In the depths of despair, it often seems like there is darkness all around. Feeling hopeless and lost, you may believe that everyone and everything in this life is against you. But those feelings are not accurate, even though they feel so real in the moment. God is always on your side, and He never deserts his children. He wants you to know that there is light within you and around you, even when it feels like there is only darkness.

Forgiveness in Times of Despair

Often, our worst times of despair are when we know in our heart that we are to blame for our own misfortune. Even then, we are worthy of forgiveness. In Luke, Chapter 7, verses 36 through 50, a woman named Mary Magdalene came to Jesus to worship him. Because she was a sinner, the others in attendance scorned her. Mary Magdalene wept at the glory of Jesus and likely wept for her own despair. She washed Jesus’ feet with her own tears and dried them with her hair. This was the only gift she could bestow, as she had no earthly possessions. When a Pharisee pointed out to Jesus that the woman washing his feet was a sinner, what do you think Jesus did? He turned to her and said, “I forgive you.” 

Mary Magdalene did not go there to find forgiveness. She went to worship at the feet of the Savior of mankind. She cried with despair but left with light in her heart that her sins were forgiven. In darkness she found light.

There is Always Light

The light of God can never be extinguished. Those who seek God will always walk in his light. In the Book of Psalms 56:13, we read, “For you have delivered me from death and my feet from stumbling, that I may walk before God in the light of life.”

The prophet Isaiah writes in chapter nine, verse 2, “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.”

It’s important to never give up hope that light will prevail. It’s a sign of faith to carry on as best you can in your lowest times, knowing that God will bring light and cast away the shadows.

Strange and Surprising Developments

It’s likely that you can look back and remember certain times when things seemed very dire and then suddenly something wonderful happened. Maybe you were short on your rent one month and that’s the day that your cousin repaid you for a loan you gave him many months ago. Or you get a flat tire and the person who stops to help you ends up becoming a very good friend. Another example might be suffering from a physical ailment, only to find that through your suffering you found your way back to God.

There are many ways that God shows us the way with his light. We have only to open our hearts to see the path he has lit for us.   Never give up on God’s love and his light. The darkness always gives way to light.