When you think of being “like Jesus,” what do you think of? Being more loving, humble or forgiving?

What about this: Being faithful despite the darkness.

Consider Luke 22:44: “And being in anguish, [Jesus] prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.”

And then he was crucified! He gave his life for yours and mine in an act of powerful, forgiving love.

Was it easy? No.
Was it painful? Yes.

But by being faithful to his mission, despite the darkness and pain, he did something of immeasurable and wonderful consequence. Oh, and he also defeated the powers of sin, Satan, and death in the process!

Just because you go through some darkness and pain, that doesn’t mean that God isn’t with you, or that your life can’t have purpose.

He is. And it does.

Darkness will never last. The morning always comes. God can work powerfully through both.

Perhaps this is why Paul Scherer says that the joy of his faith is “trusting God in the presence of some great darkness and waiting for the light to break.”

Be faithful despite the darkness.

By Matthew Ruttan 

–Bible quotes are from the NIV.