"And when the sixth hour was come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour."
Mark 15:33
This verse is in the midst of a description of several other things that preceded Christ's death, and I find it interesting that there isn't anything more written about it, since three hours of darkness seems like kind of a big deal. It made me think about the way that we often let the darkness in our own lives go unremarked (Isaiah 59:8-10).
When things get stressful and our minds and hearts darken, it can be helpful to consider Christ's life and his patience and faith in the midst of tragedy. He personally in that moment didn't want to suffer, and asked for the cup to pass from him (Matthew 26:39), but it didn't. His father's will was for him to complete the atonement, which he willingly did, being willing to put God's will first, even in that most difficult of circumstances.
Because he suffered more than any of us could ever suffer, he knows how to help us when we suffer, physically, mentally, and emotionally. He knows how to comfort us in our tragedies, and will help us even when our pain is a result of our own bad choices. He doesn't want us to be in pain... he wants us to be able to go, and sin no more (John 8:11).
Today, when we are going through our own hours of darkness, let's turn to Christ for hope and comfort. Let's pray for help from God when there is no other help to be had, because God always hears, and will send help. Let's not bury the darkness within ourselves. It doesn't need to be there. Instead, let's ask God to help us clear it out by replacing it with brightness (2 Thessalonians 2:8; 2 Nephi 31:20).
Mark 15:33
This verse is in the midst of a description of several other things that preceded Christ's death, and I find it interesting that there isn't anything more written about it, since three hours of darkness seems like kind of a big deal. It made me think about the way that we often let the darkness in our own lives go unremarked (Isaiah 59:8-10).
When things get stressful and our minds and hearts darken, it can be helpful to consider Christ's life and his patience and faith in the midst of tragedy. He personally in that moment didn't want to suffer, and asked for the cup to pass from him (Matthew 26:39), but it didn't. His father's will was for him to complete the atonement, which he willingly did, being willing to put God's will first, even in that most difficult of circumstances.
Because he suffered more than any of us could ever suffer, he knows how to help us when we suffer, physically, mentally, and emotionally. He knows how to comfort us in our tragedies, and will help us even when our pain is a result of our own bad choices. He doesn't want us to be in pain... he wants us to be able to go, and sin no more (John 8:11).
Today, when we are going through our own hours of darkness, let's turn to Christ for hope and comfort. Let's pray for help from God when there is no other help to be had, because God always hears, and will send help. Let's not bury the darkness within ourselves. It doesn't need to be there. Instead, let's ask God to help us clear it out by replacing it with brightness (2 Thessalonians 2:8; 2 Nephi 31:20).
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