Darkness, But Only for a Season
Driving home tonight the sky was dark and the drizzling rain fell like tear drops from Heaven. It was just past 7:00 pm and I started to remind myself that not long from now the sun will be up way past this time of night. I had to remind myself that come summer I would be out in the yard until 8:00 pm or even later! That I will have to make the kids go to bed with light still in the sky, and games and chores will seem endless. I had to remind myself that this early darkness doesn’t last forever, it passes, and soon the springtime and summer fun begins. That made me think about seasons of our lives, you may be struggling with addiction, heartache, the blues, money troubles, kid troubles, but whatever it is, know it doesn’t last forever. It may last longer than a day or a week, but soon enough this season of darkness will pass and someday it may even be just a blip on very long path of your life. To borrow words from the Holy Scriptures, Fear Not for the Lord is with You. Fear Not for I bring you good tidings of great joy. Fear not for I know the plans for you to prosper you and not to harm you. Jesus says, take my yoke upon you for it is easy and my burden is light.
My very good friend is in one of these dark seasons right now. They are battling debilitating depression that has taken them into the hospital. For months now we have talked and they ask me, so fervently, when does it end? My heart aches as I have to answer, I don’t know. I just know that you, like me at my darkest time, have to just keep putting one foot in front of the other, keep looking up, doing the best you can, and trying very hard not to be your worst critic. They ask me what worked for me in my worst darkness, and I try to relay my best advice, but honestly each of us has to walk our own path. I can say, I remember the feeling of desperation, that there was no light at the end of the tunnel, the sadness seemed to be more than I could take, and it felt like it would never end. Hopelessness is a very dark path that is not only sad, but also drains you of any type of energy. Yet, I pressed on, and very slowly, VERY slowly, things started to change, not like a new paint color or a light switch, think of the ocean tide coming in. The tide slowly makes progress, regression, a little more progress…until the tide is fully in, but it’s not a straight path it’s in and out. Things became better and I continued to slip and fall, but I rose again and I got a little further and eventually like the tide I arrived. At least for this portion of the journey, there are more seasons of darkness and there will be more in the future I am sure, it’s not about never being in a storm it’s about learning to ride the waves.
I pray that my friend in their hospital room now will be able to see a glimmer of light, because it is there. I pray that the slow but steady healing will begin to happen. Just like the afternoons, soon the bright sun will stay a little longer each day….until the long summer evenings are here full of fun and games and winter’s bitter cold a distant memory.
Whatever you are going through today or this season take heart my friend it is but for a time, soon you will be past these dark gloomy nights and on to the season of Sunshine!
Love,
Cameron
Episcopal Lotus Flower in Bloom 