I used to be really afraid of the dark. Now I’m only sorta afraid of the dark. I don’t like the dark because I can’t tell what is coming in front of me. I can’t predict what will happen next so I can’t prepare myself for it. Things, bad things, could be upon me before I have a chance to plan my reaction. I tend to struggle when things are uncertain.
I don’t think I’m the only one with this issue. The fear of the future causes most of us to do unhealthy, control-type things to ease the discomfort of the ambiguity. I tend to worry. Or I play out every “what-if” scenario possible and exhaust every possibility in my mind. Nothing ever plays out the way I’ve envisioned. My feeble attempts to provide light to my uncertain situations do not leave me with direction. Instead, I’m often burned by the very light I’m trying to provide. I predict the wrong outcome, get worked up about it, and then look foolish when it doesn’t play out as I have “awefulized.”
The Bible says that Satan masquerades as an “angel of light” in order to confuse me even more. Predicting huge outcomes, both wonderful and terrible, he tries to divert my energy away from faith, away from trusting God for my daily bread.
King David wrote that God’s Words was a “lamp unto his feet and a light unto his path.” The only certain outcome God gives us is Heaven one day and our daily bread now. That’s it. But God will ALWAYS provide our daily bread. He will always give us the “light to our path” so we can see the next step. He doesn’t give us the whole picture in this dark world. He offers to BE our Light, illuminating our next steps as we walk WITH Him.
So in this dark world, my faith will not protect me from the everyday darkness that often surrounds my life. I will not know how things will play out or what emergencies hover, waiting for me to walk into them. But I do know this: my Light will give me the wisdom and strength to see what I need in each moment of the path. And the end of this journey will end in a place that is bathed in Light, so bright our human eyes can’t withstand it. I can’t be God, nor would I want the job. I can’t see everything. But I walk with One who can and who promises to see it for me, guiding me to my happy ending, whether on this side of eternity or the next.
I pray that God’s nature is more deeply revealed to me and you, that we may see His light and not mistake it for His enemy’s lies. I pray that our eyes may adjust to seek only the Light at our feet rather than needing to see the whole room, to understand the whole situation before we can move forward. And I pray that we will receive our “daily bread” from our Father, His provision for our needs as we walk through a very dark world.
Thank you for taking the time to read my little blog. Blessings to you!
