The Dark Places
The dark places...by nature I shy away from the dark. Darkness is something I disliked from a young age and still do. So it stands to figure that in life, I have avoided the dark places. And I am not just talking about physically dark places where if one were to flip a switch on, there would be light. I am talking about spiritually and emotionally dark too. But wait a minute! Aren't I a Christian? Yes. Yes I am, which is why I want us to stop following the common Christian culture thinking.
Darkness is a lot of things but I think uncomfortable is the best description and let's face it, 99% of people including me, don't like uncomfortableness! When darkness starts to invade an area, I see a common theme among most Christians. We huddle together like penguins hoping the storms that come will pass over us and leave us to waddle off on our merry little way.
We bunker down instead of standing up.
When we see a dark place we tend to complain about it from the pulpit or pray about it from our pillow but stay away from it otherwise.
Yet as I read the Bible, the dark places are exactly the places Jesus confronted. He didn't shy away from the places or people others avoided. He boldly shed light where only darkness reigned. He stood against the forces of evil with grace and truth. He did the exact opposite of what most people would do.
Now this is not where I tell you to warrior up like a fearless fighter. Ha! Truth is, I am a fearful person by nature so thinking of going in the dark places is, well, frighting. To me, it is equivalent to accompanying Frodo into Mordor.
Uh...yeah no.
Given the choice I would rather stay in the shire. Wait...there will be no shire in the end because darkness is an all consuming thing. It will keep spreading along the path of least resistance just like an unhindered glass of spilled water until it drenches everything in its inky blackness if there is nothing there to stop the flow.
But there is still hope! If you are a Christian you are the light of the world according to Jesus. And before we were called the light of the world, He was and is the light of the world.
“Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid.” Matthew 5:14
“Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” John 8:12
Listen, there are enough dark places in the world. Why give it more real-estate? We have the heavenly call and ability to spread that light! We hold the light of life within us and darkness cannot go where light shines!
Will darkness press back? Absolutely! Will it make snares for us to fall into? Of course! Will darkness attempt to cover us and ambush us? YES! But Satan, the one behind all that darkness is no match for Jesus! The light of truth exposes Satan for the defeated foe he is! That is why Christians need to be in the Bible so that we can walk in the triumphant light of truth and not get caught in the subtle snares of darkness.
“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” Psalms 119:105
I still don’t like the dark but I am learning to embrace the discomfort that comes from standing up against the darkness. By God’s grace I am finding a courage bigger than my fear. Every time I have taken that first step into darkness, God gives me more courage to take another step and another, all the while illuminating the darkness with HIS truth, grace, love, hope, and goodness. It only takes one small match to light a giant cavern. Imagine the revival this world would have if Christians let their light shine unafraid, unhindered and bold in the face of darkness?
Will you hold your light high? Will you set yourself on a hill where that light can’t be hid? Will you press back the darkness however God calls you wherever He has you? Will you join me in pushing back the dark?
