When It’s Dark

We grabbed our bag chairs out of the back of the truck and walked toward the trail. Rain was dripping from the trees and night was coming. We weren’t exactly sure what to expect, but for years we had heard about the mysterious, beautiful synchronous fireflies in our nearby Smoky Mountains.

We walked a short distance and placed our chairs just off the trail facing an expansive area with large trees and low undergrowth. The stream was the only sound in the quiet woods.

But then came others, older couples, young families, groups of teens and they all found places to sit and wait.

We were all waiting on the darkness.

As light began to fade, we began to notice a few fireflies among the trees.

And then, as if cued by an unseen conductor, as the dark of night settled in the mountains, it happened!

Those fireflies began to all go dark together for several seconds, and then, all at once, they would light up, twinkling like thousands of Christmas lights.

It was stunning and majestic!

The synchronized pause to darkness and then the brilliant symphony of dancing lights played over and over and it was all I could do to contain myself. I wanted to squeal at that glorious sight!

Surely God, created that beautiful lightening bug dance to cause us to wonder and worship!

But maybe, just maybe, He also orchestrated that stunning act of creation to encourage us to hold on when our nights seem the darkest.

We so often find ourselves waiting in the darkest of nights in this life, but we can’t forget that God is most certainly, at just the right moment, going to bring light.

And sometimes, just like with those fireflies, it takes the dark of night for our human eyes to see just how glorious and how orchestrated His light truly is.

And for Christians, perhaps that is how darkness should always be viewed—as merely a prelude to the certain, glorious light that is coming.

Maybe you are sitting in the dark right now in your life…oh friend, hold on! He is at work! He will bring light, glorious, beautiful light!

As the Psalmist sang long ago, ““Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night,” even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you.” (Psalm 139:11-12)

Oh yes, we who know the Lord can hold on and know, “He uncovers the deep out of darkness and brings deep darkness to light.” (Job 12:22)

Always.

kimjaggers.com
(Originally shared a few years ago, but it felt relevant again today).