THE DARK PLACE

“Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend to heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there. If I take the wings of the dawn, If I dwell in the remotest part of the sea, even there Your hand will lead me, And Your right hand will lay hold of me. If I say, "Surely the darkness will overwhelm me, And the light around me will be night," Even the darkness is not dark to You, And the night is as bright as the day. Darkness and light are alike to You.” Psalm 139:7-12 (NASB)

 

As many around me and around the world, lately, I have felt like I’ve been in a dark place, a pit that I can’t seem to get out of. For many, this pit or dark place could be an emotional state because of strained relationships or emotional pain; it could be a physical state because of illness or a physical weakness or disability; it could be a financially dark place, because of loss of employment or lack of necessary income to survive or meet financial obligations. My dark pit has had to do with the difference between my financial obligations and our current income, while my desire is to be set free from debt there appears to be no progress in sight.

I’m learning a lot during this season of our lives, and so is the rest of my family. I’m learning what not to do in the future and what to do differently when I have the opportunity.

This week, I realized that while in the dark place, I’m beginning to gain wisdom and insight regarding financial matters like I’ve never seen before. This financial wisdom and opportunity for knowledge and understanding has always been available to me, and has been presented to me previously, but I haven’t paid attention to “the light” of this wisdom. Not until I couldn’t get out of the dark place did I begin to look for the light. It’s not that the light is shining any brighter; it’s that in the dark place, it’s easier to see the light and follow it out of the dark place, out of the pit. This week, I visualized this simple truth:

If you turn on a flashlight in the middle of the day, it’s hard to see its light, but if you turn it on in a dark place, it’s very easy to see the direction the light is shining, and what the light is illuminating.

Darkness is not dark to God as written in Psalm 139:12, but darkness helps us see the light more clearly. I think I don’t mind it so much anymore…. This season of darkness has been painful, but seeing the light is making it easier to survive with faith and hope for the day of deliverance!

As I sit here in Corner Bakery, having my Coffee with God, I’m reminded of the 33 minors in Chile who were trapped 2300 feet (1/2 mile) below the surface of the earth for 17 days, with no knowledge of their potential for survival, until they were located and were able to see their opportunity for salvation. I’m sure the remaining 52 days of entrapment were challenging and at times disheartening, but once they saw the light, they became full of faith and hopeful for their day of deliverance!

“For I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayers and the provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ.” Phil. 1:19 Amen!