“The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.”  Isaiah 9:2

It’s dark outside, and today seems even darker than usual. And it should. Today is the Winter Solstice, the darkest day of the year.

We may be prone to greet the day like Simon and Garfunkel singing, “Hello, darkness, my old friend. I’ve come to talk with you again.”

For those of us who live in the northern hemisphere, the Winter Solstice, usually occurs on December 21.  The solstice, which literally means “sun stood still,” officially marks the beginning of winter. The Earth’s axial tilt is at its furthest point from the sun, allowing the least amount of daylight to reach the earth.

While it may be merely coincidental that the darkest day arrives just prior to our customary celebration of Christmas, from my experience as a pastor, I am aware that holidays can be dark days emotionally for many of us.  If we have lost a family member or friend this year, our grief may peak during the holidays. If we have had a tumultuous year, a sense of melancholy or depression may hang over our life like a dark cloud. If we tend toward being anxious, the uncertainties of life may trigger feelings of panic or rob us of our motivation. There are many reasons the darkness may deepen.

Remember the ancient epic poem about Job, the good man who lost everything. As Job grappled with his grief, he initially blamed God. In The Message, Job 23:16-17 translates the lament of Job like this: God makes my heart sink! God Almighty gives me the shudders! I’m completely in the dark, I can’t see my hand in front of my face.

Darkness and grief come in many shapes and sizes. As we deal with our own grief it is important to remember that the Bible never tells us not to grieve, but it does counsel us not to grieve “as those who have no hope” (I Thessalonians 4:13).

Our faith does not exempt us from the darkness, but our faith does help us to process our grief with hope and courage. Grief does not have the final word. In those seasons when the darkness deepens, help us catch the glimmer of the Light of Christmas.

Prayer:  Dear Lord, thank you for being our comforter and friend.  May the Light of Christmas help us navigate our darkest moments.  Amen.

(Barry Howard serves as the pastor at the Church at Wieuca in North Atlanta. He also serves as a columnist and leadership coach for the Center for Healthy Churches.)