What’s in the Dark?

Written By Joshpril B, Philippines

Ghosts, bogeymen, monsters, and other scary creatures were all part of my childhood (and perhaps yours too!). Somehow, it was embedded in my mind that in the dark, something scary would be lurking around the corner.

Perhaps it was the result of horror films I watched, ghost-sighting stories that I heard, or the Goosebumps books I read. My imagination ran wild whenever I was in darkness; not being able to see what was going on distorted my reality and stopped me from thinking rationally.

After coming to know Christ at a young age, however, I stopped thinking that way. While I was still aware that there were evil spirits around us, I knew that Jesus was more powerful than they were. There were still times when my default response to darkness was fear, but overall, knowing that Jesus was with me always gave me assurance and comfort.

Until recently.

Several years ago, I moved out from my family home to a place where the crime rate was high. I was told to double the number of locks on my front door and have strong, metal grilles built across my windows. I was also warned to avoid strangers, not to linger in public places, and never to leave home alone.

Thanks to all these warnings, I became scared of the dark again. I kept imagining that someone was lurking in the dark, ready to hurt, rob, harass, or kidnap me. All sorts of scenarios came to mind, and though nothing actually happened to me, it came to a point where I would lie awake the whole night, paranoid. Every single noise I heard would make my imagination run wild, and I would start wondering if someone was watching my every move. I began to place more trust in the security of my double-locked door instead of the Lord.

Sure, I knew in my mind that Jesus would protect me. But I just couldn’t help letting my fear of the dark consume me.

Through my parents, however, God reminded me about how David praised Him in Psalm 28:7: “The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and He helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise Him.” As I read those words, I suddenly understood why King David could place his trust in the Lord despite the opposition he faced. Because he knew the Lord was his source of strength and protection, he could speak with certainty and confidence. Despite his own fear, he could even find the strength to praise God. God’s greatness and power was his shield that protected him from danger—and his own fear.

Now, whenever my fear of what’s in the dark starts to overcome me, I keep repeating this verse to remind myself of its truth. The more I pray and read His Word, the more courage I get. I am more able to say with confidence that the Lord is my strength and my shield, for He protects my mind from wandering and letting my imagination go wild.

I am learning to place my trust in the Lord whenever I’m scared of something or someone in the dark. The Bible reminds me that He’s there to help me, and I’m truly thankful that I have found peace facing the dark—for I know that the Lord is always there with me.