How Great Is Your Darkness?

Not many folks are really afraid of the dark – they fear what hides in the dark. And not without reason. Great danger can hide in the darkness. Scripture clearly contradicts the old song that croons, “Hello, darkness, my old friend.”

In the Word, darkness is equated with blindness and evil. Repeatedly, Christians are called to step out of darkness, to walk in light … to be light. But over the years, I’ve seen a sad truth: Many Christians get trapped in the darkness and lose their eyesight.

But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness! (Matthew 6:23).

Blinded believers are robbed of the blessings God has stored for them. They lose sight of God and don’t know to search for the treasures He has hidden in dark places (1 Kings 8:12; Psalm 18:11; Psalm 97:2; Isaiah 45:3).

I don’t want you to be among those who are robbed! I want you to step into the light and enjoy all God has for you. Living in darkness is NOT your destiny.

Living in Christ is living in light because there is no darkness in Him (1 John 1:5). When we live in Him, the dark doesn’t affect us any more than it affects God Himself. Darkness is the same as light to God (Psalm 139:12). It doesn’t slow Him down, scare Him off, or change His good plans (Jeremiah 29:11).

Do you remember that one of the plagues God used to deliver the Israelites (His children) from Egypt (the world) was darkness? During that plague, the world was dark, but the land of Goshen – where the Israelites lived – was as bright as day. Sadly, while the darkness paralyzed Egypt, it didn’t inspire them to seek God. It hardened their hearts and led to death and tragedy.

It doesn’t have to be that way. You can live as His child – in the light! When you turn to God, He turns the darkness to light before you (Isaiah 42:16) and gives sight to the blind.

Sometimes Christians are blind to what Christ wants to do in their lives (Isaiah 42:19). Let’s look at the healing of the blind man from Bethsaida. He lived in a city where Jesus often taught and even performed miracles. But to heal his blindness, Jesus led him out of the city, spit in his eyes, and then laid hands on him – twice. The first time, the man’s vision was still cloudy – men looked like trees – but with an extra touch from Jesus, his sight became clear (Mark 8:22-26).

Are the things of the world blurry in your eyes? Maybe you need a second touch from Jesus today so you can see your way to victory. Take a walk with Jesus; let Him restore your vision. He is the light of the Word (John 8:12), and you were created to radiate His light!

“You are the light of the world” (Matthew 5:14).

When you focus on the light – the One who overcame the world, conquered sin and death – nothing remains to cause fear or stumbling. You walk straight into the plans God prepared for you. Like David in Psalm 23:6, you walk through the world confident that God’s “goodness and mercy” are with you … and you share that confidence with those still in darkness.

God’s ways are mysterious, but His success – and your success as His child – are sure things! Delight yourself in the light. Seek the light. And you will be the light this world so desperately needs.