The Weakness of the Darkness

There are cracks in my story, canyons in my heart, faults in my parenting, my marriage, my motivation to live a life set apart. Jesus knows the contours of my pock marked life. His life curved, bent to the Father's will to break him to make me whole.

Our temptation can be to throw hands up and curse the day we were made. We'll complain for far less than Job did. Undeniably life can break against us hard. That fact is not lost on God. He saw us helpless in our need and made a way to overcome the greatest of chasms.

Often people read my story and I can see their eyes searching, grappling for the words. They don't know quite what to say.  I've lived the story and I don't always know how to make sense of it. I only know that the darkness is not as powerful as we give it credit for.

Bad news comes and we lean into the dark. We run all the worst case scenarios and yes, sometimes the worst happens. Mamas die and men murder for sport. There is no pat answer, no incantation to speak against the dark save "Jesus, Jesus, Jesus..." There is only Jesus who promised that no matter how dark the night there will one day spring light eternal.

Chasing light is about changing our perspective. It doesn't mean that we don't feel the weight of the dark. It does mean that we believe that the dark cannot crush us. Christ already crushed death and so for the believer there is a lightness inherent in the dark.

{Tomorrow I'll be posting resources for the journey. We're only a couple of days in so be sure to go back to Day 1 if you missed out. I'd also love to hear from you about the darkness, big or small, you're facing right now. Use hashtag #chasinglight to share on twitter, instagram or facebook.}