When was the last time you felt afraid? Today? Last week? Maybe you’ve decided to not welcome fear and instead are angry? Fear comes come because of a difficult decision, a devastating sickness, a broken relationship, or can just bring an overall sense that something is wrong. Fear is sometimes manageable and sometimes completely suffocating.
What do you do when you’re afraid? Avoid? Freeze? Panic? Pray?
–For the record, it is perfectly acceptable to check the “all of the above” option.–
One thing fear can certainly do is push us into the darkness. Fear has a way of keeping us from facing ourselves, from connecting with someone, and from reaching out our hands. And I don’t know what your opinion is, but generally speaking, darkness is a scary place to be. There is not only fear but anxiety, doubt, and depression in that place.
I, too, have been in and out of the house of fear during the last couple of months because of different circumstances–circumstances that are out of my control but deeply personal and hard to put into words (which doesn’t bode well for a writer). Most times when I am fearful I am able to reach into the well that is deep inside of me, full of promises that say I can be sure of what I can not see (Hebrews 11:1). Yet, sometimes things are so disorienting that I can’t access that faith. It’s there, but it’s there in the darkness where you can’t even see your hand in front of your face. It’s there, but the words for the prayers won’t come.
As someone who is prone to anxiety, one of my favorite Scriptures has always been Romans 8:26.
“Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.”
Some things truly are too deep for words. Even the most articulate among us struggle to find words when darkness creeps in. Yet, even in those moments we are not alone. Prayers have been offered on our behalf by the very Spirit within us. Just when the sky seems completely darkened and all could be lost, there comes a shining light that the darkness cannot overcome. In the darkness, yes, there is fear. But not only darkness, there is light.
“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” John 1:5
The light shines. It is bright and steady. The Light of the world came not to a people who were already in the light, but to you and me, who often buckle under the winds of fear and doubt. It is in those places that the light shines the brightest. We don’t pray ourselves out of the darkness, the Light has come into our darkness and is shining for us. Hallelujah.
Lovingly,
P.S. This blog post was inspired by a Bethel Music song entitled “Shine On Us.” Take a listen.
Sacred Ground Ministries 
Leave a comment