Grace to Persevere
July 11, 2019
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. John 1:5
From the time I was a small child, dusk and evening were difficult for me. From the moment the sun would start to go down, I could feel a melancholy come over me. I didn’t enjoy sunsets the way the average person does. I found a world without light disconcerting and troubling. As soon as it got dark enough that we weren’t permitted to play outside any longer, I wanted to come inside and turn all the lights on.
While I have mostly outgrown that, and I do enjoy beautiful sunsets, dusk is still the time of day that is hardest for me. As I start to see the darkness overcome the light and the sun disappear, I must be on guard against an inexplicable sadness that can threaten my joy. I know that soon the darkness will envelop the light, and I will be anxious for morning’s first light again.
This verse of Scripture above has long been one of my favorites because I know that darkness has no power against light. Darkness is simply the absence of light; it has no power against the light. Even one small candle or the softest of lamps chases the darkness away and shows the reality that light is ALWAYS more powerful than the darkness. Darkness only cloaks reality.
The reality is that Jesus is the Light of the world, and His grace is always the bright Light in the darkness. The grace of God extended to me reminds me of the reality of His truth and power that dark nights can camouflage. When I choose to let in the Light of grace, no darkness is great enough to overcome it, whether it is physical, emotional, spiritual, or relational. Light always overcomes darkness. Darkness has no power against the Light.
When I forget what a “wonder” I am through Christ, when I have not heard the song in my heart playing very strongly, I have discovered some ways God turns the light up bright for me. These are the ways the light of grace most often enters my soul and overcomes the darkness:
Listening to great uplifting worship music.
Spending time remembering God’s faithfulness and counting my blessings.
Contacting someone else I know, who is sitting in the dark, to encourage them.
Talking aloud to God.
Getting together with Christian friends.
Going to church and hearing God’s Word.
Those are my “light switches.” The light of grace comes on for me whenever I go there.
- If you don’t have a plan for chasing out the darkness, install some go-to light switches for yourself.