Being Comfortable In The Dark Part 2 Series

Being Comfortable In The Dark Part 2

Scripture: Proverbs 3:1-6; Genesis 12:1-4; Romans 4:1-4;

Last month I preached a sermon to you titled “Being Comfortable in the Dark.” In that message I told you that if we are to walk in faith, we had to get very comfortable walking with God not knowing everything. I told you that for some people that is a very scary place to be in their faith walk. The writer of the book of Hebrews wrote, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1) As I shared last month in part one, if we are to walk in faith we must become comfortable being in the dark – walking without having all of the directions beforehand. This message is part two and it comes from a conversation that I had with my brother on his take of being comfortable in the dark.

Turn with me to Proverbs chapter three and we will begin reading at verse one. It says, “(1) My son, do not forget my law, but let your heart keep my commands; (2) for length of days and long life and peace they will add to you. (3) Let not mercy and truth forsake you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart, (4) and so find favor and high esteem in the sight of God and man. (5) Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; (6) in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” (Proverbs 3:1-6)

When Solomon wrote this he wrote it from a viewpoint of understanding the importance of wisdom. He writes that by remembering God’s word and keeping watch, or guard over it, it will add days and peace to his life. But I want you to notice what he says in verse five. The first word in verse five is Trust. It comes from the Hebrew word batach which means to, “confide in, so as to be secure and without fear. It expresses the feeling of safety, security and being without fear that is felt when one can rely on someone else.” Trust is not something that just magically appears out of nowhere. No, it is something that is established over time and when it is firmly planted, there is a sense of security and comfort knowing that someone or something is very dependable. So Solomon said “Trust in the Lord with all your heart…” not part of it, all of it. We have to be totally secure, dependent and willing to follow God in all things. The next thing he says is “and lean not on your own understanding…” The word for “lean” in the Hebrew means “to rely, to support oneself.” Have you ever talked to someone that only relies on themselves and what they know? They do not take feedback or suggestions well and when it is given it is often received in a negative way. This person totally leans and depends on themselves. Now here is the problem: when we lean on ourselves, when we trust ourselves only, we are not leaning on God or trusting God. Do you see the problem with this?

In verse six he writes that “in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” He tells us that we should acknowledge God in all of our ways and when that is done God will direct our path. That word “acknowledge” in the Hebrew means “to know relationally and experientially, especially signifies knowing what to do or think in generally, especially with respect to God.” Just based on this definition we know that this cannot happen unless there is an established relationship with God that a person has that is so firm that the trust is established through the experience of walking with God. When we have established trust with God and we know Him to be exactly Who He says He is the door is opened for us to walk with Him comfortably in the dark. Let me give you an example from a story that I read.

“A little girl was walking through the hallway of her home, and she came to the place where they had a cellar door. It was one of those trapdoors on hinges, and it was open. She looked down into the darkness, heard a noise down there, and she said, ‘Who’s down there?” And her daddy said, ‘It’s me, Daddy.’ She replied, ‘Well, I want to come down there with you.’ He answered, ‘Well, I’ve already taken the ladder away, but if you’ll jump, I’ll catch you.’ Now this was a little girl, and she thought, Jump down into that hole? You see, her father could see her because she was in the light, but she could not see him because he was down there in the darkness, and she said, ‘But, Daddy, I can’t see you.’ “He answered, ‘That’s all right. I can see you, go ahead and jump.’ ‘But, Daddy, I’m afraid.’ ‘Now, Honey, wait a minute. I want to ask you a question. Do you believe I’m down here?’ ‘Sure, I believe you’re down there. I’m talking to you.’ ‘Do you believe I’m strong enough to catch you?’ ‘I believe you’re strong enough to catch me.’ ‘OK,’ he said, ‘do you believe that I love you?’ ‘Yes, Daddy, I believe you love me.’ “He asked, ‘Have I ever told you a lie?’ ‘No, you’ve never told me a lie.’ ‘OK, you know I’m here, and I love you, and I would never lie to you. Now jump.’ And she said, ‘OK, Daddy, here I come.’ She stepped off into the black hole, and her Daddy caught her, gave her a hug, and sat her down.”