I will give you the treasures of darkness, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel, who summons you by name. – Isaiah 45:3

We often associate darkness with evil and generally unpleasant scenarios but here we have God promising to give us the treasures of darkness and riches stored in secret places. It may baffle some to see God so involved even in the darkness.

Absolute darkness (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

That scripture has come to mean a lot to me personally because there are aspects of God’s character that I could never see in the light. It was only when the darkness set in that I saw the treasures and riches that had previously remained inconspicuous.

So what treasures did I find in the dark? What riches did I unearth in the secret places? In my personal experience, the treasures I came across in the dark were all hidden in Christ. They were spiritual treasures that will have an eternal impact in my natural life. The first treasure I found as I became enveloped in the darkness of harsh circumstance was God’s unfailing love. It’s not that I didn’t identify with it before the darkness came but it took on a different level of depth  in my mind and heart when I found Him to be faithful even when I was faithless. It felt like opening a treasure box when  the realization hit me that despite the darkness, my God can still see very clearly and He promised never to leave or forsake me. Another spiritual treasure I discovered in the darkness was that the light that comes from His word is so powerful that the darkness cannot comprehend it. In a previous post, I talked about His word being a light unto my path and a lamp unto my feet. I couldn’t fully appreciate the role that His word played in guiding my life until darkness ensued.

You may be groping around in the dark right now wondering if God has abandoned you. You may be wondering why you have been in this place of darkness for so long. You may be on the verge of throwing in the towel and taking matters into your own hands by going ahead to light your own fire. All I want you to do is to pause and think about what I’ve shared today. There is treasure in your very own darkness. The Lord is right there with you even though He may feel very distant right now. His word is ever ready to light your path through the darkness. There are aspects of His character that you will come to appreciate even more in the darkness. Cheer up! Joy is coming in the morning.