Finding Light in the Darkness

Aug 8

Written By Natalie Fillers

Scripture:

“Don’t be afraid, for I am with you.

Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God.

I will strengthen you and help you.

I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.” Isaiah 41:10, New Living Translation)

Since I was a teenager, I have struggled with major depression and anxiety. It was exhausting just being alive most days. I was weird and socially awkward. The more I desperately tried to fit in I got further away from making any friends. I hated myself inside and out and I can remember crying myself to sleep most nights. I tried everything I could think of back then to numb the pain I felt inside. Mutilating my body was the start and then it became desperate attempts of suicide. I couldn’t go a day without wishing I was dead. I still remember praying to God for this misery to be lifted from me. I prayed that God make me a new person because I hated the person I was then. I wish I knew then what I know now. For years I thought that God wasn’t real because He never answered my prayers but today, I’ve learned that I was very wrong.

God did answer my prayers. I don’t think God made himself known to me until I was ready. I realized that by believing in Jesus Christ and loving Him with all my heart, He did bury my old self and made me new. I can proudly say that I wasn’t the same person I was years ago. Today, I have many friends, a great loving husband, and three beautiful children. The depression I felt every day seems like a far away memory now. Isaiah 41:10 is a verse that offers comfort and reassurance for many. This verse emphasizes God’s presence, strength, and support for those who trust in Him, even in the face of fear. When God told Isaiah, “Do not be dismayed, for I am your God” He was promising his constant presence and companionship. It reassures believers that they are never alone and that God is actively involved in their lives. “I will strength you and help you” emphasizes God’s sovereignty and His position as the ultimate authority. It is meant to encourage us to trust in His power and ability to guide and protect us. God’s “righteous hand” symbolizes God’s just and powerful nature, offering security and stability. You may not be able to feel God’s presence, but He is there because He is everywhere at once. The Israelites went through a time of threat and exile and needed hope and encouragement, and God gave that to them. He will give you that too. God will never abandon you. John McArthur wrote a book called, Our Sufficiency in Christ in which he talks about the only true remedy for suffering and pain in human life and that’s through Jesus Christ. Trust in Him and He will provide. He hears your cries for help and is ready to act. Pastor John once said, “God is faithful, and he will not let you be tested beyond what your ability is, but with the testing he will provide a way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.”

Application:

I want to invite you to listen to the song “Oh My Soul” by Casting Crowns. It has helped me tremendously when I was down and helped me remember who God really is and even helped me feel better. Then ask God to help you answer the following questions:

· Why am I experiencing this pain and struggle?

· What steps can I take to find healing and restoration?

· How can I find peace and comfort during this darkness?

Response Song: “Oh My Soul” by Casting Crowns

Oh, my soul
Oh, how you worry
Oh, how you're weary, from fearing you lost control
This was the one thing, you didn't see coming
And no one would blame you, though
If you cried in private
If you tried to hide it away, so no one knows
No one will see, if you stop believing

Oh, my soul
You are not alone
There's a place where fear has to face the God you know
One more day, He will make a way
Let Him show you how, you can lay this down
'Cause you're not alone

Here and now
You can be honest
I won't try to promise that someday it all works out
'Cause this is the valley
And even now, He is breathing on your dry bones
And there will be dancing
There will be beauty where beauty was ash and stone
This much I know

Oh, my soul
You are not alone
There's a place where fear has to face the God you know
One more day, He will make a way
Let Him show you how, you can lay this down

I'm not strong enough, I can't take anymore
(You can lay it down, you can lay it down)
And my shipwrecked faith will never get me to shore
(You can lay it down, you can lay it down)
Can He find me here
Can He keep me from going under

Oh, my soul
You're not alone
There's a place where fear has to face the God you know
One more day, He will make a way
Let Him show you how, you can lay this down
'Cause you're not alone
Oh, my soul, you're not alone