When You’re Walking in Darkness
“If you are walking in darkness, without a ray of light, trust in the Lord and rely on your God.” Isaiah 50:10 (NLT)
We’ve all been there at one time or another. Maybe you’re there now – in the dark. When you’re walking in the dark, you can’t see where you’re going. You may not even know where you are! Fears and doubts often arise when we’re in the dark. It’s perplexing, and we don’t know what to do.
I wonder if the disciples experienced that feeling in the upper room as they gathered and waited for the promise Jesus made when He left them. He told them to wait. He didn’t say for how long. It would have been easy to live on the euphoria of Easter for a while. Surely, they would have replayed their experiences with seeing the risen Christ. No doubt, they reflected on good memories they shared as they followed Jesus for three years. But then, the days began to pass as they continued to wait. No new revelation was spoken, no miracles, no manifestations of Jesus. God was silent – not a sound for 10 days!
What do you do when God is silent? There are seasons in all our lives when we walk in darkness. Israel would experience that as well. The prophet Isaiah gave them wise counsel for those times that can benefit you and me when we find ourselves in the dark. He said, “If you are walking in darkness, without a ray of light, trust in the Lord and rely on your God.” Isaiah 50:10 (NLT) Since we walk by faith and not by sight, God will often use the darkness to grow our faith. It’s in the dark where we learn to trust in the Lord and rely on our God. But how do you do that? When you’re perplexed about what God is doing or seemingly not doing, remember His Word. The Psalmist said, “Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” (Psalms 119:105 NIV) God’s Word is like a flashlight when the power goes off. It provides the light we need for the next step. We may not see the destination, but we can see what is right before us and have confidence that God has not abandoned us. His Word assures us that our faith will not go unrewarded. Dr. Bob Jones, Sr. said it well, “Never doubt in the dark what God has told you in the light.”
What has God told you? Put your trust in His Word and rely on Him. He will always come through! After ten days of waiting, the disciples experienced all that Jesus had promised. Don’t despair. God will come through for you and do everything He has promised!
“Praise the Lord who has given rest to His people Israel, just as He promised. Not one word has failed of all the wonderful promises He gave ….” 1 Kings 8:56 (NLT)