It had been a long day. With the positive conversations, progress made, and indicators of future success, one might think I would be energised. The evidence was strong. I knew the long day would soon give way to a new day and fresh opportunities. In the moment, all I could think about was rest, silence, and darkness. I was, quite frankly not ready to move. My feet were stuck in the darkness even as the light began to emerge. Even as things began to spiral, I could hear gentle Whispers speaking from the vantage point of the arriving light.
Life’s times of darkness are never as long as my mind believes they will in the moment. I am in no way dismissing or diminishing times of pain, anguish, and darkness. The intensity that comes with the loss of those loves never completely goes away. The open wounds from evil’s hand are still fresh, often to the point of feeling that the healing will never begin. My observation is that light does come, often much earlier than I imagine.
Thomas Fuller reminds me that the “darkest moment is just before dawn.” The pull of darkness often threatens to overwhelm my heart and soul. In those moments, I find myself reaching for threads of hopeful assurance. Old words ring as a reminder; “The night is about over; dawn is about to break. Be up and awake to what God is doing! God is putting the finishing touches on the salvation work he began when we first believed.” (Romans 13.12). I hear the Whisper exhortation as a call to hope, remaining faithful to the greater story of promise and a better tomorrow.
Life’s darkness can be a time for preparation and readiness. Taking care of myself is an integral part of being able, ready, and willing. Sleep, reflection, and embracing the call to a new day are essential to living life to the full as the light arrives. Each step is a supporting element in taking steps with kindness and care. Today’s light releases one’s heart for action.
