Moving In the Dark

Sometimes there are dark corridors in life, where you know you have to keep moving forward, but you seem no closer to the end of the hallway than when you began.  You start off confidently moving in what you believe to be the right direction.  You talk to people who have moved down similar corridors.  You learn from their mistakes and listen to their wisdom.  You move carefully, but intentionally.  You know the way is long and dark, but you also know that at some point you will emerge on the other side.  You believe it will be worthwhile. 

But, no one can tell you how long or dark your corridor.  No one can possibly describe the isolation that begins to play tricks on your mind.  No one tells you that at points you just want to stop moving, lean up against the wall and go to sleep. . . or at least forget just temporarily where you are.  After awhile, it is easy to believe that your corridor is not leading to a better place. . . that it is a dead end and your efforts to move forward are futile.  In the prolonged journey, it is easy to succumb to lies and defeat and believe that the darkness of the corridor is your reality.

This is the place where faith is lost or faith is grown.  Will I believe what I see, feel and hear?  Or will I believe there is more beyond the corridor?   I look at the darkness of this unending hallway and my only thought is  "when will this end?"  I think that the happy ending comes when we turn the corner and emerge on the other side.  I look for relief from the pain and the return of personal control.  And I want God to cooperate with my desires.  I want Him to answer me in a way that makes sense and makes my life easier. 

But, God seems to be pretty independent.  He could end this journey; but, He doesn't.  He could have brought a job long before now; but He hasn't.  He could answer my questions; but He isn't.     Instead, He just keeps showing up in the corridor.  I think I'm alone, but I'm not.  I think He doesn't care; but He does.  In the midst of darkness and uncertainty, He encourages me to get up and keep  moving.  He reminds me that there is more to life than what I can see.  He brings daily gifts, not as big as a job, but reminders that He's taking care of me.    "Therefore we do not lose heart.  Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.  For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.  So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen.  For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." Paul to his Corinthian friends

So we keep walking in the dark, not seeing the end in sight, but knowing that this walk is not futile.  We believe that  the God we cannot see is  with us every step.  When we want to sink down and give up, we believe He will give us what we need to keep going.  We believe God is faithful even in the dark.