The Benefits of Darkness

"I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me, you can do nothing" (John 15:5)

Have you ever experienced a time in your life when it seemed like your whole world was shattered? Maybe a loved one passed away, a spouse left home, a flood came and you lost everything. No one - not even committed Christians - are exempt from these dark times of life.

It has been said that the greatest growth in the Christian's spiritual life occurs during periods of darkness. How can this be so? How can any good come out of the most hideous horrors imaginable? Consider these ways:

Hard times prevent us from thinking of ourselves as invulnerable. A hard fact of life is that we cannot do everything by ourselves. In fact, according to Scripture, we can do nothing apart from Christ (John 15:5).

Life-shattering hardships cause us to fall at the foot of the Cross with open, empty hands. God is not impressed with how much we can handle "on our own"; rather, He desires us to come to Him utterly broken, realizing that He alone can restore our lives (Psalm 51:17).

The darkest life is the one that is affected most by the light of Christ. Just as a single candle has tremendous impact on a dark room, so does the blazing light of Jesus illuminate our hearts]

Pray for a clearer understanding of the dark times in your life, so that you may be better prepared to understand and accept the grace that God desires to pour out.

Lord, help me to understand that the darkness makes Your light shine brighter and makes me realize my need for it. Amen

~Charles Stanley~