Darkness is a troubling environment for many. For us here on Earth, darkness after daylight may bring on fears of the unknown, of not being able to see clearly. We associate darkness with evil. More crimes are committed at night, when darkness falls. We may even perceive that people behave more recklessly at night. Trouble lies in the “shadows.” In Jeremiah 23:12, we read, “Therefore their path will become slippery; they will be banished to darkness and there they will fall. I will bring disaster on them in the year they are punished.” In Job 18:18, we read, “He is driven from light into the realm of darkness and is banished from the world.”

Negativity and fear are also associated with darkness. Humans speak of living under a dark cloud when they are depressed. When there are pervasive disturbing thoughts, we refer to them as a “darkness within.” Darkness is considered the opposite of light, and indeed it is. Darkness is by definition the absence of light.

God Did Not Banish Darkness

Have you ever asked yourself, why did God not banish darkness from the Earth? He did not banish darkness; He added light to the world. When we think of God, we think of Him as the source of light. Many refer to God as the Light of the World. Light symbolizes our salvation. Light symbolizes our enlightenment into the glory of God. Yet, God gives equal weight to light and darkness. He knows that darkness is as much a part of life as light. How can that be?

Darkness Can be a Place of Rebirth

The human condition requires darkness in order to thrive. It is during our sleeping hours in darkness when the body rejuvenates itself. All of God’s creatures require sleep. When humans are deprived of darkness, our circadian rhythms are disrupted, and the sleep cycle is interrupted, resulting in sleep deprivation and problems getting sufficient deep sleep. In turn, lack of sleep has been proven to be linked to a wide range of health problems.

Consider that many seeds require darkness in which to germinate. Several animal and insect species live underground, in darkness. Others are nocturnal, only coming out to play and forage for food when their natural predators are fast asleep. ON the seafloor, hundreds or more species of aquatic life live their entire lives in darkness, giving birth, eating and frolicking far from the Sun’s rays.

Your Darkness is Not Dark to Him

God created an Earth where there is room for all living creatures to enjoy both the day and the night, or only the light or only the dark. In Psalm 139:12, it is written, “Indeed, the darkness shall not hide from you, but the night shines as the day; The darkness and the light are both alike to You.” Another version of this passage reads, “But even in darkness I cannot hide from you. To you the night shines as bright as day. Darkness and light are the same to you.”

God promises that, even in darkness, whether it is actual night, or whether you feel lost in darkness inside, God sees you. You are always within reach of God’s love and grace. You have nothing to fear in darkness.

With God, you can find the light even in the most unlikely situations.