Refusing to be Afraid of the Dark

If we have the light in us that cannot be extinguished, then we can never be in total darkness.

There are different kinds of darkness, however, and we need to be able to discern one from the other. There is spiritual darkness that happens when we refuse to let God enter into our lives. There is the darkness of negative emotions like ignorance, pride, jealousy, anger, or hatred. There is the darkness we experience when we make selfish demands that satisfy our flesh at the expense of others. There is the darkness of living in disobedience to God's ways. All of these kinds of darkness come about because of our own choices.

Yet as damaging as our mistakes can be, God gives us a way out of the darkness we get ourselves into. When we return to Him, He restores us to the full light. Even if we foolishly create our own darkness, as long as we have a personal relationship with the Lord, His light in us cannot be put out.

He wants you to be so convinced of His presence in your life that even when you can't feel it, sense it, or see it, you know He is there. He wants you to be completely sure that the light of His Spirit in you will never be put out. You don't have to keep looking for it. You don't have to doubt it. No circumstance can dim it. It is there for now and all eternity.

One of the ways God makes us certain of His light is by allowing us to test it in the darkness. But this darkness is not to be dreaded. It is the darkness God created for His purposes. God sometimes allows things to get very dark in our lives in order to grow us up and teach us about Himself. And some things that we accomplish in darkness cannot happen in any other setting.

Think about what it's like when the power goes out in your home at night. You can barely function in the dark. You walk carefully, one step at a time, reaching out for familiar things to steady and guide you until you can find a flashlight. If someone is holding a source of light, you reach out and take their hand so you can move together. You don't take a step until you're certain that both of you are going in the same direction.

That's exactly how God uses darkness in our lives. We're in the dark until we see His light in it. He wants us to reach out for Him so we can walk together in the same direction. He desires that we draw close so that we sense His presence at all times.

This is not like the darkness of evil, which you can clearly sense. Or the darkness of our own disobedience, which we know in our hearts. This is a different kind of darkness, and God says there are treasures to be found there. The treasure we find in the darkness is Him.

Some things we only learn in the dark.

I'm not saying that God causes bad things to happen in our lives. He doesn't. We live in a fallen world, and bad things happen. But God works in the midst of even the deepest darkness. His presence and His light are there for those who open their eyes to see it, and He brings good out of every situation.

Even in the darkest times, we should never doubt God. Even when it may appear like our life is over and He has forgotten us, He is actually growing us into our future.

Sometimes what seems like the darkest step we've ever been on comes just before the brightest light we've ever experienced.

That's why we can't be angry about being in the dark. People who doubt God in the midst of darkness and blame Him for their discomfort don't really know Him. If they really knew Him, they would never feel that way.

Often when we find ourselves in the midst of a dark situation, we immediately believe we must be out of the will of God. That might be true, but if we've been living in obedience to the Lord to the best of our ability, we are more likely right in the center of God's will. In fact, God's will can lead us into some very dark circumstances.

When we find ourself in the dark, we must stop what we're doing, look for His light, and listen for His voice. We have to reach out to Him and He will give us a sense that He is there.

The unknown can be frightening, but when we immerse ourselves in the presence of the Lord, we can know Him in it. His love takes away our fear. When we take a step, His light is with us. When we take the next step, His light is with us still.

When we walk with the Lord, the dark is actually a place we can never fully be.

The unknown is not so frightening when we realize that our all-knowing God is in it. We know Him. And once we experience His light in the midst of darkness, our darkness will never be the same.

If you feel like you're in a dark place in your circumstances right now, know that God has not abandoned you. You are not wandering aimlessly. He sees the path you are on. He is there with you in great power and wants you to realize how much He loves you. If you're in darkness as a result of your own choices, confess that to Him and He will lead you out of it. If it is a darkness He has created to grow your faith, be joyful. There are awesome treasures of His presence ahead for you.

Don't be afraid of the dark. Instead of seeing the darkness as frightening, view it as a precious and wonderful place to be. When everything around you gets darker, the light inside you will grow brighter. God will speak to you and give you illumination right where you are. He wants you to reach up, take His hand, and walk every step with Him. He wants you to rest in the knowledge that the light He gives you, His light that is in you, is enough light to keep you securely on the path.