Don't Be Afraid Of The Dark

We all go through dark seasons in our lives. The 16th century Spanish poet and Catholic mystic St. John of the Cross called this type of season the "Dark Night Of The Soul". Thousands of years ago, there lived a Jewish man named Daniel. He was a captive of the Babylonian Empire under rule of King Nebuchadnezzar. This king had a dream, and it troubled him. No one around him could interpret this dream - not even his own wise men, magicians, astrologist's, or sorcerers. He got mad enough to kill for this. It was a dark time in the kings court. Then a man named Arioch tells the king about Daniel. I'm sure Daniel had some dark nights as well during this time, and would again (think Lion's Den). But now an angry king killing people who cannot interpret his dream - which was, in fact, a vision from God - is told of Daniel. So Daniel gets volunteered for the task of doing what no one else could do. But Daniel wasn't scared of the darkness surrounding him. On the contrary, Daniel said, 

"20...Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, to whom belong wisdom and might. 21...He changes times and seasons; He removes kings and sets up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding; 22...He reveals deep and hidden things; He knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with Him. 23...To You, O God of my fathers, I give thanks and praise, for You have given me wisdom and might, and have now made known to me what we asked of You, for You have made known to us the king’s matter."

In Daniel's time of darkness, he did 10 things - revealed in this classic prayer:

1) He praised the name of God. - v. 20

2) He recognized God's name is everlasting. - v. 20

3) He trusted in God's wisdom and might. - v. 20

4) He believed in the sovereignty of God in matters pertaining to this world - times, seasons, kings. - v. 21

5) He sought and gained wisdom, knowledge, and might from God. - v. 21, 23

6) He found deep and hidden things were not off limits from God's revelation. - v. 22

7) He knew he didn't need to be afraid of darkness because God even knows what is in the darkness. - v. 22

8) He saw that light dwells with God - dispelling the darkness. - v. 22

9) He remembered his heritage. - v. 23

10) He gave honor and thanks to God for answered prayer. - v. 23

If you're going through a dark time, examine this prayer and find the Light that you need to lead you out.

                                                                             photo by phoenixdub