I have found comfort
in the darkness
the darkness
I once feared
for it was not the darkness
that was frightful
but what I brought with me
along the way
upon my back was anger
the weight of a thousand souls
my hands bound by desire
ligatures of lies biting my flesh
a veil of pride over my eyes
blinded by my own self-perception
feet shackled by shame and worry
every step a struggle
I perceived the darkness as my enemy
the silence a foe to be conquered
yet it was I who I was afraid of
the darkness was my shadow
the silence my reflection
but you released me from this prison
and taught me that freedom
is found in love
~Robert Van Valkenburgh
Reflection: It is not the darkness we are afraid of, but what it represents: the possibilities or lack thereof, what or who we may find as we enter into what we perceive as the abyss, even our own shadows, the parts of ourselves we deny, reject, or have hidden deep within the very same darkness we avoid. It is not the darkness we fear, but the loneliness, the emptiness, and the abandonment we imagine we will face when faced with ourselves.
Silence is much the same, as it does not hurt us, but it exposes us. It betrays our secrets and reveals our fears. Silence threatens us with the emptiness in ourselves we dare not face. It screams at us from our shame, our anxiety, our self-doubt, and self-loathing.
We fear neither the darkness nor the silence, but the absence of God, which we imagine we will discover within it when faced with our own flaws and inadequacies. But if we can make the journey, if we can step into the darkness and face the silence, we will find that we are not alone. For in solitude we discover that God is the light in the darkness, the stillness in the silence, and the love that comforts us in our moment of need.
Question for Meditation: Are you willing to let go of the parts of yourself that imprison you in fear, and allow the Lord to take you to a new life of freedom through faith?
Related Scripture: “He is the one who delivers and rescues; He works signs and wonders in heaven and on earth. He who freed Israel from all his troubles.” — Psalm 77:14 (NIV)
For Further Reading: Oratio Divina: Never Knew Silence is a related devotional that explores finding stillness and comfort in God’s presence through darkness and silence.
Leave a Reply