The Word - Feb, 1, 2012 - Learning In The Darkness

I will give you treasures hidden in the darkness; secret riches. I will do this so you may know that I am the Lord.....the One who calls you by name' (Isaiah 45:3).

When God made this promise to Cyrus, He was speaking of material treasures from lands of darkness that Cyrus would conquer, but I don't believe we are doing harm to the verse when we see a spiritual application for today.

There are treasures that are discovered in the dark nights of life that are never discovered in days when life is ablaze with daylight. For instance, God can give us songs in the darkest night (Job 35:10) that would never have been sung if life were completely devoid of trials.

There is the darkness of what J. S. Holden calls, "Life's inexplicable mysteries"; the calamities, the trials, the sudden unexpected experiences which have come into life and which all the forethought in the world has not been sufficient to escape. And life is dark because of them. These things often bring darkness in our lives.

Humanly speaking, none of us would choose this darkness, and yet, it's benefits are without price. Weatherhead wrote, "Like all men, I love and prefer the sunny uplands of experience when health, happiness and success abound. I have, however, learned far more about God and life and myself in the darkness of fear and failure than I have ever learned in the sunshine."

There are such things as treasures to be found in the darkness. The darkness, thank God, passes; but what one learns in the darkness, one possesses forever. "I will yet praise Him, my great Redeemer. I will yet stand up and give Him glory with my life. He takes my darkness and turns it into light. I will yet praise Him, my Lord and my God." (From I have a hope)