Let us find the light when we experience some darkness

Darkness hits us regularly.  In fact, the sun goes down every night.  It gets dark.  That is part of our reality.  We can’t stop it.
But we don’t have to let the darkness overwhelm us, or to keep us in the dark.  We can turn lights on, or light candles.  In fact, light is far more powerful than darkness.  When darkness meets light it runs away.  Light dispels the dark.  It is not even a fair contest.
We experience darkness.  We encounter pain, rejection and fear.  We are misunderstood and mistreated.  We get sick and watch loved ones get sick.  We suffer because of the sinful actions of others.  We suffer because of our own bad choices.  There is darkness.
That there is darkness is only half the story, and the real question is what are we, disciples of Jesus to do in the midst of darkness?  The simple answer is to find some light!  Once we find a light switch or a lamp we make the darkness disappear with a simple movement of our fingers.
The same holds true for spiritual darkness.  When we are in the midst of it we feel lost and confused.  We are afraid to move.  We sit in fear and begin to imagine all of the terrible things that may be just outside of our dimmed view.  We may find that looking for the light may be very helpful.  It may seem a little scary, but once found the darkness can be defeated.
Let us remember that we are children of the light, and we are not made for darkness.  When we find ourselves in darkness let us be up and find the light!
How do we do that?  I think our approaches differ based on our style of prayer and what the source of the darkness is.  One thing is universal and is essential to remember.  Jesus says, “I am the Light of the World.” However we do it, we must invite Jesus to step into our darkness and bring us to the light.  He has the power to dispel the darkness, and we don’t.  He is the savior, and we are in need of His salvation. 
— Pat Arensberg is the Director of the Office of Evangelization and Family Life. Email him at [email protected]. For more information concerning the events of this office, visit us at mobilefaithformation.org.