The Darkness Will Not Overtake You!

The Darkness Will Not Overtake You!John 1:5 “ The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overtake it.”I read this the other day on someone’s Facebook post and knew I had to use it.  I know so many of us need to hear this right now.  The darkness you are feeling will not overtake you.  This is one of those verses we need to write on a sticky note or an index card and place somewhere we will see it often.  I feel like there are so many verses in the Bible for us to stand on when we struggle.  I was just thinking it would be nice to have a handy book or list of them, and then we can pull out the ones we need when we need them.  Then the Holy Spirit reminded me of these little books called “Book of God’s Promises” or something like that.  I believe it has verses broken up into categories.  Although you don’t even have to buy a book, you can do a quick internet search of Bible verses for your struggles. For instance, Bible verses about anxiety, worry, fear, or whatever the struggle is for you.I wish every single person who is struggling with the darkness right now knew that they would come out of it.  I wish they knew it wouldn’t last forever. I know several people who were in a deep pit of despair and darkness, and now they are out of it.  While they were in it, they didn’t know it wouldn’t consume them.  They didn’t know there was a way out.  When you are alone in the darkness, you can’t see anything.  I just got this image of trying to find my bed at night after turning the bathroom light off.  I walk very slowly, usually with my hands out so I can feel the things that are in front of me.  I always make it to my bed, and I usually do it without getting hurt.  Although, sometimes, I do stub my toe or run into the corner of the bed or something.  The difference is I have walked in my bedroom most days for the past eight years.  I have walked around my bedroom in the light and in the dark.  I know where everything is located.  It is not the same as walking in the darkness in unfamiliar territory, like when I stay at a hotel or something.  Oftentimes, when we are walking in the darkness that life brings, we don’t know the way.  It is all unfamiliar to us.  Even if we have been in a similar situation before, the darkness that comes with it can be different each time.  Sometimes, you might be angry. Other times, you might be sad or anxious.  When this happens, you don’t know what to do.  You just feel alone and lost.  You walk around with your hands out, trying to feel your way through life.  Actually, when you are in the darkness of life, you might be trying hard not to feel your way through life.Sometimes, we don’t want to feel because it hurts too much!  We would rather turn off our emotions or stuff them down deep so that they can’t hurt us.  I get that.  Feeling our emotions makes us feel vulnerable.  Our society isn’t super accepting of emotions.  Also, because we live in a broken world, we might have been hurt many times when we have allowed our emotions to be seen or even to be felt.  Has this happened to you?  Have you shut off your emotions at times because they just hurt too much?  If so, I know what that feels like.  I know why you did it, and it was your mind trying to protect you.  What God wants you to know now is that you can always feel safe sharing your emotions with Him.You never have to hide them or keep them from Him.  Sometimes, we might want to because we are ashamed of our emotions.  For instance, if we have been waiting and praying for something for a long time, and it seems as though our prayers have gone unanswered, then this might make us angry or disappointed with God.  However, we don’t think this is acceptable.  Aren’t we supposed to be grateful for all that we have?  Aren’t we supposed to give praise and thanksgiving in all things?  If we are angry with God, how can we give praise and thanksgiving?  How can we