Afraid of the Dark!

Once upon a time, there lived a young girl in a small town just outside of a big city. Spring had sprung and the streets were covered in bright yellow puffs of pollen. It seemed the weather had gone from chilly to warm in a matter of days. The young girl loved spring because to her, it meant a time for new beginnings. As she walked a path to campus everyday, she noticed the flower buds slowly start to bloom, the bees buzzing by, and the birds begin to sing soft sweet melodies. As she soaked up the sunlight, she prayed that she would learn to enjoy each and every day remembering it as a gift from the Lord. Her life was full and growing busier with each week that passed. In her heart, she knew the Lord was preparing her for something great.

As the months lingered on, she spent time meeting with brothers and sisters in Christ to grow in her spirituality and strengthen her relationship and trust in the Lord. During the day, everything seemed fine. Her happiness overflowed into others as the joy from her heavenly Father ran through her veins. She had a passion for people, a love for laughter, and a heart that only wanted to make everyone's life better. Though she shared her struggles, she didn't think they mattered. The young girl only wanted to help others, not to burden them with any frustrations she dealt with. Some friends asked her if she ever got upset or had reason to cry, because all she cared to let them see was her happy, bubbly self. Her goal was to bring a smile to people's face through the love of Jesus. As she continued in her pursuit, the storm hit.

A battle between light and darkness came in the night. Not every night did this battle rage, but off and on for weeks. I've heard say that Satan always strikes hardest when God is about to do something amazing in your life. This young girl could feel the blows. As she sat in her bed at night, Satan attacked her thoughts. In her thoughts she was reminded of all the hurt she felt and the burdens she carried. She thought about her dear friend in the hospital whom she could not make better. She thought about her friends and the struggles they had with family and their faith and was again reminded she could not make things better. Thoughts of abandoned children in a Romanian hospital broke her heart as she again remembered she could not make things better. A negative mentality plagued her mind as she continued to think about things that only upset her. Her dreams turned to nightmares and with each morning made her that much more thankful for the rising sun.

In light of new beginnings God used those nights to reassure her that though she could not fix things and make people's lives better, He could. Though Satan made her feel like a failure, the holy spirit gave her peace in remembering that she can do all things in Christ. Though at times the young girl didn't feel equipped, her heavenly Father equipped her. Most importantly, He reminded her of her significance to Him. As a daughter of our heavenly Father, she was overcome with a peace that He is in control of every detail in our life. His grace and mercy is renewed with each passing day. His love is unconditional and His joy is unending. Don't be afraid of the dark; for just as Winter turns to Spring, so light conquers darkness.

Power in the Word:

"You, O Lord, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light. With your help I can advance against a troop; with my God I can scale a wall. As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the Lord is flawless. He is a shield for all who take refuge in Him."
Psalm 18:28-30

"Call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you and you shall glorify me."
Psalm 50:15

"A twinkle in the eye means joy in the heart, and good news makes you feel fit as a fiddle."
Proverbs 15:30

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