Develop In Darkness!
"I will give you the treasures of darkness and hidden riches
in the secret places, that you may know that I, the Lord,
who called you by your name, am the God of Israel."
Isaiah 45: 3
In his book, As a Tree Grows, W. Phillip Keller, studies several
occasions in Scripture where God compares people to trees.
Trees need darkness, said Keller. Darkness provides respite
from the oppressive heat of the day.
“Darkness brings dew and refreshment to the foliage of the tree.
In mountainous country like Lebanon, where the forests lie close
to the sea, nighttime brings its banks of cloud and mist and fog
that enshroud the trees in refreshing coolness, saturating the
cedars with mineral-laden moisture from the ocean deeps.”
Sometimes we go through seasons of darkness,
when our circumstances are not sunny and our
spirits aren’t as bright as usual.
But God works in our hearts during such times,
and He can use these periods to increase our
sturdiness and fruitfulness.
He also makes the sun arise right on time,
replacing fear with joy and sadness with
gladness.
With Him near, we never need to fear the
dark. It’s sometimes where negatives
develop into pictures of grace.
