But what about a different kind of darkness? Not the kind that captivates our imaginations as we look at the stars and dream, but a different kind. An ugly, stormy kind of darkness.
As a child, my family spent six years living in Kona on the Island of Hawaii (aka The Big Island). During our time in Kona, the city had instituted rolling black-outs. Generally, we could prepare, but not always; and sometimes the timing of circumstances caused enough confusion to generate real fear.
Towards the end of our time there, our area was being hit by a significant tropical storm. My parents, both pastors at the time, were gearing up to provide disaster services. As we tried wrap up, I was in the shower.
Now, I have to take a moment to side-step and explain something. Kona (at least at that time) had H.U.G.E. numbers of bugs...and not run of the mill ones. Scorpions and Centipedes. We had our regular routines to make sure there was no creepy crawlers in shoes/bed/the shower (if you know me in person today and wonder why I rip the shower curtain back before jumping in, this is why). While I always knew at the outset whether a critter was in the shower, every once and again, they found their way in mid-shower. So power outages mid-shower were the moments that nightmares are made of.
Back to my story...as should seem screamingly apparent by now, the power went out mid-shower. With all of the normal advanced planning skills of an 11 year old in the middle of a dark shower that was now (in my head) filling with every creepy, crawly, critter, I could not remember whether or not this was a rolling black out night, or something else. I shrieked at the top of my lungs, and before my parents could reach me, the lights came back on. The darkness had ended, but I had been terrified and totally unsure of whether it ever would (yeah, what can I say, I was a drama prone 11 year old).
Now that was terrifying, but what if that dark, ugly, storminess isn't outside? What if it is a dark, stormy night of the soul?
Have you ever had one of those nights?
Have you ever been kept awake by the screaming silence of that comes with the dark?
Have you spent hours acting as legal counsel, judge, and jury in the case against yourself?
Dear one, can I just tell you that I have? Way too many, enough so that I have wondered if the dark, ugly storm would ever end, and doubted I would ever see the light of morning again. I have laid awake, staring at the ceiling, lost in the pain of it all. I have cried...in my bed, in my shower, in my car. I found myself angry at God for the dark and stormy nights.
After all, isn't everything supposed to be rainbows and sunshine in our walk with Him?
Can I let you in on a (big) little (not-so) secret? The Bible is filled with stories of dark, ugly, stormy nights. Actually, I would say that it is almost harder to find a story in there that does not have a component of suffering woven in. Why? Are we all so terribly broken? Well, yes. But that is not the answer.
The answer is much more straightforward: this world is filled with it! We see in John 16:33 just how all-encompassing that truly is:
33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
Did you catch what was said there? God acknowledges with total honesty that life is going to be hard. Crazy hard. But He gave us one heck of a spoiler...He has already overcome the world. When we rest in him, we will find help!
So, dear one, if you find yourself in a dark and stormy night of the soul, remember that we already know the ending. In Him can we find true peace. He promises in Psalm 34:3 that:
I sought the Lord, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears.
All we need to do is seek Him.
In Love, JSB
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