John 12:35-36 Jesus replied, “My light will shine for you just a little longer. Walk in the light while you can, so the darkness will not overtake you. Those who walk in the darknes cannot see where they are going. Put your trust in the light while there is still time; then you will become children of the light.
Have you ever had something draw you out of bed in the middle of the night?
It’s pitch dark. It’s dark but you think you are familiar enough with your surroundings. You depend on your senses to guide you.
You know where the bed is, the night stand or- in my house -the laundry basket full of clothes.
You try to avoid the light switch so you don’t wake anyone or shock your eyesight.
You are convinced you can do this without light.
You begin to feel your way. You run your hands up the door frame looking for something familiar to grasp.
In shock you find it alright. Your little toe finds the corner or that night stand or your shin finds the laundry basket.
In that moment, the only thing you find is pain.
If only there was a switch to turn off that pain.
We murmur to ourselves, “if only I would have reached for the light switch sooner maybe I could have avoided this pain.”
Friend, I am very familiar with darkness in my life. One that left me spiritually dark. I had forgotten where my light came from. I tried to do it my way. I walked in darkness forgetting who is my true light.
Jesus.
Such darkness lead me to fear, paralyzing fear.
Suffering is never easy. In desperation to be free, I searched for many things to take away the pain.
… but my searching for the wrong things left me in the dark.
Darkness can be very scary when we can’t see the path in front of us.
He never promised to take away my pain in the darkness and maybe you are wondering this too?
Why would God allow me to experience this suffering?
Doesn’t He love me?
Of course He loves me.
He loves you too that’s why he gave up his life because he loves us. John 3:16
God wants to make Himself known in our darkness. He says “I will turn darkness to light.” He wants to hold us by His right hand and guide us through the darkness, so healing can begin.
Reach for His hand my friend. Seek him with all your heart especially in the dark. Let Him be the light that lights your path one step at a time.
Not only will He lead us back to the light, He makes us children of light to pass the light other people who walk in darkness.
Put your trust in the light while there is still time; then you will become children of the light.
He is our eternal light switch.
Isaiah 42:16 says… I will lead the blind by a way they did not know; I will guide them on paths they have not known. I will turn darkness to light in front of them and rough places into level ground. This is what I will do for them, and I will not forsake them.
