Grandaddy Hoyle lived on ten acres. When the lights were turned out at Granddad's, I'm here to tell you, it got dark--so dark that I couldn't see my hand in front of my face. As you know well, darkness isn't limited to the front bedroom at Granddaddy's house. Life is full of dark times: When questions multiply like rabbits and answers are few and far between, emotions screech, and anguish occupies the front row in your mind's theater.

To add to these dark places, it often seems as though God has gone on an extended trip to the outer sectors of the universe and is unavailable for comment. Like Job, while sitting in the midst of insidious, black, all-pervasive darkness, you too are calling out for a God that seemingly doesn't answer.

But the reputation of darkness isn't all that it's cracked up to be. Isaiah says, "I will give you the treasure of darkness and hidden wealth of secret places, so that you may know that it is I, the LORD, the God of Israel, who calls you by name" (45:3) Darkness holds fortunes of faith that the daylight can't reveal. Calm down and relax. Embrace the darkness and listen for the Lord. He is there and will use the darkness to invest treasures in your life that are inconceivable to you right now.