A Different Way to Look at Dark Times

 

By: Sarah Geringer

Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High
    will rest in the shadow of the Almighty...

He will cover you with his feathers,
    and under his wings you will find refuge;
    his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.

Psalm 91:1,4 NIV

Last week at church, I learned a different way to look at dark times. Our pastor shared a video interview he conducted with a woman whose book will be published next year with Moody Publishers. In her interview, she made an excellent point.

During dark times in our lives, we may struggle to hold onto our faith. She spoke about her mother's battle with cancer and how she finally died due to the disease. This time was a major challenge for her whole family. But she said Psalm 91 helped her get through that long, difficult period.

She said that in dark times, we are safe in the shadow of the Almighty. He spreads his wings over us to provide refuge. Picture a mother duck spreading her wings over her chicks. Under her wings, there is a natural shadow resulting from the light above.

Perhaps we can look at hard times like this: God's wings over us are so big, the protective shadow he casts over us can feel like darkness. From a little chick's view and level of understanding, it could seem as if the whole world is dark under her mother's wing. But in truth, her mother is simply spreading her protective wing over the chick and naturally casting a shadow. 

The mother duck is not causing or inviting darkness, but protecting her baby from predators or storms while also shielding her from the bright light above. God does the same for us, even when we feel like he could stop the dark times in our lives.

Here's a different way to look at dark times based on Psalm 91.
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We know that God is light, and in him there is no darkness (1 John 1:5). So even when his protective wing casts a shadow over us, perhaps seeming to cover our entire field of view, his life-giving light is always surrounding us even when we can't see or feel it.

This is a very comforting truth for me to ponder. We know that the devil is an agent of darkness (Acts 26:17-18) and uses dark times to tempt us to doubt and fear. Yet it's also true at the same time that God's protective wing will cast a shadow over us so we can rest from our spiritual battles. I'm finding refuge under his wings this week, and I hope this devotion will inspire you to do so as well.

 

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Reflection questions:

1. When have you felt God's wing casting a comforting shadow over you in dark times before?

2. How does this devotion help you see a situation in your life in a different way?

 

Please share your thoughts in the comments below.

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