It's Still Nighttime?

I wrote this in January 2018...sharing now...and I can testify to the truth of God being right there through the nighttime experiences and the pain...He is ever faithful!

"Weeping may endure for a night, but..."

What constitutes a night? Or a morning for that matter?

12:00a.m., which is the beginning time of our new day is black and dark as can be. At 2:00a.m., it's still utter blackness. At 4:00a.m., still we find ourselves enveloped in darkness and groping in the heaviness of the "night." It's not been a new day for four hours and there is still time to wait and endure before it even begins to turn even the slightest bit of grayer.

Yes, 6:00a.m. in this season is still without a dab of light. Six hours into the new day are over, and still in bleak darkness. In fact, this darkness began yesterday! It's been dark since a bit before 6:00p.m., twelve hours, half of a day has been spent unable to see the path in front of me. This happens every day during this season!

There is indeed the hope of the morning though. As blackness slowly turns to gray, as the sun begins to awaken and slowly burn away the blackness of night. The whole world begins to stir about until it is suddenly daytime - and I wonder where and when that actually even took place. 

When joy is seemingly a stranger and mourning has become a faithful, but unwanted companion, if the darkness seems too overwhelming, know that God is still in control - even of the nighttime. He is there overseeing it all, He's the one who makes it finally disappear into a glorious unfolding of colorful, beautiful, joy bursting forth into a melodious golden-pinkish-orange morning of hope. 

It doesn't happen in an instant, and only after darkness has tightened its lurking fingers of life for what may seem like an eternity. You've spent some time experiencing pain and heartache. Only after we endure that night season can we fully enjoy the beauty and strength that comes from a sunrise. 

Ecclesiastes 3 says,

"To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;...A time to weep, adn a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance..."

"Time!" It's still nighttime???

We must endure the ear-pounding, tick-tock of the agonizing night hours. We must be patient and hold on tight to He who is the God of even the darkness, knowing that, in time we will begin to experience our own, personalized sunrise. Yes, those initial moments when we first begin to recognize the faintest splash of pinkish joy on our horizon. They WILL come. Yes, there is a time for everything, though our world may suddenly seem to come to a screeching halt with tragedy and overwhelming disappointment...it cannot always remain bleak darkness of night. It's the promise of a good Father...

~ mourning may come but so will morning ~ 

Be still, my soul, and wait upon the Lord!