“And I will give you treasures hidden in the darkness — secret riches. I will do this so you may know that I am the Lord, the God of Israel, the one who calls you by name.” Isaiah 45:3 (NLT)
“Before we start, I wanted to let you know that someone from the men’s soccer team was in an accident at one of the track and field events. All we know is that he is in critical condition. I understand if you need to sit out of our alumni game right now.”
My heart dropped. Through whispers, I knew who the victim was of this awful occurrence. He was a freshman who had just transferred in the second semester. I had only met him, but the weight of uncertainty was too much to bear.
All but two of us played in that game and let me just say there have been finer moments for us as a team. We were getting owned, but an alumni game did not seem to matter in the grand scheme of things.
We finally sat down as our teammate’s father, who was one of the first responders at the accident, was about to give us heart wrenching news. Ethan Roser, who had been working at the hammer throw event, was tragically hit in the head by the hammer in a practice throw and passed away at the scene.
Tears immediately flowed from all of us. We were broken for his family, for our good friends on the men’s team, and for the life that was cut so short. The heaviness of it all was overwhelming.
Though my heart ached, I knew I needed to be there for my friends. Despite finals being two weeks away, I dropped everything when someone needed a shoulder to cry on or when we would spend time together at someone’s house.
In my efforts to love those around me, I quickly got emotionally drained and had nothing left to give because I was giving from a place that was empty. I needed to let the Father’s love fill me first before I could love those around me. Maybe you have experienced this too.
When I reached this point, all I could do was weep and sit still with God. Words were hard to come by, but I knew God understood what was going on in my heart. In that moment, He reminded me of Mr. and Mrs. Rosers’ words at one of Ethan’s memorial services. While they were broken, they were not defeated. They were confident God would bring forth restoration and hope in others’ lives. How were they able to speak such things after losing their youngest son?
In today’s verse, God is speaking to the Persian King Cyrus telling him “I will give you treasures hidden in the darkness”. When we hear the word “treasure”, our minds immediately think about jewels, gold, and wealth, and success. In this context, God was referring to gold and silver that had been buried underground.
However, we can take this a step further. During dark times, treasure and blessing seem to be far off. When Ethan passed away, it was hard to see God’s goodness. But the more I sat with Him and let His truths seep into my heart, the more evident His goodness became. As a result, He slowly restored my heart and gave me a new perspective. I was able to love others well again and had a strength that undeniably came from Him.
There were many treasures that came from this darkness — a deeper understanding of how to love others, trust in His sovereignty, and a newfound appreciation for sitting still with God are some of the many blessings. God was also using this time to prepare my heart for my uncle’s passing which happened two weeks later. On a bigger scale, I witnessed friends rededicating their lives to God and having a fire to carry on Ethan’s missional mindset.
I do not want to minimize the hurt you are experiencing by telling you to find treasure within your darkness. The pain may seem like it will never go away and you may want to run away from God. I want to encourage you to keep questioning Him. Ask Him the hard questions. Your questions will not offend Him. Understanding what God is doing during these times is a slow process. He sees everything and our limited view prevents us from seeing the good He is working out in our lives.
I love the last part of today’s verse — “I will do this so you may know that I am the Lord, the God of Israel, the one who calls you by name”. Ultimately, the challenges we face gives us a closer glimpse of His character. He uses our trials to mold us into His likeness. When we come out on the other side, His glory is revealed to those around us as they are able to see the treasure He has given us. This treasure is not something physically tangible, but rather it is a spirit that has been renewed by our God of hope, peace, and love.
The things He will reveal to you during this time with Him may be some of the best life lessons you will ever learn. Be still and allow Him to recharge you. Allow Him to show you the treasures hidden in darkness. When you have been refilled with the Father’s love, go out in confidence knowing that He is right there beside you holding His hand out to give you the strength you need.
Dear Father, right now I am having a hard time seeing the treasures you have for me during this dark time. Because I do not have the eyes to see, show me what you are doing in my life. I can’t be effective for Your kingdom if I am depleted and emotionally drained. Fill me with Your love so I can share that love with others. Thank you for your sovereignty and for always being good. In Jesus’ name, amen.
