to keep the light out until the bloom settles down.
Now, I’m no marine biologist, but I do know this: when the fish tank is greener than a St. Patrick’s Day parade, something’s off.
And wouldn’t you know it—Jesus has something to say about this.
Because algae, as it turns out, loves light. Not the good, lifegiving kind of light Jesus talks about. No, algae loves the “I’vebeen-left-alone-too-long-without-boundaries” kind of light. Give algae too much light, and it throws a party. Give it a little more, and it invites all its cousins. Before long, the fish are filing formal complaints and asking for relocation.
So the solution?
Cover the tank.
Limit the light.
Let things reset.
And that’s when it hit me: sometimes God does the same thing with us.
Not because we’re bad. Not because we’re in trouble. But because something in us has started growing that doesn’t belong there—resentment, worry, pride, comparison, hurry, that one comment someone made in 2009 that we still replay like it’s a classic movie.
Sometimes the Lord lovingly puts a “cover” over our tank.
A season of quiet.
A pause we didn’t choose.
A slowdown we didn’t schedule.
A moment where the lights dim and we wonder, “What is happening?”
But maybe God is simply helping us get rid of the spiritual algae that’s clouding the water.
Jesus once said, “I am the light of the world,” and He also said, “You are the light of the world.” But He never said, “You need to be under the spotlight all the time.” Sometimes the brightest thing God can do is give us a little shade so the unhealthy stuff stops multiplying.
Think about it: When was the last time you slowed down long enough to notice what was growing in you? When did you last let God filter the water of your soul?
The fish tank will be uncovered Thursday morning. The water will clear. The fish will go back to doing whatever fish do (mostly judging us through the glass). But the covering is part of the healing.
Maybe you’re in a covered tank season right now. Maybe God is dimming the lights not to punish you, but to purify you.Not to hide you, but to help you.
And when the cover comes off, you’ll shine clearer, brighter, and more beautifully than before.
Even the fish would say amen to that—if they weren’t so busy swimming in circles.
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