Lucho Llanca

I will give you the treasures of darkness and riches hidden in secret places, so that you may know that it is I, the LORD, the God of Israel, who call you by your name. —Isaiah 45: 3

One of the truest tests of a person’s spiritual life and character is not what he or she does in the extraordinary moments of life, but what they do during the ordinary times when nothing epic or exciting seems to be happening.

Likewise, it is not so much how you respond when you seem to have clear vision and perfect understanding of every situation that is happening in your life, but what you do and how you respond when the lights go out and you don’t understand what is going on.

I have discovered, in my Christian walk, that most of my growth came about when I couldn’t lean on my own human reasoning or intellect.  When things would happen that I didn’t understand, I just continued to do my best to trust Him and remain faithful.

By the way, some of the best things that have ever happened for me have happened in the darkest times and places, and some of the worst, in well-lit churches.

I want to talk just a moment about trusting God in the midst of darkness . . .

Christianity has never had anything nice to say about darkness. From my earliest days as a Christian, teachers and preachers have used “darkness” only as a synonym for sin, ignorance, spiritual blindness, and death.

I readily agree that this is one aspect of darkness, but there are at least two kinds of darkness. This one, as well as the darkness that comes by committing and trusting something or someone to God, then sitting in darkness waiting for something to happen, not being able to see what or if anything is transpiring.

I believe there is a temporary darkness that, many times, sets in due to a person committing or trusting God with a new area of their life: It’s when you come to a place in your life where you feel you do not have an answer, and you commit the situation or the person to God.

My experience has been once I commit it to God, darkness can settle in pretty quickly. I began to wonder if God is working in my behalf, or has He forgotten me and gone on to another case or problem.

Many times, things seem to look worse or actually, from my perspective, get worse.

We all encounter so many different and often difficult circumstances and situations.  We couldn’t begin to describe them all.  Let me say, in closing, don’t be afraid of your times of darkness when you cannot see the light of the situation developing. God isn’t afraid of the dark and He often does His best work in the dark.  Remember, God works all things together for good to those who love Him.  I believe you qualify.

By Ron Corzine