I read something recently in Streams in the Desert, one of my favorite devotional books, that keeps coming to mind and heart: “The photograph of His face can only be developed in the darkroom.” I love that.
God is available in every moment of our lives, but somehow when we’re going through hard times—those darkroom experiences—we see His face much more clearly. We see Him for who He is—our comforter, our provider, our confidant.
Like many of you, my family has been going through some of those darkroom times with major health issues. And I’m grateful beyond words that when life seems like it is falling apart or the doctors have no answers, that we can go to God with the assurance that He hears our prayers and He cares.
As my pastor, Rev. Ralph Sexton, says, “Even when we can’t track Him, we can trust Him.”
Are you going through a difficult time? Then maybe you’d like to join me in some prayers for the darkroom:
1) Lord, let me see You. Draw me closer to You through this experience so that I can see Your face in a way I never have before. Remind me that You are in charge and that what seems so huge to me is small to You.
2) Show me what You want me to learn from this experience. Just as a darkened room hides the things that distract us, cut through the distractions in my life that keep me from spending time with You. Through these dark places that I’m in right now, shine a light on what You want me to learn.
3) Father, remind me to take what I’ve learned in the darkened room to help and encourage others. Thank You for that life experience and the privilege of telling my friends and loved ones, “I’ve walked in your shoes—and God was faithful every step of the way.”
Those hard times in our lives aren’t fun, but I will tell you this, I’ve experienced God’s presence during those darkroom moments in ways I never would have otherwise.
And the good news? God gives us a special promise in Psalm 30:5: Weeping may endure for a night, But joy comes in the morning. Hang on, sweet friends—help is on the way!
