When It's Dark
Dark seasons are very real. I often think of them as seasons when not much makes sense and you feel as though God has somehow deserted you. I know, this isn’t the "Christian thing" to say, but I pride myself on being honest. When you’re in a dark season, it’s hard. It’s confusing. It’s disappointing. It’s scary. I can speak freely about this, because I know what it’s like to be there. I know what it’s like to be facing trial after trial, and not being able to fully understand why. My dark season wasn’t easy. There were many moments when I felt as though I wanted to give up. There were days when I would look up and ask God, “Why?” or “How did I get here?” There were nights when I would wake up and just cry because it was difficult. It was very tough to walk through, but, I can tell you one thing—even in the dark, I knew that God was with me.
I’ve learned that dark seasons can teach you not only a lot about yourself and God, but life in general. Oftentimes, when we’re in dark seasons, it’s difficult to find the right perspective and it’s hard to fully believe that any good can come out of it. This blog is for the person who has found themselves smack-dab in a dark season. I see you. I know what you’re feeling. I understand your pain and confusion. But, can I tell you? You are not alone. I’ve been there, and although it hasn’t been easy, I’ve been able to learn and grow so much in the midst of the darkness. I want to share with you three things that I learned when it was dark in my life:
1. Light is always present; you just have to look for it: In my dark season, I learned to look for the light. I trained myself to be grateful for the good days and to see good, even when I didn’t feel good. The small things that I once took for granted, I began to appreciate more and more; like, feeling the sun on my skin, driving with the windows down and allowing the cool breeze to blow through my hair. It’s amazing how much more you begin to appreciate those small, seemingly insignificant moments when you’re in a dark season. Walking through darkness has made me more appreciative of the little things. It’s made me more eager to search for the light everyday, even if it is only a small spark.
2. Growth happens in the dark: I’ve learned that I’ve grown the most in my life when it was really dark. I learned not only to appreciate life more, but to trust that God will take care of me. Because it was so dark, I knew that the only One who could truly help me is God, so I went to Him. I spent time with Him. I cried out to Him relentlessly. I spoke to Him daily about how I felt in the dark place and how difficult it was for me. The thing is, in the moment, I didn’t feel like I was growing; I actually felt like I was regressing. However, after some time, I realized that my faith was becoming more firm. I was becoming more confident in God and much bolder than I was before. I realized that God often does His best work in these dark places because He helps us realize that everything that we need is found in Him.
3. The morning is coming: Even in the midst of my dark place, I knew that the morning would come. I can’t explain it, but while I was experiencing deep pain and uncertainty, I knew within myself that the joy that I longed for would come. I often found myself being reminded of Psalm 30:5 (NIV) which says, “weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.” Morning is coming. In these dark seasons, many tears are shed. Trust me, I cried until I couldn't anymore in my dark season. If you’ve been weeping, I’ve come to encourage you to take heart. The dark cannot last forever. Morning is coming.
Dark seasons are hard; but, I believe that they are valuable and necessary. They teach us about life. They teach us about God. They teach us about ourselves. I want to remind you tonight, if you find yourself in a dark place, remember that you are not alone, and you’re going to make it through. It won’t be dark forever; morning is coming.