“Hello darkness, my old friend…”
 
I’ve been humming that folk song by Simon and Garfunkel for the last couple of days. As I sit down to write, Gwen and I are entering our fortieth hour without power at the house.
 
First-world problems, right? I must wait for power to be restored.
 
But really. In this day and age, it seems so odd that a storm blows through and we lose electricity for so long. On top of that, my buddies at the electric company sent me a text thirty minutes ago celebrating that 1750 customers have had their power restored.

Well, that’s just rude. Our home is not one of the celebrated hundreds. Did I mention that I don’t like waiting?
 
To answer a question that might be running through your mind, yes, we do have a generator. We are keeping the freezer and refrigerator running as well as a fan and two lamps when possible. We can also recharge those devices with which we cannot live without.
 
Darkness prevails despite the lamps. As I have dwelt in darkness the last two nights, I realize that I have absorbed the darkness. Like a blackout curtain, it has blocked the light. Like India ink, it has stained the atmosphere. Like a heavy fog, the darkness can be felt. Maybe the darkness has absorbed me.
 
Darkness affects the mind. That is obvious in the youthful alienation in which Paul Simon wrote The Sound of Silence. He chose physical darkness to be alone with his thoughts. The tone of the song evokes an emotional darkness as well, a sense of loneliness slowing closing in.
 
Art Garfunkel simply said, “This is a song about the inability of people to communicate with each other.” Darkness in relationships. Superficial interactions as people struggle to connect on a deeper level. The lyrics include, “People talking without speaking,” and “People hearing without listening.” Those lines resonate with us in this era of social media.
 
The theme of darkness—physical, mental, emotional, spiritual—has been around as long as humans have been alive on planet earth. Darkness is the playground of fear and anxiety. Darkness gives off the sense of hopelessness. Is that the final answer?
 
No! Dark circumstances often drive us to the Light. Having mentioned darkness several times in Psalm 88, the psalmist closes his prayerful poetry with…

You have taken from me friend and neighbor—
    darkness is my closest friend.
Psalm 88:18 NIV

That sounds hopeless. The psalmist did not get immediate home-illuminating answers filled with comfort and hope. But darkness did cause him to go to the One who controls the light switch.
 
Darkness bids us call out boldly to Jesus. What happens if He does not answer our prayer immediately? What do we do if He does not dispel the darkness in whatever form it may be? Psalm 88 is one psalm that does not resolve into happiness and a positive ending. What can we learn from it?
 
Most importantly, we must call out at all times to the God of our salvation. We can be real about what concerns us, scares us, or frustrates us. We are encouraged to be persistent in prayer just like the psalmist regardless of ready-made answers. Jesus touched on this concept in Luke 18. We must develop a perseverance in waiting upon our God which, rooted in hope, strengthens our faith. With David, we can declare, 

I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see
the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.
Wait for the Lord.
Be strong and let your heart take courage;
Yes, wait for the Lord.
Psalm 27:13-14 NASB

We may remain in darkness at home but it should not cause us to lose hope. We should never doubt in the darkness what God has shown us in the light. He has made it clear that He is faithful to accomplish His purposes for His glory and for our good.
 
I encourage you to look to the Light throughout any personal darkness you may be experiencing today. May you discover a fresh appreciation for His grace…even in waiting.
 
Love and blessings,
Dave