Slideshow image

Hope in the Deepest Darkness – Friday, 12/05/2025

Scripture: Psalm 139:7–12

Psalm 139 proclaims that there is nowhere we can go that is beyond God’s reach. “If I ascend to heaven, You are there; if I make my bed in Sheol, You are there.” The psalmist imagines the farthest distances and the deepest darkness, and discovers that even there, God’s hand can lead and God’s right hand can hold fast.

Sometimes our lives include places that feel like those depths—moments of depression, grief, fear, or failure. We may feel as though we are lost in the dark, unsure if anyone can truly see or understand what we are experiencing. In those times, it can be hard to believe that God is still near.

Yet the psalm insists that even “the darkness is not dark” to God. God’s presence is not frightened away by our pain or confusion. The light of God’s love can reach every hidden, shadowed place in our hearts. Corrie ten Boom’s sister Betsie once said, “There is no pit so deep that God is not deeper still,” and that profound truth echoes this psalm’s hope.

Advent encourages us to trust that God’s light is already shining, even if we can only see a faint glimmer. We are not abandoned in our darkest moments. We are held, guided, and loved by the One whose light the darkness cannot overcome.

Reflection Question:
Where do you most need God’s light to shine in your life this week?

Action Step:
Light a candle today and sit quietly for a few minutes. As you watch the flame, ask God to shine hope and light into the specific places where you feel afraid, weary, or alone.

Prayer:
Ever-present God, shine Your light into every place where I feel overwhelmed or in the dark. Hold me in Your love and lead me toward hope. Amen.