READ: JOHN 1:1-15; 8:12-18; 2 CORINTHIANS 4:6

Vacation time for my family when I was a kid usually involved tents and sleeping bags. We enjoyed the outdoors, and camping helped us stay close to nature—while also saving on hotel costs. As a little kid, I took notice of signs where we camped warning us of bears in the area. Although my parents reassured me that we’d be safe inside our tent, I asked to hold a flashlight when I bedded down for the night. Even though I realized a flashlight would offer little defense against a black bear, I found comfort in knowing I could flick on that light whenever I felt afraid in the dark.

I still go camping, but I no longer grasp a flashlight as I fall asleep. Sometimes real life seems far scarier than a night at a wooded campsite, though, and now I need a different kind of light to fortify me during life’s uncertainties and unknowns.

In John 8:12, Jesus says, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” In His holiness and love, Jesus dispelled the darkness of confusion and sin so that we might know God. He did this by laying down His life for us. Once we’ve put our trust in Jesus, believing He died and rose from the grave to make the way for us to have a relationship with Him, Jesus shines His light into our hearts, so we never have to walk in darkness. In times of worry or questioning, Jesus gives Himself as the Light that pierces through the gloom of our fears. • Allison Wilson Lee

• Have you ever felt like you’re wandering around in the darkness without a light? How can we look to Jesus to quiet our hearts in unsettling seasons?

• You may not have all the answers you want as you face uncertainty, and that’s okay. God is not afraid of our questions. You can bring your questions and confusion to Him anytime in prayer. And you can draw near to Him by reading His Word, the Bible. When you feel lost, who are some trusted Christians you can talk to, such as parents, pastors, youth leaders, or counselors?

The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned. Isaiah 9:2 (NIV)