God In the Dark

Was anyone in here afraid of the dark when they were children? Perhaps still afraid of the dark? I know that I was. Even when I travel, if the room is too dark and I am alone, I sleep with the bathroom light on. I never understood people like my sister who needed it to be completely dark just to sleep, because for me, the darkness was unnerving. It was the place of secrets, and hiding and the time when scary movie theme music came on. Darkness was nighttime, the bending of the day when the sun went down behind the horizon, street lamps came on and little kids went inside to their mothers and the big boys went out to play. Darkness became synonymous with evil, with fear- and much of that was not irrational. Fortunately as I got older, let go of my mom’s leg and expanded my experiences a little bit I gained more of a balanced perspective. I came to acknowledge that although the darkness was when ghost stories were told, it was also the place where marshmallows were roasted over open pits, where we could chase after fireflies, trapping their little bodies of light in mason jars to take back to our cabins at camp. I learned that darkness was when the wolves howled but also where, in the dark of night the stars were most visible and glorious.

Growing up darkness also manifested as mental and emotional duress which lingered like a storm cloud over the ocean or raged like the sea-it was the temperament of family members who drank too much, became full of rage when they talked about things they had survived in the war or experienced growing up in the turbulent 60’s and 70’s. Sometimes the darkness was quiet and unsearchable-the unknown space and place where my grandma’s mind would sometimes go as treatments didn’t always manage the schizophrenia that she suffered with for much of her adult life. Three of the 10 of her children my aunts and an uncle would also be diagnosed with and battle Schizophrenia, each journey different, each had moments of great hope and joy, great stretches of lucidity and then timidity, sadness and dignity. They all worked really hard at finding normalcy and most times, underscore most, lows they did so with dignity and respect. It was trying for them and for us-any one of you who has a family member who battles mental health knows this narrative, but we hung together, we prayed, cried, yelled, fought off exhaustion and embarrassment sometimes…Through it all God was there. My grandparents’ marriage of 50 years was an enduring testimony to faith and commitment and my aunts and uncles are resting with Jesus.

What does darkness mean to you? Is it physical? Mental? Emotional? Spiritual? However generally we talk about it, I know that there is an element which is quite personal, and I want to honor your stories and your journeys, knowing that God can and will meet us in the midst of it all.

I have experienced the truth of Psalm 46:1-3 and I pray that you will as well:

God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.
² Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
³ though its waters roar and foam
and the mountains quake with their surging.

When your life seems like it is giving way or is falling into pieces, when dark times seem to roll over you like storm clouds, I want you to know that God will never leave you. I pray that no matter what element of our lives I address, you will all walk away, not with simplistic answers but with deeper resolve to keep pressing into the presence of God, for yourselves and for others. I also want you to know that this series is not all about lament but about celebration because there are triumphant stories of healing around us as well. I have seen the miracles myself.

God in the dark is not only about God meeting us personally in the dark times of our lives but it is also about us, the body of Christ being bearers of light in a dark world so that others might receive hope and healing and deliverance out of darkness into His marvelous light.

Let me now draw your attention to two portions of scripture found in John 1:5 and 1 John 1:5

John1:1-5

In the beginning the Word already existed.The Word was with God,and the Word was God.² He existed in the beginning with God.³ God created everything through him,and nothing was created except through him.⁴ The Word gave life to everything that was created,^[a]and his life brought light to everyone.⁵ The light shines in the darkness,and the darkness can never extinguish it.

1 John 1:5

⁵ This is the message we heard from Jesus and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in Him at all. 

The first creative act of the God in the book of Genesis was to being forth light, making a distinction between light and darkness, day and night…shortly thereafter he created greater and lesser lights to appear in the sky to separate the day and the night and to shine down upon the earth. From the beginning God is making light and dark distinct. Just as he did through creation of the heavens and the earth so he did with us.

In creating man in God’s (Father, Son, Holy Spirit- all there from the beginning) Image, male and female he creating us unique, He made us to be distinct, to be His image bearers, reflecting Him and His divine nature interacting with Him, engaging him intimately and with no shame, no sin, no darkness between us. But when the introduction of darkness spiritually was introduced though the choices of Adam and Eve, our eyes were opened, sin was introduced and only blood shed could begin to make amends. I was the introduction of Christ Jesus, the LIGHT incarnate which changed our sorry lot, purchased us, paid our price and set us free. The battle was won for our soul and our spirit- yet many have not chosen to surrender to Christ. The God of this age has lured many into a pit, confused us with trickery and shrewd religion. It is only Christ lifted up in holiness and righteousness that can give us any hope. It is in boldness that we must declare that the light yet shines in the darkness and the darkness shall never overcome it.

1 John 2:15-17

¹⁵ Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. ¹⁶ For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life^[c]—is not from the Father but is from the world. ¹⁷ And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.

This world which is passing away, and yet we are in it, called to it, to do something about it! To speak to it! To dare challenge it! To manifest His glory despite it! How, Christ (the LIGHT) in US the hope of Glory!

Ephesians 5:6-9

⁶ Don’t be fooled by those who try to excuse these sins, for the anger of God will fall on all who disobey him.⁷ Don’t participate in the things these people do.⁸ For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light!⁹ For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true.

What do we do?

Look for God in the midst of it

Yeshua is with us; he won’t leave us… Because Yeshua is with us, mighty, mighty things will happen.”

Trust God in Spite of It

Christ Jesus trusted God-he kept his eyes on the prize of heaven.

Go after Him to heal you from it

The unfortunate reality that I want to challenge is that all too often the darkness that we face starts to feel so personal that we become protective of it, our identity and our pain become immersed so that we quickly lose sight of who we are and what the issue is. and of ourselves within it. Like a funeral shroud, we become accustomed to it as if it is all that there is. But it is not. Nor is it the end of the story. God is our healer, and our present help in trouble. He is able to heal us, here, now and into eternity.

“I have been shown in darkness, light and have learned that even in prison one can be free. I am grateful. I have come to see that there is good in every situation, sometimes we just have to look for it.” – Kayla Jean Mueller