
Growth in the Dark
Even when all seems calamitous and broken, God continues His work through the mess of this fallen world, bringing light out of the darkness, growth out of the pain.
Between wet weather and other major jobs, we left the garden to its own devices for a considerable amount of time.
As with all these things, mowing the yard managed to reach the top of the list. Warm and wet conditions meant that the grass was long. So, once the grass was cut, there were some works around the edges that needed to be carried out. I tackled these jobs in small stages to make things look respectable for Christmas.
During that process, I discovered, under a heap of grass, a plant that had flowered. So, what is remarkable about that? This plant only flowers in winter, and here we are in the middle of December.
The tall stands of grass kept it cool and dark enough to trick it into thinking it was still winter.
As I looked at the flower, I thought about how we are living in dark times. Just as the plant managed to flower in the dark, so many of us are continuing to grow, behind the dark headlines and struggles of a broken world.
God Sees All
Just because the world cannot see the beauty and growth that God brings to our lives during our dark times, doesn’t mean it isn’t there. It still exists. He can see it and He rejoices in it.
“For nothing is hidden, that will not be revealed;
nor anything secret, that will not be known and come to light.”
~ Luke 8:17
The world puts so much emphasis on being visible, even during lockdowns people were encouraged to get on Zoom or do videos just to be seen. Yet, as I discovered today, dark places produce the most wonderful creations of our Father God.
What an encouragement for each of us. The world is a very dark place. Be encouraged, God is creating growth, beautiful growth behind all that darkness, and one day it will be revealed for everyone to see.
Prayer:
God, please strengthen our faith, to know that Your work is still being done even in the darkest places of our world. If we rest in You and stay where You have planted us, You will do a great thing and it will be something astonishing. Amen.
___
Photo by Vero Photoart on Unsplash.
Recent Articles:
21 September 2026
4.4 MINS
Forgiveness is a choice, not a feeling. That was the message Danny Abdullah brought to London's ARC conference, sharing how he and his wife chose to forgive the man who killed three of their children.
21 September 2026
4.4 MINS
On September 11, the Archbishop of Canterbury gave an interfaith award to a man who called Osama bin Laden the "Sword of God" and blames Jews and Christians for the war on Iran. The award was rescinded after public backlash.
21 September 2026
8.5 MINS
After a 20-week scan revealed possible heart abnormalities and genetic concerns, medical staff twice offered to abort a Christian couple's baby. Six weeks of fervent prayer later, the heart defect was gone — and their son is nearly ready to be born.
21 September 2026
3.2 MINS
Something special happens when men step out of the everyday and focus on being fully present. Dads4Kids recent Men’s Summit and the upcoming Courageous Online Fathering Course create space for presence.
18 September 2026
4.4 MINS
Up to 10,000 rallied in Sydney for a ban on sex-selective abortion. Twenty-four hours later, the NSW Legislative Council defeated John Ruddick's bill 21–16. The fight, says Dr Joanna Howe, is just beginning.
18 September 2026
3.5 MINS
Brothers Luke and Joel Smallbone have become one of the world's most loved Christian pop acts. As For King & Country, they have won four Grammys, 15 GMA Dove Awards and billions of song streams. And today they releasing their latest album.
18 September 2026
4.9 MINS
The government's $75 million deradicalisation program isn't working — and some wannabe terrorists have left more radical. So it's announced a new plan — which forbids identifying what's doing the radicalising.





