The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
John 1:5 (NIV)
I’m not usually a fan of big, bright lights. I prefer twinkle lights, battery-operated candles, or small lamps. In my opinion, the LED bulb was one of the worst aesthetic inventions ever. Too bright and too cold. I thought maybe it was just me—until I saw a trend that highlighted (see what I did there?) the ambience of “no big lights.” Turns out, a large population of women feel more relaxed when they are around soft lighting. These are my people!
Now, I will say, there are times when we really do need big bright lights. Until I spent time in the Kenyan desert, I had never really understood real darkness. Not only did I need to see where I was going, but I needed to avoid the critters I was terrified to step on (camel spiders, scorpions, and snakes, oh my!). No battery-operated candle would have sufficed there; I needed a strong light source to show me the way.
Have you ever been in true darkness? I don’t just mean physically. Have you ever experienced spiritual darkness? I battled chronic anxiety for years. If you don’t mind some raw vulnerability for a moment, that experience almost took me out. I remember being in the fetal position on my bedroom floor and begging God to end my pain, and in full disclosure, to end ME, if that’s what it took. I was exhausted and terrified and could not shake the feeling of darkness.
Maybe you’ve been in a similar season where you’ve begged the Lord to shine his light on you. May I offer some encouragement? Jesus is given over fifty names in the Bible and one of them is the “Light of the World.” Why is this name important? We must first ask, what is the purpose of light? Light expels darkness, brings clarity, provides safety, and removes unknowns. So, if Jesus is referring to himself as the Light of the World, then what is he saying? He’s saying that he alone can provide the light that is needed to overcome the world’s utter darkness and confusion.
The darkness is not dark to him (Psalm 139:12). When we feel like we are in darkness, the enemy has a way of tricking us into thinking there is no hope. However, Scripture is clear that darkness cannot exist in the Lord’s presence: “…in him there is no darkness at all” (1 John 1:5 NIV). The Bible also teaches in Revelation 22:5 that in heaven there won’t be any night because the glory of God will be our eternal light. That’s a Big Light. One I’m totally good with! When we trust in Christ, darkness does not have the final word and is ultimately made extinct.
So, from a survivor of over a decade-long season of fighting my way out of darkness, my encouragement is to have courage and press on. Jesus is the Big Light that we all need. “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (John 1:5 NIV). Praise the Lord for the Big Light he provides us in Christ!
Reflect: Find a verse this week that describes Jesus as light and commit it to memory.