Light shines on the righteous and joy on the upright in heart. Rejoice in the Lord, you who are righteous, and praise his holy name. (Ps. 97:11–12)
Late one night, I sat outside far from home on an international ministry trip. I was a few hundred feet and a set of stairs away from the room where I was staying. Street lights provided light for the courtyard where I sat collecting my thoughts in a journal. BOOM! Total darkness. The power went out. In a split second, it became so dark I could not see my hand in front of my face! My heart raced wondering how I would get back to my room.
Feelings of fear and doubt can thrive in darkness, and hope can weaken. Challenging circumstances in life can create these same feelings. But God is above it all. No matter the circumstance, God provides. He is light in the darkness. There will be trouble and we will experience difficulty, but nothing is too big for God to handle. He has overcome it all.
I remembered my cell phone was on the table in front of me. I felt around until it was in my hand. I smiled at how quickly I had forgotten my phone was right there and had a flashlight. There was never a reason to fear. When dark moments strike in life, it is easy to forget God is still right there with us. We can rejoice when we remember the power of God above every life circumstance!
Rejoice in the power and the love of God.
Mike Osler is completing his MDiv at Wesley Seminary at Indiana Wesleyan University. Mike and his wife, Kim, live in Iowa with their four young boys.
© 2021 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission. Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.
