I love the sunshine so much that the minute I wake up in the morning, the curtains in my bedroom get thrown wide open! I want the those sunbeams to stream in! Even on a cloudy day, just the light from the outside is a welcomed change from the darkness within my room.
But what do we do when there’s darkness in our hearts, via a relationship or a circumstance that we cannot change? It could be as trivial as frustrations, like when I was attempting to write this post and spent a good deal of time editing and rewriting. It was scheduled and ready for posting, but when I went to preview my writing, it was GONE! What? After a good couple of hours, it’s nowhere to be found?
I could not change this. So after stopping and giving this darkness (trouble) this to the Lord, I realized that there must be a reason for this “mistake.” Maybe it was just that I take time again to call on His Name. Doing so brought light (truth) to my heart – it was, indeed, like throwing open my bedroom curtains.
A lost blog post is trivial, but what about darkness and emptiness in a relationship? There’s a void and distance there that you would love to fill, but you cannot change the other person’s heart.
What about the grief felt when dealing with the consequences of sin – yours or someone whose life touches yours?
Or the sorrow of death or sickness?
We have to go back to the beginning –
Gen 1:2, 3 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.
When there was NOTHING but emptiness and darkness, with only a word, God changed it all into beauty and fullness.
Light, sun, moon, trees, flowers, sky, birds, fish, animals and man and woman were added to the emptiness and it was no longer void – it was FULL.
Who but God could do that?!
No one.
He longs to do the same with our dark and empty circumstances! It all starts when we know that we need His Son as our Savior. He brings light from the darkness of sin and gives forgiveness and His presence for eternity.
His presence starts the moment we trust Him! Now all those “dark” situations turn to me towards my God who longs to bring light and life to all these matters! How?
- Making me realize Who He is
- Creator
- Gracious
- Kind
- Loving
- Able…
- Making me fall on my knees before Him to ask that He will change this darkness and emptiness for His glory.
- Making this dependence on Him a daily habit that transforms me into His likeness.
Yes, even losing a post on a blog post can be used to transform me into His image. As I learn to call, to wait, to trust, to know He is sovereign, I can be more like Christ, if I allow Him to calm my troubled heart and look for Him to make beauty from my darkness.
What dark situation sleeps under your pillow and awakens you with a start? What “empty” circumstance is causing you to need His light and abundance? Thank God for that situation today, then call out to Him and wait for Him to transform it…and you!
RefreshHer 
Thanks for this post today Denise. I too love the sunshine and don’t know where we’d be without our Lord to bring the light. Hope the sun shines through these clouds today.
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Amen! He is the Light and brings it to our situations, doesn’t He? On cloudy days, I often think about flying above the clouds and how the sun is ALWAYS shining up there! What a good reminder that God has a plan even in our darkness to bring the light in His time. Love you and Steve and praying for you both!
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Yes – am going through a difficult and hurtful family situation. (It can be so much more difficult when other family members are not christians.) Had been so consumed with it the past few days. After giving it to the Lord yesterday, I felt a real peace about it. Thanks for your posts and encouraging advice.
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Praise the Lord for the peace only He can give! Keep trusting and pouring this need before Him in prayer! He is faithfully hearing as you call! Jeremiah 33:3
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Good morning my friend, my neighbor is going through a very dark situation. I spent time with her yesterday. She’s not saved, but I just know the Lord is preparing her heart to receive Him. Pray I will have wisdom to help her see Him through all of this!!!
Tammy
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I’m praying with you, Tammy!
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Thank you so much for writing this! I’m so blessed to find a blog and blogger so full of God and Praise! My husband and I went through some very dark times and hardships in 2017. He lost his job for 4 months, we almost lost our home, lost several family members but I just kept praising God through the storms and darkness and asking his forgiveness and I would tell him I completely trust your plan. We came through the darkness, were still weathering storms at times but I know He knows our plan and its nothing harmful. I trust! I cried out to Him more than ever. Those dark times will bring us closer to God that’s His plan to draw you to Him. I learned so much through all of the darkness! God is so good! Were told now were a living testimony even though we don’t feel this way still at times. God performed miracles in our lives throughout 2017 and still is today. I wake up and have coffee with my husband in the mornings before he leaves for work and throw open my curtains and let the sun shine in! So blessed to have found your blog. I just wrote a post about my word for the year. Love your blog! Have a blessed day! Thank you I needed this one! God is using you! Shine on!
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My dear friend,
Thank you for your sweet testimony. Days are hard because we live in a fallen, sinful world. Won’t it be wonderful One Day to be gathered with Christ and called to heaven where there will be no more sin, no death, no sadness, but only rejoicing with God forever?!
Keep throwing those curtains open and praising the faithful God Who loves you!
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