God Is Present In The Darkness
January 26, 2022·Emma Contreras
During my senior year of high school, I started experiencing anxiety. It started out small and, in some ways, I didn’t even know that the feelings I was experiencing were anxious feelings. But over time, this developed into a huge battle. By the time that summer rolled around, I struggled to leave my house. Running simple errands was a trial, since most of my anxiety surrounded a deep fear that harm would happen to me. I remember going to Disneyland with my family that summer and holding my dad’s hand, at 18 years old as I walked through the park, because I was so fearful. It even reached a point where church didn’t feel safe either.
As I was looking through the Psalms included in this week’s Pause reading plan, I was drawn to a few passages of Scripture:
Psalm 4:8, “In peace I will lie down and sleep, for You alone, O Lord, will keep me safe.”
Psalm 5:12, “For You bless the godly, O Lord; You surround them with Your shield of love.”
Psalm 7:10, “God is my shield, saving those whose hearts are true and right.”
I highlighted each one of these passages back when I was in my intense struggle with anxiety and fear. I knew the only way I was going to get out of this was if I drew close to the Lord, closer than I ever had before. I turned to the Psalms, specifically, for comfort and encouragement.
In Psalm 4:8, I love the truth that God is working and protecting us, even while we sleep. One of my favorite books is called God Works The Night Shift, by Ron Mehl. This book highlights the acts of love that God is performing while we sleep and reminds us that sometimes His greatest work is done in the darkness. We can actually sleep peacefully, because God will keep us safe.
In Psalms 5:12 and 7:10, I take comfort in the fact that the Lord is a shield and He surrounds us with His love. He is our salvation! I mentioned earlier that at 18 years old I was holding my dad’s hand at Disneyland, because I was engulfed in crippling fear and anxiety. I remember he leaned over and told me, “Don’t worry, Emma, I won’t let anything happen to you.” I had confidence in my dad and that he would protect me. In the same way, we can have confidence in God, our Heavenly Father, as our shield, knowing He is fully surrounding us with His protection and love.
My prayer for you today is that whatever darkness and struggle you find yourself in, you will look to God as your shield. He loves you, and He is surrounding you with His love and protection. And remember, He is always working, and sometimes His greatest work happens in the darkness.
Pastor Emma Contreras
