Living In Spiritual Darkness

How many of us remained glued to our television set as we witnessed the miners being rescued from several thousand feet below the earth’s surface? As each one was brought out of the darkness, I found myself praising God for His mercy upon their lives. But for me it was more than watching individuals being rescued. It reminded me of my spiritual awakening, knowing what it’s like to live in darkness and experiencing God lifting me out into His spiritual light.

I lived in darkness for most of my life. For so many years, I called myself a Christian and thought I was living my life the way God intended. But I was blinded by the darkness of my own sinful nature, claiming to believe one thing yet living entirely different. The day I began studying God’s Word was the moment my spiritual darkness was exposed. I spent most of my life working in corporate America. Making a lot of money was one of my greatest ambitions. And I’ll never forget when God revealed to me that my dependence and love for money was greater than my love and dependence upon Him. He also revealed how I feared my boss more than I feared Him. I was living in spiritual darkness not knowing what my heart looked like through the eyes of faith. I found myself on my knees in deep sorrow because I never realized how detestable my sin appeared to God. At that moment I felt a huge weight lifted from my heart. Forgiveness was granted through His mercy and love for me.
God placed it on my heart to write a book to corporate America, revealing my sinful nature and sharing my story of His divine presence in the business world. I must honestly confess I didn’t want to write the book. I told Him no one would listen. No one would read it. No one would publish it. I even suggested that he have Bill Gates write it because people would read his book. Bill Gates was a “somebody” in this world, and I saw myself as a nobody. God patiently listened to all my excuses that stemmed from my fear of rejection from a world that had become my friend. Once I finally became quiet, God spoke softly to my heart and said, “You are somebody to me.”
This was the day I declared Christ as my CEO over my life. I felt like I was lifted out of a dark black hole of spiritual darkness that for so many years filled my life with lies. Perhaps you’ve heard some of them:
You are a “nobody” in this world
Your disease cannot be cured
Your marriage cannot be saved
You cannot get out of dept

The list of lies that stem from spiritual darkness is endless. But just as these miners were carefully lifted out of a black hole, God lifts us out and shines His love and the light of His truth that come from His Word:

“Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” John 14:27
“If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish,
and it will be given to you.” John 15:7
“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the
Father except through me.” John 14:6

These are a few examples of knowing the truth; God’s truth.

Are you still living in a black hole? Do you still believe the lies of the darkness? May today be the day we are all lifted from our black hole and placed into His light through Christ our Lord. Once we allow our darkness to be exposed, He graciously gives us a renewed life through our repentance. We are all somebody’s to God and may He reveal Himself to each of us through His love, mercy and grace that shines in His Light.

“For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and
find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the
fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.”

Ephesians 5:8-11