When you’re in the dark (2)

“About the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea, and…when they saw Him…they supposed it was a ghost, and cried out…But immediately He…said to them, ‘Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.’ Then He went up into the boat to them, and the wind ceased” (vv. 48-51 NKJV). Darkness isn’t always the work of the enemy; sometimes it’s one of God’s best teaching tools. You get to know the Lord best by going through storms with Him; by reaching the place where you think, “If God doesn’t come through for me, I’m sunk.” Then He comes, “walking on the sea.” Jesus said to His disciples, “What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight” (Matthew 10:27 NIV). It’s in your darkest moments that God gives you some of your greatest insights. The psalmist said, “To you the night shines as bright as day” (Psalm 139:12 NLT). So instead of running from your problems, ask God to develop your night vision and show you “treasures of darkness…hidden in secret places” (Isaiah 45:3 NRS). And one more thought: When the darkness you’re experiencing is God-ordained, don’t try to create your own light. “If you are walking in darkness, without a ray of light, trust in the Lord and rely on your God. But watch out, you who live in your own light…you will soon fall down in great torment” (Isaiah 50:10-11 NLT). When you’re in darkness by divine design, you don’t have to be afraid; God has promised to bring you through.