People talk about many seasons in life. There are the natural seasons. Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter. Then there are other seasons. Seasons of singleness, childhood, adulthood and marryhood. Marryhood? Okay, I don’t think that’s a real word. But I just wanted to say it anyway because just thinking about it makes me laugh. Plus, I just wanted to give you a laugh to in case you needed one. Okay calm yourselves. Okay focus now just focus. Bring it in. Thank you.
There is a season that I would say is not mentioned often. It is called the season of the night. This is probably the most unwanted season in life. But it is the season that everyone experiences at one time or another. The interesting thing about the season of the night is that it affects the deepest part of one’s being. The soul. It affects the mind, the will and the emotions. It also affects the heart. There can be no warning for the season of the night. It either comes on gradually or suddenly. Before you know it, it is completely dark. I am talking so pitch black that you couldn’t see a thing even if you wanted to.
It’s such an unnerving feeling when you can’t see anything. I would say the top feelings that take over are fear, panic and worry. Fear because you no longer have your bearings. You don’t know what is around you. Panic, because you don’t know how long the darkness is going to last. Worry, because you don’t know if this is going to be a permanent thing. You find yourself wondering if you will ever see the light again. Comforting thoughts huh? I don’t think that one would be surprised if you decided to lie down on the floor and curl up in a little tiny ball. You may even decide that you will remain there forever and ever and evermore.
But what if there was something that I could tell you that would help you to decide to not let this dark season get the best of you? Something that would cause you to not give up and keep going? Well, I have news for you, I’ve got nothing. A Big Fat Zero Of Nothingness. Zip. El Zilcho. Okay I admit it. I made that last word up too. El Zilcho seemed like an appropriate word though at the time. It means nada. Nothing. Do I have you laughing now? Maybe just a little bit? Or maybe a teensy weensy smile? Okay, okay I shall move on.
But what do you do in the midst of the darkness? Do you just stay there frozen and paralyzed? Do you allow hopelessness to take over? Do you just assume that you must cope with the fact that you are in the darkness? Do you presume that you may or may not come out of it alive? I want to encourage to you not lose hope. Although you may be in the dark, there is someone in the midst of your darkness who has night vision. Someone who not only can lead you into the light but also is the light who will guide you. Someone who wants to guide you every step of the way.
How comforting it is to know that when you can’t see anything, there is someone who can. Someone who can keep you from stumbling. Someone who can bring hope into a hopeless situation. In fact, He Is Hope! And He is someone who can bring you out of the midst of the darkness. Perhaps you know who I am speaking of. Or maybe you don’t know who I am speaking of. So I will say who He is. His name is Jesus.
The Bible talks about what Jesus is like. He is never one to abandon you in your greatest hour of need. You will find in the book of John chapter 8 Jesus says, if you walk with Me, you will thrive in the nourishing light that gives life and will not know darkness.
In Psalms 139, King David is talking to the Lord. It was obvious that he was going through a great trial. King David said to the Lord, “even if I am afraid and think to myself, there is no doubt that the darkness will swallow me, the light around me will soon be turned to night,” You can see in the dark for it is not dark to your eyes. For You the night is just as bright as the day. Darkness and light are the same to Your eyes.
In Isaiah 42:16 it says, I’ll take the hand of those who don’t know the way, who can’t see where they’re going. I’ll be a personal guide to them, directing them through unknown country. I’ll be right there to show them what roads to take, make sure they don’t fall into the ditch. These are the things I’ll be doing for them—sticking with them, not leaving them for a minute.
Maybe you feel like God has abandoned you. I want to reassure you that He has not. The Bible says that God is not a man. He doesn’t lie. God isn’t the son of a man who takes back what He’s said. He is not one who says something and does not follow through, or speaks and does not act on it.
God will do what He says He will. When He says that He will never leave you nor forsake you He means it. You can rest assured that He is poised and ready to help you in every situation you go through, no matter how big or how small the situation is. All you have to do is call on His name. Expect that He will answer. His answer may come in a different way than you expect. But I promise you that it will be a good answer. Because He is good and only does good things. In John 10:10, Jesus says, A thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come so they may have life. I want them to have it in the fullest possible way. Jesus is not only there to bring you life but to be your light in the darkest of situations. Psalms 27 says, The Lord is my light and my salvation—so why should I be afraid?
He is your deliverer. He is your rescuer. Especially, when no one else can deliver you or rescue you. (That includes even when you are trying to rescue or deliver yourself and you find that you can’t.) Corrie Ten Boom said this about the darkest time in her life and in the lives of those around her. “No pit is so deep that He is not deeper still; with Jesus even in our darkest moments, the best remains and the very best is yet to be.” You may be experiencing a season of the night. I don’t know all of the details that you are going through, but I know that Jesus does. The Bible says, Jesus, our great priest understands us. He knows how weak we are. So, we should come near to God and we should not be afraid…we can ask Him to help us when we need help…and He will be kind to us in whatever way we need. My prayer for you is found in Psalm 23 it says, I may walk through a valley that is as dark as death. But I will not be afraid of any danger. This is because you are with me, Lord. I pray that you would know that Jesus will walk with you even in the darkest of valleys. He is right there beside you and will lead you every step of the way. I pray that you would know beyond a shadow of a doubt that He is for you! He will bring you safely through this season. There is no need to be afraid when He is with you. You can trust Him. He is always faithful and He will never change!