The Equinox by Aimee Taylor

Equinox happens twice a year in the Earth’s yearly revolution around the sun. On these two days a year, the daytime and nighttime hours of light are equal. The Spring equinox happens in March ushering in the newness of the season with all its floral splendor. As the days move forward into Summer, there is more light each day, each day showing the promise that light does indeed conquer darkness. It reminds us each year that resurrection is real as the world revives once again to bear fruit. The Autumn equinox happens in September ushering in the close of the year for Winter. This day is the last day where day and night are equal before darkness begins to take over a little more each day. It is the season of hibernation and dormancy, a time of quieting and even death. We often think of the Spring with hopefulness especially as the summer welcomes in a sense of freedom and release from the normal pace of life. While we look upon the Fall with some dread with the hardness of winter looming ahead, promising long periods of cold and waiting. This cycle of light and dark has a lot to teach us about our relationship with God, because there is a lot to be received in both the light and the dark, both are needed though it may not feel that way to us. In Daniel 2: 21 it says: 
He changes times and seasons; He removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding; He reveals deep and hidden things; He knows what is in the darkness and the light dwells in Him. 
Here we read that it is God who created the heavens and the earth. He set up the seasons so that we can reflect upon them as we encounter new circumstances, whether they are good or difficult. As we walk through darkness it is hard to see, hard to understand, hard to navigate. We wonder at its purpose, we wonder why we have to go through it, we wonder if good will ever conquer evil. This is all normal and very human, but when we look into the supernatural we see verses in scripture like the ones above that say there are times and seasons for everything. We see that God is the one who reveals hidden things, that He is the One that knows exactly what dwells in the darkness, He knows its purpose in our lives. The most important thing in those verses though, is that light ONLY dwells within Him, He has no darkness at all. He is the source of all truth. Nothing can hide when light surrounds everything. If we want healing from the hard things life throws at us, then we need the Lord. Only He can sort it all out, make sense of it, and knows why it has happened. Because God is the season-maker, the Sovereign One, the Source of all light.
Questions immediately arise. How then do we trust a God who allows for darkness? How are we to see the beauty in it, when darkness just seems to overwhelm and consume? Those questions are huge and must be explored, but answers can only be found in the Light, in Jesus. As we read scripture, the hard questions boil down to a God-gifted choice. He allows humanity to choose His ways or their own way, and our own human choices often lead us into darkness. Whether we have made that choice or someone has made it for us, darkness descends on us because of humanity’s sinfulness. We choose not to follow His way and as it says in Romans 1:21… “They knew God, but they wouldn’t worship Him as God or even give Him thanks. And as a result, their minds became dark and confused.” The darkness of sin wrecks every person who has ever lived, but we do not have to choose confusion, we can choose to worship the One true God instead.
How then, do we handle all this darkness that is in the rest of humanity, but also soaked within us as well? The answer is simple but not always easy. We can not avoid the darkness, we can not live in the lie, believing we can capture our own light just by wishing the darkness away. Instead, we have to walk through the darkness, pressing into the light of God. The seasons of darkness are there for a purpose, we are shaped by them to mold us into a faith-filled people of God, who look to Him for wisdom, comfort and understanding. We must walk with Jesus hand in hand into the light, letting Him reveal what has been hidden, and let Him heal us in the light. HIs light reveals sin, brings forgiveness, and gives us the opportunity to be open to a loving God. This journey takes courage, because sometimes this work gives us intense growing pains as we are becoming the new creatures God declares us to be. Pray for that courage, and commit to the work. Because Jesus always, always, always overcomes and He will carry you until it is finished. In John 1: 4-5 it says this about Jesus: 
His breath filled all things with a living, breathing light—A light that thrives in the depths of darkness, blazes through murky bottoms.It cannot and will not be quenched.
Jesus is light, and His light THRIVES. The equinox is a reminder that Jesus has a purpose for all things, even darkness. He redeems darkness. Jesus came down from His throne in heaven so that He could bring us - His beloved ones - into His light to be healed. His light CAN NOT BE QUENCHED, He is all-powerful. Trust this truth and rest in a season-making God, who reaches out for your hand to walk you through darkness into His thriving light.