Monsters in the Dark

Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10 ESV

When you were a child, were you ever afraid of monsters? Do you remember being alone in your bedroom? The room is dark, and you’re starting to drift off when suddenly your eyes open wide, and you see a shadow on the wall.

You hold your breath, and just as you start to exhale, you hear a noise. By now, you’re building a blanket fortress for protection, and then, “Bam!” Fear grips your 5-year-old heart. You let out a scream, and in an instant, light floods the room. It’s Mom and Dad to the rescue. They assure you the monsters are gone. While safe beneath the covers, you finally drift off to sleep.

Let’s face it—many of us still have our monsters, but like us, they’ve grown up, too. They’re not as easy to recognize as a shadow on the wall of a dimly lit room. But don’t fool yourself—these determined monsters are alive and invading in the corners of your mind. The CEO of Monsters Incorporated is none other than the enemy himself, and these ugly, little critters are Satan’s favorite weapons.

Our grown-up monsters have a new look and new names: discouragement, grief, temptation, sorrow, anxiety, disappointment, addiction, and worthlessness. Like an invasive species, they worm their way through the cracks of your armor and attack your soul. Before you know it, you’re trapped. If stuck too long, you risk slipping into the abyss where you’ll find yourself surrounded by darkness, on a treadmill of futility, constantly moving, but going nowhere. It’s a scary, uncomfortable, lonely place to reside. I’ve been a visitor there and most likely you have too. But the good news is, we don’t have to change our address to Monster Avenue. We have a choice, and we have our Savior, who can’t wait to rescue us.

I know what you’re thinking. These are easy things to say when your season of monster-sized trials has passed. But difficult challenges are part of life on this planet, and no one is immune.

Our brains are hard-wired to look for patterns and will always take the path of least resistance. Your fears, feelings of disappointment, or worthlessness take up residence and become impossible to evict. However, you have the option to take a different path. Like the fight-or-flight response when faced with a threat, you can choose to make a run for it, battle by yourself, or cry out to God for protection. The journey will not be easy, but He will see you through it.

From deep within your soul, call out to Jesus. Give Him your fears and ask Him to destroy this vicious villain. No matter how scary the monsters are, God is a faithful parent. His lantern of truth obliterates the darkness. He will never let anyone snatch you from His grip. Reach out and take hold of the righteous right hand of God the Father. He will see you through the night.

Points to Ponder

We all face monsters from time to time.

●      How can you support and encourage a friend facing a monstrous challenge?

●      How do you respond to your monsters?