Dark moments, when we can’t see what’s going on, are some of the most distressing seasons in life.
There’ve been so many times when I’ve cried out to the Lord asking Him why something is happening. Yet despite all my pleading, He remained silent. It can feel like walking through a long, dismal tunnel with no light at the end.
I’m sure you’ve probably had similar experiences, when trials and suffering have caused you to wonder where God is and what He’s doing. You may have even felt like Job, who longed for the brighter days of the past:
“Oh that I were as in the months gone by, as in the days when God watched over me; when His lamp shone over my head, and by His light I walked through darkness” (Job 29:2-3).
Coping in such times is difficult, but it’s one of the methods God uses to teach us who He is and how He operates.
There’s nothing wrong with asking Him why we’re going through challenges, but we must realize the Lord isn’t obligated to give us an explanation. And I’ve discovered that if He does, it isn’t usually when I ask, but at a later time. Sometimes, we’ll have to wait until we get to heaven.
As much as we long to understand everything that’s happening in our lives, God’s thoughts and ways are so much higher than ours, that they’re often beyond our ability to grasp (Isa. 55:8-9).
But He’ll always give us enough instruction and encouragement in His Word to help us walk triumphantly with Him through difficult seasons.
Trials reveal where God fits in our lives.
Does He have top priority, or is He an afterthought? Sadly, many Christians are so absorbed in their own activities and responsibilities that they have no time for the Lord unless there’s an emergency.
God uses dark times to open our eyes to our need for Him. So let the darkness motivate you to draw nearer to Him, rather than further away.
Begin today to build a foundation that will stabilize you through the dark moments of life.
You can do this by seeking the Lord. Psalm 105:4 says, “Seek the Lord and His strength; seek His face continually.” This means that in both good and bad times, we should make every effort to know God more fully, love Him more deeply, and gain a greater understanding of His ways.
Salvation is just the beginning of a relationship with the Lord. He has so much more in store for those who seek Him, and His Word explains how to do it.
First of all, we must seek the Lord with all our heart. “You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart” (Jer. 29:13).
This isn’t just a casual interest in God. It means He is your top priority, the most important person in your life. It’s a pursuit that is motivated by love and a yearning for a deeper relationship with Him.
The focus is on who the Lord is, not on what He can do for you.
A wholehearted pursuit of God cannot be accompanied by the toleration of sin in our lives (Isa. 55:6-7). This doesn’t mean we have to be sinless, but those who seek the Lord will struggle to overcome their weaknesses instead of just yielding to them. They’re willing to rid their lives of anything that doesn’t fit their identity as followers of Jesus.
Seek Him diligently. “Those who diligently seek me will find me” (Prov. 8:17).
Because there are a thousand things that divide our minds and steal our time, we’ll have to deliberately work at giving the Lord first place. It will require sacrifice—putting aside other activities in order to spend time with God.
We’re usually willing to do this for other pursuits we value—like cultivating a hobby or maintaining our health. Are we willing to give time and effort to Bible study and prayer as well, in our pursuit of a deeper relationship with the Lord?
Seek Him in faith. “Without faith it is impossible to please Him, for the one who comes to God must believe that He exists, and that He proves to be One who rewards those who seek Him” (Heb. 11:6).
We must always come to the Lord in faith, trusting that He’ll do what He says. We need to understand how much He loves us and believe that we can trust Him in every situation because He’s promised to work everything together for our good (Rom. 8:28).
A life spent pursuing God is not just for people like pastors. It’s available to all His children. Every believer can come boldly to the Lord. Doesn’t it make sense to get started now?
Seeking the Lord is like coming to a gold mine in search of treasure.
You’ll never reach the bottom, but the more you dig, the deeper you’ll want to go. And the wonderful news is that this is where our peace is found. As you draw deeper into His presence, you’re coming closer to the One who gives you strength and stability in times of trouble: “He alone is my rock and my salvation, my stronghold; I will not be greatly shaken” (Ps. 62:2).
Seek the Lord and settle yourself permanently in Him. That’s how you get through the darkest times of life. You may be challenged, but you’ll never despair completely when you’re resting in God Himself.
Prayerfully yours,
Charles F. Stanley
P.S. As we celebrate the 45th anniversary of In Touch, we’re giving God special thanks for all the ways He reaches people through this ministry, including our radio program. I hope you’ll tune in. And I pray this program, which has been broadcasting for decades, will continue to spread God’s Word on the airwaves for generations to come.