Psalm 139:11-12 - If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night,” even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you.
There are times in this life when we feel surrounded by an overwhelming darkness. Some people feel it when experiencing depression, fear or anxiety. Others feel like they are in darkness when something terrible happens to them and they aren’t sure which way is up or down. Whatever situation brings the darkness into your life, it can sometimes feel as if there is no way out.
When you are in darkness you may find yourself saying things like the psalmist does here. You might say, “This darkness is going to cover me forever. The sun may be shining, but even the sun can’t light up how I’m feeling right now.” Oftentimes when we are in a dark spot, we tend to say things to ourselves that don’t help us get out of it, but rather, keeps us stuck in the darkness longer.
What then can be done about this darkness? The answer is found in seeing the darkness correctly and the only way to do that is to shine light into it. The psalmist may find himself saying how bad the darkness is, but he also reminds himself through prayer that God is greater than the darkness. The darkness is not dark to God because he is the light of the world. When light comes into darkness, the darkness scatters.
The nearer we stay to God the harder it will be for us to be overcome by darkness, and yet there will be times when we still feel the dark creeping in. In those moments, do everything you can to listen to the voice of God in his word and let the light of his truth fight the darkness with you.
Christian, take heart in the fact that God is with you now. His Spirit lives within you and therefore you can never be completely overtaken by the dark. Even if it feels as though you are alone and blind, God is with you and he will bring the light of life into the dark.
As you think about these things for today, here is a simple question. Do you believe that the darkness is stronger than God? Have you allowed it to be? If so, take time today to meditate on who the Lord is and find strength in those truths. By God’s grace he can and will help you in the dark times, so go to him, stay close to him, take your cares to him, and trust that God is more than able to make your night into day and your sorrow into joy.
