“And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.” — John 1:5

We are approaching the Winter Solstice—the darkest days of the year in the northern hemisphere. The nights are long. The shadows are deep. The cold seems to seep into the bones. It is fitting, strategically fitting, that we celebrate the Incarnation right now.

God often saves His brightest revelation for the darkest hour.

The darker the night, the brighter the light. This is a fundamental principle of both physics and the Spirit. If I light a candle in a room flooded with sunshine, it is irrelevant. It adds nothing. It is barely noticed. But if I light that same candle in a pitch-black cave, it becomes a lifesaver. It becomes the most important thing in the universe. It becomes the focal point of all hope.

You may be looking at the world around you right now—the moral decay, the chaos, the fear, the wars—and feeling overwhelmed. You may be looking at your own life and seeing shadows you can’t seem to shake—depression, anxiety, confusion. You may feel like the darkness is gaining ground. You may feel like the sun is setting on your hope.

But read the text again carefully: The darkness did not comprehend it.

Other translations say the darkness could not “overcome” it, or “extinguish” it. The Greek word suggests a hostile takeover—that the darkness tried to seize the light, tried to tackle it, tried to wrestle it to the ground and snuff it out.

But it failed.

Why? Because darkness has no power over light. Darkness is not a “force” in itself; it is simply the absence of light. You do not shovel darkness out of a room. You do not fight darkness with a sword. You do not negotiate with darkness. You simply turn on the light.

When light walks into the room, darkness does not fight back; it flees. It has no choice. It must recede. It is physically impossible for darkness to remain in the presence of light.

This is your strategy for the end of the year. You cannot “fight” the darkness of the culture by complaining about it. You cannot fight the darkness in your family by arguing with it. You have to shine.

You are a carrier of this light. You are the lamp of the Lord. The Holy Spirit is the oil, and your obedience is the wick.

Stop cursing the darkness and start burning. The world is desperate for what you have. Shine with your integrity in a corrupt workplace. Shine with your hope in a despairing family. Shine with your discipline in a lazy culture.

The darkness cannot stop you; it can only frame you. It can only provide the backdrop that makes your light visible. Do not fear the night. The night is your opportunity.

The Warrior’s Prayer: Father of Lights, I thank You that the darkness has no authority over me. I fan into flame the gift of God within me. I refuse to be intimidated by the shadows of this age. I will not hide my lamp under a basket of fear. I will shine in my home, my business, and my community. Let Your light in me break the power of despair. Amen.