The other day I was driving home after spending time with someone in the midst of a dark situation. Some hard questions were on my mind. Everything around her seemed to be crumbling; yet, she remained hopeful. I couldn’t get over the difference between her and others in similar situations.
Why is she so different?
As I pondered this, a verse began to play like a broken record in my head,
The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.”
When I got home, I promptly searched for the reference at my favorite online bible site, www.biblegateway.com and found it’s from Isaiah 9:2. Isaiah prophesies the coming of our Savior. He tells God’s chosen people to remain hopeful, even in the midst of great hardship and pain. Light will come. Hold tight.
It’s easy to see how darkness oppresses other people. We watch it take hostages – snatching those we love. But, somewhere deep inside, we know we are also held captive by our own darkness. It holds us fast as we keep things hidden, secret. And before we know it, we’ve become the enemy’s unwitting accomplice.
My friend is in great anguish, but she’s clinging to God. She’s memorizing scripture, praying at every opportunity and digesting wise, biblical counsel like manna. And she’s made a conscious decision not to let darkness rule. She’s facing it head on, shining the bright light of hope and truth for all to see.
That’s why she’s different than most.
And it’s precisely why Jesus came. To set us free from darkness.
Are you living in the light?