AFRAID OF THE DARK?

September 22, 2023

“For you light my lamp; the Lord my God illumines my darkness.” Psalm 18:28

Being afraid of the dark is common among children and, to a varying degree, adults.

But that fear is usually not simply the fear of darkness itself, but a fear of the possible or imagined dangers concealed by darkness.

Here’s an example:

She had been driven crazy by her energetic children and just needed to get away, if even for just a moment. She ran upstairs to her daughter’s bedroom and closed the closet door behind her. And there, in the solitude of the closet, she cleansed her mind by letting out a long, loud scream. She immediately felt better and opened the door to leave. Blocking her exit, with eyes the size of saucers, were her three children. Her four-year-old daughter spoke first: “Mommy, I told you there were monsters in there.”

While this might be a humorous moment, the truth is children and adults fear the dark (or the unknown) for the same reason:

Our fears are intensified when we cannot see what is really before us.

Listen to these words from the Psalmist: “Where can I go from Your spirit? Where can I flee Your presence? If I go up to the heavens, You are there. If I make my bed in the depths, You are there. If I rise on the wings of dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there Your hand will guide me, Your right hand will hold me fast.” Psalm 139:7-10

Like a loving father, God promises that He’ll always be with us. He’s there to offer His hand to cling to during life’s darkest hours. He’s a light that will always guide us through the darkness, never leaving our side.

So don’t be afraid of the unknown; allow God to light your way and lead you everywhere you need to go.

Written by Bryant Wright, Founder, RFTH

BRYANT HAS MORE TO SAY ABOUT DARKNESS

Read “Living in the Dark is Foolish”