Monday October 31, 2022

 

Many years ago, a friend shared the following Bible verse with me:

 

“Who among you fears the LORD and obeys the word of his servant?

Let him who walks in the dark, who has no light, trust in the name of the LORD and rely on his God.” 

~Isaiah 50:10

 

Meditating on these words, I thought of the times that I have walked in complete darkness, without any light at all. I felt alone, scared, insecure, confused and exhausted. Every sound, every movement frightened me. What was out there that could hurt or kill me? How could I keep moving if I couldn’t see where I was going? Why, if I thought that I was making progress, was I really walking in circles, wasting time and effort, and always ending up at the starting point? And how long and difficult was this path going to be anyway, especially when I couldn’t see it ahead of me?

 

Isn’t it much the same when we are walking in the dark circumstances of our lives, when there is no light to accompany us, to reassure and strengthen us, to guide us to the correct path? Do we not ask the same questions?

What is there in my present or in my future, hidden in the uncertainty of the unknown around us, that could hurt or even kill me, or hurt or kill someone dear to me?

How can I keep walking, if I have no idea where to go?

Why do I feel that I am not making any progress, that I am moving in useless circles, that I always end up where I started, that I haven’t changed, that I haven’t matured?

And how long and how difficult is this path going to be, because I can’t see it ahead of me, and I don’t know how to prepare myself for what is coming?

 

But I have discovered the truth of the words from Psalm 50:10, that precisely when I am walking in darkness and there is no light for my path – it is there where I must rely on and trust in the name of God – it is there where I must walk, not by sight, but by faith – it is there where I must remember and affirm in my inmost being all the promises that He has given me.

Because, as Psalm 119:105 says: “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.”

It is the words and the promises that God has spoken to my life that must sustain me when I cannot see or understand anything.

 

He has clearly said to me:

“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze … Do not be afraid, for I am with you …” (Isaiah 43:2,5a) I suppose that when I find myself in a period of darkness in my life, then too He will be with me and will not allow the darkness to prevail.

“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand … For I am the LORD, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, ‘Do not fear; I will help you.” (Isaiah 41:10,13) I never need to feel alone, or abandoned, or fearful in my walk through the darkness – God has promised to be with me, to strengthen me, to help me, to uphold me – He assures me that His right hand will take hold of my right hand so that I can remain standing and strong.

Psalm 27:1 says: “The LORD is my light and my salvation – whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life – of whom shall I be afraid?”

And Micah 7:8 says: “… Though I have fallen, I will rise. Though I sit in darkness, the LORD will be my light.”

When there is no light on my path and I find myself in darkness, God Himself is and will be my light, my salvation and the stronghold of my life – I needn’t fear anything or anyone.

 

In these days, I have found myself in darkness in a very important and significant area of my life. I have had moments of confusion, insecurity, anxiety, tears. I don’t know where to go, in what direction to head, because I don’t see any paths before me.

But even so – sitting in the darkness with no light – I have decided to trust in my God and rely on Him; I have chosen to believe that He is with me, that He will sustain me and help me to find the right path out of the darkness and into the light once again.

Because, in the shadows that I now find myself, He Himself is my light and my salvation.

+ REFLECTIONS