A LIGHT FOR DARK DAYS
Who is among you that feareth the Lord, … that walketh in darkness?… Let him trust in the name of the Lord, and stay upon his God.
Isaiah 55:10
Somehow the notion has spread abroad that true Christians should never endure periods of darkness, trial, or trouble. Nothing could be further from the truth. Trials will come to every Christian. Satan will attack every Christian. When these things occur, we can become very confused and distressed. It appears that the Lord has forsaken us. Is that your experience today? Are you an heir of heaven walking in darkness? Today’s text has a word for you.
Dark days are not necessarily a judgment on sin. Isaiah addresses those who fear the Lord. They obey the voice of His servant. This is a description of a believer walking according to the Word of God. Yet he walks in darkness. He is fighting a spiritual battle that depresses his soul. He reads his Bible but receives no light. He prays but obtains no relief. The devil tells him that all this is God’s judgment on him and that He has forsaken him. Our text brands that as a lie. Faithful Christians face dark days. So what is the answer? Will the Lord leave a believer in such a condition indefinitely? No, but He may allow the darkness to continue until the necessary lesson of faith has been learned. What is that lesson? It is that we are not to base our assurance on good feelings or prosperous circumstances, but on the character and Word of our God. If you are compassed about by doubt or darkness, stay, or lean, upon the Lord. Trust Him. He will not fail you or forsake you. Stand upon His promises, and light will arise in the darkness.
Alan Cairns
