We had a solar eclipse yesterday. My tiny human and I sat in the drive way with our super cool paper black out glasses and we watched the moon creep over the sun. We weren’t in the path of totality, so it wasn’t like it was a drastic difference in daylight, especially with as bright as it is here in south Florida! It was cool to explain to my little one how the sun was being covered by the moon. Darkness would come, but just for a short time, because the light of sun was still there behind the moon.
As we watched the NASA live stream from all around the country, I heard commentators say words like “majestic” “awesome” and “chilling” to describe the eclipse.
Of course they would! Psalms 19:1 tells us the Heavens declare the glory of God. Awesome, Majestic and Glorious are perfect words to describe the heavens, solar eclipse or not.
As the day got dark, as light was over shadowed and places were engulfed in darkness during daytime, I began to think about the words used to describe the situation, and how we don’t use those same words to describe the dark seasons of our lives.
Why is it when I can’t see clearly the path in front of me I use words like fear, anxious, doubt, and hesitancy?
Because if I am honest with myself, I fear when I can’t see my plans playing out in front of me. The truth is I never really know what God’s plans are! No mind on earth can understand or fathom His plans. We’re never really sure what all He’s working in and through. This is where faith takes over.
It would be easy to sit on this side of a computer screen and tell you life is all sorts of rosy and beautiful. That sunshine invades every area of my life. But as I type this, all “my” plans in the last week have been turned upside down! UPSIDE DOWN!
There are a lot of dark and scary paths ahead, and while part of me wants to run and hide, part of my heart is learning that there is a sense of awesome majesty waiting for me in the darkness. Not because I am walking through dark seasons, but because once I cross through the dark season I am greeted with the glory of His light!
When I can’t see the path ahead of me, I am forced to look beyond the darkness and trust in the Light behind the darkness.
Trust doesn’t come easy. But it comes. Just like the sun stood behind the moon, darkness came, but only for a season.
In the darkness I learn to stand still and listen a little more closely.
In the darkness I stop long enough to feel what is around me.
In the darkness my eyes focus more intently to see the most important things in front of me.
The darkness causes me to move beyond myself and my comfort. Darkness can be majestic, if I focus on the one who can illuminate the darkness.
Are you like me, on the brink between darkness and light? Wondering what comes next? Learning to trust the Light, even when you can’t see it?
Stand steady friend. Even in the darkness, Light is still there, it just takes a while to see it. But don’t miss the lessons to be learned in the darkness.
