Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning. Psalm 30:5
Just as night and day are the natural cycle of the earth God created, so are the times of figurative darkness and light we experience throughout our lifetime. We all experience periods of darkness in our lives: times of sorrow, of pain, of shame and loss… As people living in a sin-sick world, we are exposed to the consequences of sin and corruption daily. Sometimes the consequences are of our own doing, while other times we are mere bystanders affected by the selfishness of others. Regardless of the cause, embracing the darkness when it comes and learning to accept it for what it is develops strength and maturity in a way that nothing else could.
So I looked for good, but evil came instead. I waited for the light, but darkness fell. My heart is troubled and restless. Days of suffering torment me. I walk in gloom, without sunlight. Job 30:26-28
The Bible is full of analogies about light and darkness. Darkness in the Bible is expressed in two ways: sin and separation from God in a physical sense, or pain and loss as a result from sin in an emotional sense. Emotional darkness always accompanies physical darkness, because if our entire being is separated from God there is no hope. However, it is possible to experience emotional darkness while maintaining an intimate relationship with God. It is this kind of darkness that, although painful, God uses to mature us and to shape us into the people He desires us to be.
I am the Lord, and there is no other. I create the light and make the darkness. I send good times and bad times. I, the Lord, am the one who does these things. Open up, o heavens, and pour out your righteousness. Let the earth open wide so salvation and righteousness can sprout up together. I, the Lord, created them. What sorrow awaits those who argue with their Creator. Does a clay pot argue with its maker? Does the clay dispute with the one who shapes it, saying, ‘Stop, you’re doing it wrong!’ Does the pot exclaim, ‘How clumsy can you be?’ Isaiah 45:6-9
Regardless of their origin, God is the one who ultimately decides our circumstances and how long they will last. If we are born-again believers in Him, we can rest assured that our time spent in darkness has a purpose and a plan. (Jeremiah 29:11) We can be comforted with the assurance that we can do all things through Him who gives us our strength, (Philippians 4:13) and we can be confident in the hope that is Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. (Jeremiah 17:7)
