Lights in my Darkness

I've been struggling with when to write this. I put it off because I didn't 'believe' it, or felt I wasn't in a good place to be writing it. I needed to wait because I wasn't applying it to my own life. Even though I'm not applying it to my life right now, maybe if I write it, it will help someone else.





And maybe, just maybe, by writing it, it will begin to help me.





Before it got very cold, I went on one last bike ride. I like to ride for the distance, so that's what I went for. I took off later than I had expected. The sun was barely hanging on to the day. But, I went. I'm not sure how far I had intended on going, or where I was going for that matter, and intended on being back before nightfall. But, none of my intentions, whatever they may have been, were followed through on.



Before I knew it, night had fallen. The sun lost its hold, and the moon refused to share its light. It was past time to turn back. It was dark, and I could not see. By the time I did turn back, it was even darker.



I had no light, and there were very few streetlamps along my route. I thought at times I was going to ride off the side of the road and into a ditch.



Night was not the only thing that came upon me. There was fear and vehicles. Some were ahead of me while others came from behind. When a vehicle came from behind, I was relieved. It provided a few moments of light by which I could see what was in front of me and where my position was on the road. I was relieved when their headlights approached from behind, illuminating the way before me.



The vehicles coming from the opposite way, however, were dreadful after the first one. Their headlights flashed in my eyes, blinding me from being able to see where I was going, as well as my position on the road. I could not tell how far to the left or right I was, or whether or not I was headed toward the ditch. One oncoming vehicle honked at me. It startled me so greatly I almost crashed my bike.



I finally made it back without running off the road or being hit by an oncoming car. On the way, I had been asking God to protect me, especially when I heard the sound of coyotes in the not too far off distance. And He did. He led me safely to my destination.



When I was thinking about this, God put two and two together for me. He often has a way of doing that.

There are lights in my darkness. Some are in front of me, others are behind me. The Lord is my light in the darkness, coming from behind to help me. He illuminates the way for me so that I can see. Unlike a car, He follows me, remaining behind me so that I can see. The darkness may be so dark, but when the Light comes, it expels the darkness.

"The Lord is my light and my salvation- so why should I be afraid?"