"For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, has shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us." (2 Cor. 4:6-7)
C.S. Lewis wrote, "I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen, not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else." Proverbs tells us, "the path of the righteous is like the dawn that shines brighter and brighter until the full day, but the way of the wicked is like darkness; they do not know over what they stumble." Stumbling over something, especially in the dark, is dangerously unpredictable, because as you grab for something which might provide stability you find your flailing hands grasp nothing but air as gravity takes control.
All scripture is "God breathed"and divinely empowered. It is described in metaphor as the light in which the psalmist replies, "Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light for my path". When God shines into your heart, your whole perspective on everything around you changes. Things about God you never understood before begin to make sense so that His grace and truth can be received and applied. However, not everything with God makes sense to us, and that is the rub where faith must trust and be patient, knowing we serve a loving and faithful heavenly Father who cares for us enough to sacrifice all to secure our eternal future.
When we find ourselves in the dark, without understanding, the book of James encourages us to simply ask for wisdom and then trust and believe for the answer. Nehemiah was one of those who discovered this reality, as he prayerfully sought wisdom in his efforts to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. He was able to say, "God put it in my heart" what to do and how to proceed. The secret to his success was that he stopped and listened to heavenly wisdom, rather than push ahead in his own dogged, prideful intellect and self-determination. Consequently, God was able to rightly lead him. How much sorrow we could save ourselves by following his example.
Waiting for answers to our prayers may not be something we do very well, but the practice of it requires endurance, which always has the benefit of developing lasting character. Character has the ability to stand unmoved against external corrupting and undermining forces. We have no light of our own, but humble dependency upon our Father for His light to shine in our hearts and guide our way will lead us out of darkness into His marvelous light of what He calls true success.
