We serve an awesome God, who is full of light, peace and truth. “For thou art my lamp, O LORD: and the LORD will lighten my darkness.” 2 Samuel 22:29
Yet sometimes His ways are mysterious and we do not understand them. Sometimes things in life do not go as we planned; life seems to spiral out of control; darkness seems to surround us; opposition is fierce. At these times we cannot give up in despair but trust that He is working out His purpose in our lives, such as in the case of the Patriarch Job. Through all his trials, Job recognized God’s leading when he said, “shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?” Job 2:10. The Apostle Paul said, “Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.” 1 Corinthians 12:10. And we find him singing in prison with Silas (Acts 16:25). The Lord sometimes allows times of darkness to come into our lives for several reasons. One of the main reasons is that He sometimes needs to eliminate other distractions so that we can hear His voice more clearly. Whatever His reason may be, we know that He is in control and working all things together for good, for our salvation. We need to trust Him fully and not complain in the dark times. After the darkness we have a greater appreciation for the light.
There will be dark times, on occasion, in the personal lives of each true and faithful Christian. “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23. In these times, despair can take hold of the Christian as they struggle to overcome sin and see they are failing miserably (Romans 7:15–20).
Yet this is not a sign that God has left the believer. Sister White often felt the powers of darkness oppress her to despair. Early on in her experience, after receiving her first two visions, she faced trials and thought they would be more than she could endure. She was in despair. “I feared that God had taken His favor from me forever. As I thought of the light that had formerly blessed my soul, it seemed doubly precious in contrast with the darkness that now enveloped me. Meetings were held at my father’s house, but my distress of mind was so great that I did not attend them for some time. My burden grew heavier until the agony of my spirit seemed more than I could bear.” –Testimonies for the Church, vol. 1, p. 64
Can any of us relate to this experience? However, the Lord did not forsake His servant, and neither will He forsake you. The powers of darkness of this world are on the warpath with God’s faithful followers. We may have many struggles and many disappointments, however, “a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.” Proverbs 24:16. It does not read that a wicked man falls, as he is already fallen, but a just man falls.
This verse has a dual application. Literally it states that when the wicked seek to overthrow the righteous, they may seemingly have gained a victory, but in the end the righteous will rise again. As often as His people are brought into poverty and woe, God intervenes to save them, whereas the sinner is literally overthrown by calamity and cannot rise up again.
In a spiritual sense this verse brings comfort to the struggling Christian who is discouraged by his failure in his struggles against sin. “Falleth seven times” is same as saying “whenever he falls” as it may be more than seven times. If we rise up in fresh hope after each failure, if we lay hold again upon the saving strength so feely offered to us, then we are classed as just men, and the Lord will complete in us the work that He has begun. The desire to become righteous and the strength to carry out the desire both come from Him. Hence, none need ever despair, however weak he may think himself to be, as long as he is willing to be made willing to do the right. The Lord will pick up His penitent children and give them strength to overcome and live a righteous life.
“The pen of inspiration, true to its task, tells us of the sins that overcame Noah, Lot, Moses, Abraham, David, and Solomon, and that even Elijah’s strong spirit sank under temptation during his fearful trial. Jonah’s disobedience and Israel’s idolatry are faithfully recorded. Peter’s denial of Christ, the sharp contention of Paul and Barnabas, the failings and infirmities of the prophets and apostles, are all laid bare. . . . There before us lie the lives of the believers, with all their faults and follies, which are intended as a lesson to all the generations following them. If they had been without foible they would have been more than human, and our sinful natures would despair of ever reaching such a point of excellence. But seeing where they struggled and fell, where they took heart again and conquered through the grace of God, we are encouraged, and led to press over the obstacles that degenerate nature places in our way. . . .
“We need just such lessons as the Bible gives us, for with the revelation of sin is recorded the retribution which follows. The sorrow and penitence of the guilty, and the wailing of the sin-sick soul, come to us from the past, telling us that man was then, as now, in need of the pardoning mercy of God.
“Bible history stays the fainting heart with the hope of God’s mercy. We need not despair when we see that others have struggled through discouragements like our own, have fallen into temptations even as we have done, and yet have recovered their ground and been blessed of God. The words of inspiration comfort and cheer the erring soul. Although the patriarchs and apostles were subject to human frailties, yet through faith they obtained a good report, fought their battles in the strength of the Lord, and conquered gloriously. Thus may we trust in the virtue of the atoning sacrifice and be overcomers in the name of Jesus.” –Conflict and Courage, p. 368
The Lord also may allow us to go through difficult times so that we can learn by experience what it feels like to be in distress in order to be able to help others who are going through similar experiences. Our darkness may be intended, not only for us, but so that we can learn to help others. “Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.” 2 Corinthians 1:3–4. “Let us remember that everyone has some dark spot in his experience. Let us do all we can to bring cheerfulness and hope into the lives of others. What a blessing this will be to them. In their turn they will speak words of good cheer to others to bring sunshine into their hearts.” –The Upward Look, p. 185
“Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the LORD shall be a light unto me.” Micah 7:8. In our lowest times, the Lord will be with us; a light to us. He said He will be with us until the end of the world (Matthew 28:20). He also says, “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” Hebrews 13:5
TREASURES IN DARKNESS
Can there be treasure in darkness? Is not darkness something to be feared and dreaded? Truthfully, there can be much treasures that the Lord reveals in darkness. When the Lord reveals His presence, He must be clouded in darkness, or His glory would be too much for sinful, mortal man to bear. Mankind would be consumed by the presence of God. We see how The Lord veiled His glory in a cloud when He spoke the 10 Commandments on Mount Sinai. “These words the LORD spake unto all your assembly in the mount out of the midst of the fire, of the cloud, and of the thick darkness, with a great voice: and He added no more.” Deuteronomy 5:22. When Solomon dedicated the temple he also recognized God’s presence in the darkness that shrouded the temple. “Then said Solomon, The LORD hath said that He would dwell in the thick darkness.” 2 Chronicles 6:1
“And I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that thou mayest know that I, the LORD, which call thee by thy name, am the God of Israel.” Isaiah45:3. Treasures can be hidden in darkness.
A famous song reads like this:
“Holy holy holy, though darkness hide Thee,
Though the eye of man Thy great glory may not see.
Only Thou art holy, there is none beside Thee,
Perfect in power, in love and purity.”
The dark times should not be depressing times. The Lord often speaks through darkness, bringing treasures of truth.
Take heart. If you seem to be shrouded in darkness, the Lord is perhaps trying to tell you something. Seek the treasures He has for you in the darkness. Your darkness may be of the Lord’s doing, like on Mount Sinai, or it may be His permissive will caused by your own missteps that have taken you away from the Lord of light when you have fallen and made a mess of your life. Do not despair. We can say like David, “I waited patiently for the LORD; and He inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. And He hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD.” Psalm 40:1–3
The Lord is good, a God of light, although sometimes He shrouds His brightness in darkness in order to communicate His light to His children. There can be great treasures in the darkness. It is my prayer that each one of us would listen to Him as He speaks to us in our dark times as He will lead us to His eternal light when He comes in the clouds of glory. Praise His worthy name. Amen.
Wendy Eaton