I used to roll my eyes when people would say that Jesus could get us through anything.
I used to think it was so cliche to say that our hope is in God.
Until I hit a dark place.
The kind of place where I couldn’t stop the tears and I couldn’t pretend it was okay. I was a mess.
The kind of place where grief overwhelmed my soul and I didn’t know how I’d ever get out of it.
I hate these dark places.
I know you do, too.
I won’t ever try to sugar coat them, or make light of them.
But I did learn some really important things through them.
I would never, ever know what it means to rely on God without those places. Truly. Why would I rely on God when things are going ok?
I would never know that the cliches are true- Jesus is our source of peace in all circumstances. I know what it’s like to try to find peace in other things, and they all fall very short.
I’d never know that true healing comes from God, and my gosh, I need Him so badly.
I wouldn’t know what it’s like to need Jesus minute by minute to get through a day. To have to listen to worship music so I could sing and declare what my mind was telling me was a lie. And to have to constantly be surrendering every fear to Him, even though they were popping up by the second.
I wouldn’t know what dependence on God would be like, and that would be an absolutely tragedy to miss out on.
Because even though I absolutely hate the dark places, they are where I see His light the most.
They are a reminder to me that there is no pain or evil in this world that God’s love can’t break into.
I’m not saying He just takes away all the pain and it’s all rainbows and butterflies from there.
I’m saying that He makes His presence known when we feel like we are suffocating in the way that He only can.
If you find yourself in a dark and hard place, please go to Him.
He’s already right there and He knows what you need even better than you do.
I’ve never once regretted running to God.
But I sure have been changed by doing so.
~Kelli Bachara, The Unraveling Blog
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