Even the Darkness is Not Dark to You

 “If I say, let only darkness cover me, and the light about me be night, even the darkness is not dark to you. The night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you.” 

Psalm 139:11-12

A priest suggested Psalm 139 to me to meditate on after confession yesterday, and though I have read it many times, even memorized it as a teen, I saw this in a new light today. 

“Even the darkness is not dark to you.”

I began to think about the darkest of darks. For many people it’s deep depression. Others, an addiction. An abusive relationship. Maybe paralyzing anxiety. The death of a loved one. Many of us feel a growing darkness around us, of immorality and truly evil activity. We feel overwhelmed and sometimes hopeless. 

Then I thought about, being in a dark room. At first you can’t see anything, but when your eyes adjust, you see there is in fact, still light. 

And I thought of an experience I would wish to forget, when I was truly in the dark, in a pitch black cave in a small space (I was already feeling claustrophobic and then the tour guide decided to eliminate all light sources). I began to panic but my husband reached out to squeeze my hand, and I found I could endure it, a little longer. 

“Even the darkness is not dark to you.” 

“The night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you.” 

I was overwhelmed with a peace, a confidence that my God, cannot be held back, by anything. He will always find me, He will always be there. In the darkest of dark places. 

And He is always going to be there with you. He is there, in your darkness. He wants to be there, holding your hand, saying, “Be not afraid! I am with you!” You may not see Him, but quiet your heart. Call out to Him. Your darkness is as light to Him. Because He IS the light. Any darkness, your darkness cannot overcome Him. But He can overcome yours.