Finding God's Presence ~ Why Must We Endure Seasons of Darkness?

by Nan Jones   @NanJonesAuthor

"I've come to realize that the seeds of faith begin their journey to the light, in the dark." ~ Edie Melson

The image these words evoke resonate deep within me. My faith has been on a perilous journey of late, often encased in darkness as I waited on the Lord to raise me up into the light of His understanding and healing. In darkness I sat. Dormant. Cold. Wanting to burst forth with new beginnings, but like the seed, needing to die to self first.

I didn't want to die to self.

I questioned God, as I suppose you have too. Why was it necessary for me to undergo this painful, lonely, damp with tears and dark with confusion, transformation? In the dark, moments turn into days, and days turn into months. 

While darkness continues, tears moisten the soil of my heart where God's Word resides along with His promises, His purpose and His plan. In the darkness, my tears mingle with the living water of His grace and mercy causing the seeds of hope to begin their germination, causing faith to begin its journey to the light.

But it's so hard to wait for resurrection power to come.

It's so hard to step into a new beginning when the shell of my past clings and jabs in the dark.

Yet, I'm a child of God. His Spirit dwells within me and He promises to fulfill His purposes in me. He who began a good work in me will be faithful to complete it. Sound familiar?

So why must we endure seasons of darkness? Why must we lie dormant in the chill of night?

Because our God is a creative God. 

Just as He hovered over the darkness of the earth in the beginning of Creation, I believe He hovers over us speaking life and resurrection to His promises within - those dreams planted as seeds by His very own hand.

And if we'll wait, fully trusting in our magnificent God, we will come forth from the darkness into His marvelous light, no longer just a seed, but the fulfillment of who He created us to be.

^"But someone will say, “How are the dead raised? And with what kind of body will they come?” You fool! Every time you plant seed you sow something that does not come to life [germinating, springing up and growing] unless it first dies. The seed you sow is not the body (the plant) which it is going to become, but it is a bare seed, perhaps of wheat or some other grain. But God gives it a body just as He planned, and to each kind of seed a body of its own [is given]." ~ 1 Corinthians 15:35-38, AMP

A Tweetable to Encourage Others

Where is God when He asks us to die to self? @NanJonesAuthor offers a glimpse. (click to tweet) 

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