The room was pitch-black. I was blindly led into the middle of this foreign space and left on my own. My first instinct was to try and make sense of my environment. When I raised my hand in front of my face I couldn’t see it, which kicked my other senses into overdrive! The unfamiliar noises appeared to be boosted on surround sound. But without vision I couldn’t make out my surroundings, which meant I had no clue who or what was around me and I wasn’t able to map out an exit route to safety, should I need it. I had zero ability to control my environment or look after myself, and that’s when the darkness started to feel thick and tangible. At times, I felt like the dark was physically pressing in on me and I knew I was just one agreement away from panic…
Dining at Dans Le Noir restaurant ended up being an incredible time (I do highly recommend it!), but I had never encountered darkness like that before and it was a surreal experience that ended up teaching me a lot about myself. I went for a fun and quirky meal and got served a life lesson on the side!
Being surrounded by the unknown.
Having an utter lack of vision.
Becoming completely dependent on a stranger to help me function.
Realising I had no control over my circumstances.
These were the places where fear started to thrive, as it silently rose up within me and led to a feeling of suffocation and paralysis. I didn’t expect that I would respond like this! Sitting in the middle of that pitch-black room (Or perhaps I was seated on the side? Or near the kitchen? Or next to a wall? – I actually have no clue?!) I had to be intentional about the thoughts I was agreeing with and allowing to steer my mind, my emotions and my body.
Do you know what would have turned this experience around in a split moment? Turning on a light. The suffocating feeling, the brink of panic and the rising anxiety would have immediately stopped had a flicker of light come into that space because it would have eliminated the darkness. So simple! The dark was my problem. And what is darkness? It’s just the absence of light. My fear was birthed from not having a source of light in my environment. But had even a solitary candle been lit in that big void of space, it would have completely transformed that experience!
For those who live in a land of deep darkness, a light will shine.
The people who walk in darkness will see a great light.
Isaiah 9:2
In a recent conversation, a woman shared her concerns about raising her child in the world as it currently stands. She is recognising the darkness that exists and is witnessing how it seems to be spreading and wreaking havoc on our experience of life as we know it here in the ‘safe’ West. Where evil is surfacing and appears to be growing, darkness is increasing and becoming a breeding ground for fear. I believe her concern is common among many people today. The dark and uncertain times are bringing people into a similar experience to what I felt in that pitch-black room – a lack of vision for the future, being out of control of circumstances, feeling unsafe sitting in surroundings that you don’t recognise and not knowing how to make choices to protect loved ones. That dark weight is encroaching on the hearts and minds of people. Our world is desperately in need of Light!
The rule of evil and dominion of darkness is nothing new. It hasn’t just appeared because of COVID nor was it birthed through poor political leadership, but it does seem like more and more people are experiencing its effects in daily life. News gets fed into the devices in our hands mere moments after terrible events happen around the globe – the dark feels close and like we are being surrounded. DO NOT FEAR! Darkness is not the end of the story. It doesn’t get the final say. It hasn’t got permanent residency. As promised through the ancient words of Isaiah the prophet, a great light will come and shine, and we know light always expels darkness. He couldn’t have fully comprehend what he was prophesying at the time, but Isaiah knew that God had a plan for the darkness of the human experience. Here in 2023 we know that the Great Light HAS come into the world. His name is Jesus, and He came to eliminate the dark!
On the brink of Jesus’ birth, Zechariah the priest (John the Baptist’s father) prophesied about the beautiful, yet powerful role that Jesus would play in the world:
Because of God’s tender mercy, the morning light from heaven is about to break upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, and to guide us to the path of peace.
Luke 1:78-79
Perhaps you resonate with the comments of that lady about her child? Or you’re feeling the anxiety rise as you watch the news? Or the helpless feeling sets in when you think about the future and you can’t see a way ahead? Don’t agree with fear!! Don’t let it take up residence in your mind! We must intentionally ‘turn on the light’ by taking all of our thoughts and feelings to the LORD and inviting Him into that space with us. We must remember who He is – our great Light!
We usually use the following verses at Christmas time, but I want to point us to them a little early as a reminder of who Jesus is and what He came to earth to accomplish. Read each sentence slowly and consider what its truth means for you and me today, in our current circumstances.
For a child is born to us,
a son is given to us.
The government will rest on his shoulders.
And he will be called:
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
His government and its peace
will never end.
He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David
for all eternity.
The passionate commitment of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies
will make this happen!
Isaiah 9:6-7
As I sat there at the restaurant in pitch-black, I had to choose to focus on what I knew to be true even when I couldn’t see it – a member of staff who was outside of my situation was watching over the room through CCTV, ready to step in and act on my behalf should a true danger present itself. God is watching over you, over your family, over our nation and over the world. He sees it all and He has the authority and the power to step in and act, according to His infinite wisdom. Let’s choose to fix our thoughts on what is true and commit our hearts to trusting Jesus. And as you live in the confidence of the Light of Christ, take that Light and bring it into the darkness that others are experiencing. The world sure needs it!