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God Is Always Present in Darkness

There are seasons in life when we are struggling with problems so difficult that everything looks pitch black. We feel like the psalmist of old, who cried out to God saying that the Lord laid him in the lowest pit, in the darkest depth. Sometimes, the challenges we are facing are so serious that cliches like “get over it” or “just look on the bright side” are not helpful, but hurtful. We might be experiencing a disappointment so deep that there is no bright side to it. We might feel hopeless. 

If you find yourself in the depths of despair, the truth is you are not alone. Anyone might go through a season of suffering in this world that seems unbearable. The biblical writers also experienced seasons of deep sorrow. However, in such times you can discover hope in five Scriptural principles. They are written in the first chapter of Genesis, the story of creation, and are repeated throughout the Bible. These truths can carry believers through dark seasons. 

The first principle is found in the beginning of the creation story. The Bible says that the earth was formless and empty, and it was covered with darkness. But the Spirit of God was in the darkness. Similarly, thick darkness covered Mount Sinai when Moses received God’s commandments, but God was present there. Just as the Lord was present in the darkness described in Scripture, He is always present in the darkness of your life. 

You might be feeling all alone. You might think that no one is there for you, but God always is. No matter what you are going through, the Lord is there with you. Even Christ experienced darkness when He was dying on the cross. Jesus went through the greatest suffering and humiliation possible. Nevertheless, He trusted that God was there with Him. Jesus knew that even in His darkest hour of the cross, He was loved by His Father. 

No matter what you are going through in life, you can also know this truth. You can be assured that even in the midst of the deepest sorrow, loss, or suffering, God is present with you. The Lord gave us a promise. It is written in the Old Testament and is repeated in the New Testament. He said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” These words are the hope of every believer. This truth of God’s presence can carry us even through the darkest seasons.