The Love of Darkness

I still remember the day I visited a cave in Shenandoah Valley, West Virginia. It was my first time, along with my father and my one-year-old son. My husband had been there before and knew what to expect.

The guide led us carefully down into the cave, warning us to watch our steps. Light fixtures guided our descent until we reached the deepest chamber. Once everyone was gathered, the guide told us to stay still. Then he turned off all the lights.

The darkness was absolute — a pitch-black void I had never experienced before. It was so complete it paralyzed me. A recorded voice explained that this was true darkness: the total absence of light. After about thirty seconds, the lights returned. The relief was immediate. I could finally move again and see my son’s face.

That moment taught me something powerful: darkness can be terrifying, but it also conceals.

At night, evil often finds its cover. A burglar slips into a closed shop. A gang meets for sinister purposes. A person flees from a violent home. The darkness of night has long provided the perfect hiding place for deeds people do not want exposed. If no one can see us, we think, no one can judge us.

Even a small amount of light changes everything. A dimly lit room is enough to apply makeup or walk to the bathroom without tripping, yet not bright enough to reveal every flaw or detail. The smallest source of light weakens the power of total darkness.

Today, however, we live in a world that no longer bothers to wait for nightfall. Spiritual darkness has grown so bold that evil no longer hides. We see it openly — in the news, on our streets, and in the headlines from every nation. Humanity’s deeds have become brazen.

The Apostle John explained this long ago:

“This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.” (John 3:19)

The Light they reject is Jesus Himself. He declared, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12).

In a world without a moral compass, those who come to Jesus first see themselves as they truly are — sinners in need of grace. His light exposes our filthy rags of self-righteousness. But it does more than expose: it cleanses, guides, and transforms. Step by step, He leads us. He fills us with His own life as we believe in Him.

The love of darkness is ultimately the love of evil. But those who come to the Light receive light themselves. They become beacons of truth in a pitch-black world.

So let your light shine boldly — because the darkness has never been darker, and the world has never needed it more.