Light Dispels Darkness - iBelieve Truth: A Devotional for Women - October 1, 2024
"Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, 'I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.'” John 8:12 (NLT)
One dark night, when I woke up feeling afraid, I turned my lamp on in my bedroom. Instantly, a bright light flooded my room, eliminating the darkness and producing a calming effect on me. I have done this before, but this time, as I lay awake underneath my comforter, waiting to be lulled back to sleep, I thought of a spiritual parallel to this situation: Jesus Christ is the Light of the World, and His presence dispels darkness.
Just like leaving the lights on so I can feel safe enough to sleep, Jesus is our safety.
The Bible says in Psalm 139:11-12 (NLT), “I could ask the darkness to hide me and the light around me to become night—but even in darkness I cannot hide from you. To you the night shines as bright as day. Darkness and light are the same to you.”
Nothing is hidden from God’s sight. He sees clearly and precisely day and night. Because of that, we can trust Him to protect us even when we cannot protect ourselves. The Bible also says that God never sleeps (Psalm 121:4)! He is our Protector who always watches over us. He will never leave us nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). God has us covered, and we can trust Him.
When I was a child, if something made me afraid, I would turn to my mom because she was always there for me. But as I grew up and matured in my faith walk, I learned to run to Jesus, and He always receives me with open arms. Now, as an adult, when fear strikes my heart, the first response I have is to send up a silent or audible (depending on the situation) prayer to God for help. Oftentimes, I’ve found that God already answered my prayer by sending someone to protect me or remove the situation that was making me fearful. The Bible says in Isaiah 65:24 (NLT), “I will answer them before they even call to me. While they are still talking about their needs, I will go ahead and answer their prayers!” I have found this to be amazingly true!
Just like turning my lamp on, when we turn to Jesus, He illuminates our lives. In Him, we find safety and peace. His presence always has a calming and soothing effect on our souls, so we can seek refuge in God today, tomorrow, and forever!
God is always available to us. He wants to protect us in every way, whether in the dark of night or the light of day. Though we can sometimes feel unsafe in broad daylight, we have no need to fear because God is here! His divine, strong, and mighty presence never leaves us. Remember: He is the Commander of His heavenly army of angels who He sends to protect us every moment of our lives here on Earth. So, when you are afraid, turn to Jesus as your Defender. He has already defeated all the powers of darkness. We have the victory in Jesus Christ! We only need to trust Him.
Jesus never gets tired of you running to Him when you are scared. He is always waiting to comfort you with open arms and loves you with all His Heart. You are the apple of His eye, His masterpiece, and a child adopted through Christ Jesus. God is a loving Father who will look out for you and provide everything you need each day. So next time you feel afraid, turn to Him and trust His light to dispel the darkness that surrounds you—be it physical, mental, spiritual, or emotional. May His love for you soothe your soul. May you feel safe with Him.
In closing, I would like to share this song about our great God: “Strength of My Life,” by Vertical Worship.
Dear God,
Thank You for being our light in the darkness. We appreciate the Bible-based fact that You are always there for us, protecting us, leading us, and guiding us. Please help us to rest in Your care. In Jesus’s Name, I pray. Amen.
Photo Credit: ©SWN
Related Resource: Instead of Doing More This Summer, Maybe You Need to Do Less
If you've been feeling tired, overwhelmed, depleted, or just quietly wondering where God is in the middle of a very full life — this episode is for you. And honestly? It might be for me too, because I'm recording this in one of those seasons myself.
Today we're doing something a little different. Instead of going deep in a passage, we're talking about what to do when deep feels like too much — when you need less, not more. Specifically, I'm walking you through one of my favorite practices for weary seasons: handwriting scripture.
Not typing it. Not scrolling past it. Actually writing it out, slowly, in your own hand — because something happens in your brain when you do that. The words land differently. They go deeper. And over time, they become part of that personal library of God's voice that the Holy Spirit can pull from when you need it most. That's what Psalm 119:11 means when it says I have hidden your word in my heart — it's scripture moving into your long-term memory, where it lives and stays even when you haven't opened your Bible in weeks.
I'm sharing the five verses I wrote out for myself today — and why each one hit me fresh even though I've known some of them for years. This episode is part of our How to Study the Bible Podcast, a show that brings life back to reading the Bible and helps you understand even the hardest parts of Scripture. If this episode helps you know and love God more, be sure to follow the How to Study the Bible Podcast on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode!
