By: Mayra Corro
“Next time you feel like you’re in the dark, remember God isn’t just in the light. He’s in the thick darkness, too.”
“The people remained at a distance, while Moses approached the thick darkness where God was” (Exodus 20:21). These words almost sound contradictory. Isn’t God supposed to be associated with light, goodness, and clarity? Yet Moses approaches darkness to meet God.
Exodus 20 tells the story of Moses coming down from Mount Sinai and reading out loud the commandments God had given him for His people. As Moses finished saying all ten commandments, the people saw thunder and lightning, and a dark smoke surrounded the mountain where Moses had just talked to God. They trembled with fear while Moses drew near to it.
This isn’t a one-time thing in the Bible. When King Solomon finished building the temple of the Lord and the very first service took place, something similar to Exodus 20 happened: A thick cloud filled the entire temple as the people worshiped. Solomon acknowledged this by praying, “O LORD, you have said that you would live in a thick cloud of darkness. Now I have built a glorious Temple for you, a place where you can live forever” (2 Chronicles 6:1-2). Solomon was excited to experience this “cloud of darkness.”
Then there’s Psalm 18. David was in trouble and cried out to God in distress. When God showed up to help, it was not just with comforting light. Verse 9 describes God coming down with “dark storm clouds under his feet.”
It is easy to associate God with light and good things. After all, God is good. He is the light of the world, the lamp to our feet. But what happens when it doesn’t feel like it, when things are unclear and dark, and when we are going through a hard time and are scared? Where is God? This is when we must remind ourselves that God is in the darkness.
We need to keep Exodus 20:21 close to our hearts. This verse reminds us that God isn’t only present on sunny days when everything seems to be going well. God is also present in the darkness. When we’re scared, going through a rough patch, or feeling lost, God can meet us right there in the midst of it.
The day I read this verse, I prayed for a heart like Moses': a heart that isn’t afraid of the darkness but steps into it, fully knowing that God is already there, waiting. That’s my prayer for you, too. I hope we can be those who don’t run from the hard stuff but instead move toward it confidently, trusting that God can show up even in the dark places of our lives.
So, the next time you feel like you’re in the dark, remember God isn’t just in the light. He’s in the thick darkness, too.