The Weekly Encourager – February 11, 2021 – Darkness Into Light

During these dark days of winter, are you feeling a little down? Seasonal weather can add to whatever stress we’re already feeling. How is your faith holding up during this time?

I’ve been watching a crime series. In this show, two college students in a philosophy class become friends. The first man, Nick, is highly intelligent and an outstanding student. Reading Nietzsche, he absorbs a nihilistic philosophy in his search for meaning. Confronted with the truth that everyone dies, he believes that what people do cannot matter ultimately. He is obsessed with danger and death, and engages in very risky behavior “games” so that he can “feel something.” Nick also internalizes an ubermensch persona, convincing himself that he is superior to others and therefore can devise his own morality.

That would be bad enough, but Nick also possesses a strong, dominant personality which is highly charismatic. The second student, Jamie, comes under his spell. Over time, Nick convinces Jamie of his philosophy, and encourages him to participate in the dangerous “games.” Spending more and more time together, the two men become a closed loop of dark thoughts, dark feelings, and dark activities. Their crimes become more serious, eventually reaching the logical conclusion of murder.

These two characters are neatly contrasted with Vic, an ex-military man who says that faith in God is the only thing that got him through his time in Afghanistan. He’s an upbeat, upstanding guy who wants to help catch a criminal. The star of the show is the detective Harry who is somewhere in the middle between Jamie and Vic.

Watching this series, I can’t help but consider what it says about the larger issue: why are we here, are there any absolute values, and is there any hope for us? What light can we shed?

First, I have to agree with Nick and Jamie that most people are scared of death, and scared that this life is all there is. These men believe “you have to look death in the face” to feel alive. In some ways, I agree with them. No, I don’t sanction throwing oneself into dark near-death experiences, but I do believe that every person must realize his own mortality in a fundamental way. Until we come face to face with the fact that, no matter how we live our life, we will die anyway, we cannot know our need for God. It is the inexorable journey toward death that arouses the uneasy feeling that there must be something more. When we realize that this life alone can never satisfy our longing to live forever, we will seek an existence beyond this life. Everyone, whether he realizes it or not, is seeking light on the other side of darkness.

After I pondered this one evening, guess what came up in my devotional book the very next morning?! You’re right: some verses about light, The Light! Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” - John 8:12 “For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” - 2 Corinthians 4:6. What an amazing gift we have been given! In Jesus Christ, we have the answers to life’s most important questions. We know we were sent here as part of a Divine Plan for our good and His glory. Everything He does is holy, so we can look to Him for Truth. And we no longer fear death or any of life’s difficulties, for we have the blessed hope of eternal life.

Another lesson from this show is a good reminder: be careful who your friends are. If you are feeling down, and some leader-type presents himself with a strong personality, it’s very easy to be swayed by his attitudes and perspective on life. Nick had an uncanny hold over Jamie. He kept pushing him to do the next dare. As their relationship progressed, they started shutting out other more rational thoughts. Be careful to minimize contact with friends on the dark side. As my husband says, “You will do things for your friends that you would never do for your enemies.”

Lastly, there are people all around us who are in the detective’s camp. Having seen great tragedy, Harry is wandering in the darkness of grief, not committing crimes, but not feeling any hope, either. We need to pray for these people! They are our family members, friends, colleagues, and neighbors, and they need someone to show them the light of Christ. O Lord, “open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in [Christ].” - Acts 26:18

Every one of us is capable of dark thoughts. If not for God's grace, I might be committing murder. Thank God, we have found a charismatic leader in Jesus Christ. “He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.” - Psalm 23:3. We “face our fear” not by stalking death, but by seeking life in the One who created life and gives it meaning. We can rejoice in the Lord always, even in the most difficult seasons of life. We walk in the light. “For you have delivered me from death and my feet from stumbling, that I may walk before God in the light of life.” - Psalm 56:13.

God is faithful,