It was supposed to be a practical joke, but it wasn’t funny to me. I stood on the indoor tennis court unable to see two steps in front of me. I froze. My coworker had turned out all the lights…just for “fun”. Have you ever felt helpless or hopeless, like you were immersed in darkness unable to help yourself find a way out?
Years later, I stood in the dark yard of a gypsy home in Romania hoping to get permission to adopt the daughter they had placed in an orphanage. If I don’t get out of here alive, my mother will kill me. My thoughts made no sense, but that’s what darkness can do to our minds.
Whether it’s loneliness, financial struggles or health issues, things can seem pretty dark these days. Many of us are dealing with issues that seem impossible to fix. The road ahead might even get rockier.
But God…like a lighthouse beacon guiding ships safely to shore, His Word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path (Ps. 119:105). He will keep us from crashing on the rocks. His Word will comfort, guide and direct us when we cannot see two feet in front of us.
The key to survival is to focus on the LIGHT.
Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me will not be walking in the dark, but will have the Light which is life (John 8:12 Amp).” Only light can shatter darkness.
He wants us to stay connected to Him like a branch is connected to the vine—inseparable (John 15:4-5).
Our feelings are real but they often lie to us. They often tell us what the news or the enemy is saying: “It’s hopeless. There is nothing you can do. This will never change.”
We need His words not just in our heads, but woven into our hearts by meditating on His words: “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible. I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Matt. 19:26, Deut. 31:8). If we saturate our hearts with His words, our feelings will start to line up with His truth and hope will be restored.
Our second line of attack against hopelessness and discouragement is to declare those verses that we have meditated on out loud—whenever those negative emotions assail us. Speaking God’s truth aloud changes not just our thoughts and emotions but the atmosphere around us.
Use your voice. Silence those negative thoughts. Take every thought captive (2 Cor.10:5).
In 2 Corinthians 4:16, Paul encourages us to “not lose heart” because our afflictions are momentary. Jesus said, “With God all things are possible.” All things, not just some. Not just other people’s problems, but yours and mine, too. We can endure hardship with His help. We can overcome them with His solutions. We will be stronger on the other side of this.
Whatever difficulty is staring you in the face is temporary, whether or not it feels that way right now. Let us live by faith, not by feelings. Proverbs 16:3 (Amplified) says: “Roll your works upon the Lord [commit and trust them wholly to Him; He will cause your thoughts to become agreeable to His will, and] so shall your plans be established and succeed.”
When we hand the problems over to Him and let go—when we tell Him, “I’m giving this completely to You; I want Your will, not mine; cause my thoughts to agree with Your best plan for me—then ask for His grace while you wait for His wisdom. Persevere. Keep reminding yourself that this will pass. You will get through this.
Here are some breath prayers (short prayers) that I use in desperate times:
“More grace, Lord.”
“Grant me Your peace.”
“Calm the storm around me.”
“Fill me with hope.”
“Release Your power into my circumstances.”
What Scriptures give you hope in dark times? Here are some that encourage me.
Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know (Jeremiah 33:3)
I will make darkness light before them, and the crooked places straight (Isaiah 42:16).
Send out Your light and Your truth. Let them lead me (Psalm 43:3).
When I sit in darkness, the Lord shall be a light to me (Micah 7:8).
Here is a link to more verses on hope: https://dailyverses.net/hope