augustine, in one of his more well-known prayers, accurately describes the dark places that we all face . . . i’m not talking about the days where we’re late to work, or our printer malfunctions, or we spill something on our shirt. he describes what it feels like when we are so burdened by our responsibilities, our circumstances, our lot, that we feel lost. he describes those “days when the burdens we carry chafe our shoulders and weigh us down; when the road seems dreary and endless, the skies grey and threatening; when our lives have no music in them, and our hearts are lonely, and our souls have lost their courage.”

our eye sight fails. our song is taken away.

we are afraid and alone.

i have sat in dark places. i see my friends sit in these places, putting on brave faces while they blink blindly in a providencially-placed night. but as we sit, the darkness hovering, the darkness covering, we have hope.

for darkness is not dark to Him. the night is bright as the day. the darkness is as light to Him.

it is there, in the dark when my eyes can’t see, that my soul sees the most. it is in the dark that my soul learns what my song should be. it is in the dark that i learn not to fear. where i learn, though i can see no one, that i am never, ever alone.

before the light shines on my circumstances, it shines in my soul.

the darkness teaches us that it is only Christ that can “flood the path with light, run our eyes to where the skies are full of promise; tune our hearts to brave music; give us the sense of comradeship with heroes and saints of every age.” it is Him that must “quicken our spirits that we may be able to encourage the souls of all who journey with us on the road of life.”

so, if just so happen to find yourself sitting in darkness, know that i’ve journeyed there. know that He’s journeyed there. and know that it is there that your soul, knowing nothing but His promises, will learn true rest.