“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10
This was the most shared Bible app verse of 2022. Reasonable given the state of things around the world today. A global pandemic that lingers in our memory and still poses as an international health crisis. The war between Ukraine and Russia, civil duress in our own nation, and the persistent threat of violence our educators and schools face each day. Not to mention the personal attacks each of us face whether it be a health-related issue, financial matter, or other attack on self or family. Yet, just as Isaiah reassured the nation of Israel in the verse above, we are not dismayed because God is with us throughout whatever comes our way. When we feel like darkness rules our circumstances and situations, we must commit to understanding that the darkness and fear of the unknown, pale in comparison to the light of God that will always prevail.
The literal and figurative darkness of our life's struggles can create a certain level of uncertainty and even fear. When we don't feel like we are in control of our day, the anxiety of the unknown can turn our lives into one filled with doubt and fear. Picture a tunnel through a mountain that provides a passage that would otherwise halt our travel's progress. The tunnel alone creates uncertainty, but take away the lights that man has installed and suddenly we are traveling through a dark and dismal hole. Depending on the length of the tunnel, the only light we can see appears to be distant, small, and insignificant. That is all perception. Regardless of how dark the tunnel is, there exists a light at the end of the tunnel and just as man has installed lights throughout our nation's tunnels, God illuminates our path and journeys alongside us, reassuring us each step along the way.
The last three years have been unlike any the majority of people around the world have ever endured. The darkness you are dealing with, whether it is something that is going on in your day today, or one that has persisted through weeks, months, or even years may create feelings of loneliness and doubt, be assured you are not alone. Fear is not of God (II Timothy 1:7), but we must trust that the light is at the end of our tunnel, and as we are traveling through the darkness we are not alone. As we learn to trust, as we move ourselves closer to God, and as we choose to rely on God for our strength, God's power becomes the strength that we garner to face each day. Regardless of the degree of darkness we are enduring, we find the strength to journey forward, seeking the light that awaits us at the end of our tunnel.
No wonder Isaiah 41:10 was the most shared Bible app verse of the year, I believe this is a verse that will energize us to move forward into the unknown of the new year 2023! It not only instills courage, it sheds light on our life, and displaces the dark. Fear not, you are not alone, God will give you the strength to carry on, and He will help you when you feel like you can't take another step. Faith is the key. Faith that walks, faith that endures, a faith that assures us that regardless of the dark of the night, we trust that the light of the new day awaits. Move faithfully forward, you are not alone!
Coach Carter
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