The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.
John 1:5
There are times in my life when nights are difficult for me. The workday is over, the evening activities have ended, I am alone in my bed, and occasionally fear, loneliness, or sadness sets in. This is particularly true when I am overly tired or stressed, when I am working too hard and not playing enough. It is easy to keep those feelings at bay while I am busy or while people are around. But sometimes late at night the feelings come unbidden and unwelcome, and I wonder if God knows or cares. The darkness of the night also used to frighten me. I felt completely alone in the black of night, so I warded off the feelings of fear with night-lights and hall lights or whatever else was needed. I wanted nothing more than to have someone to lie with, someone to keep me safe. That fear of the dark was really a fear of the darkness inside me, of my own unresolved issues, and night-lights were only a placebo. As I began to confront the darkness inside me and as my relationship with God deepened, my fear of the night faded away. All alone in the dark I finally discovered that God is with me in the night, as in the light, and wrapped in God's presence, the nighttime began to feel like a warm and comfortable quilt. By befriending the darkness within and without, I found a new and welcome friend, a friend who brought gifts I'd never imagined.
