A Darkness that Can be Felt: Praying Your Way into the Light

Welcome! This post on a darkness that can be felt is consistently one of my most popular posts! I’m so glad you found it! My current writing focus has shifted to encouragement for those that feel lonely and how we can connect with God, ourselves, and others. If this topic interests you, read my latest blog posts!

Also, I hope that my words don’t come across as saying prayer and Jesus are the only way out of darkness. Please seek help and trust trained professionals to help you with depression, anxiety, and/or suicidal thoughts!

A darkness that can be felt, what does that even mean? Have you felt darkness before? Did a certain event cause it? How did you get out of it?

If you’re following me on Instagram you know that I’m focusing on reading through the Old Testament. I’m currently in Exodus (I’m going slow, I know), and the phrase “a darkness that can be felt” has been standing out in my mind.

This phrase comes from Exodus 10:21-23:  “Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Stretch out your hand toward heaven, and there will be darkness over the land of Egypt, a darkness that can be felt.’ So Moses stretched out his hand toward heaven, and there was thick darkness throughout the land of Egypt for three days. One person could not see another, and for three days they did not move from where they were. Yet all the Israelites had light where they lived.”

Darkness is the ninth in a series of ten plaques to hit Egypt. And for three days, no one moved from where they were. I’m going to be brave and admit to you that even at age 39, I am scared of the dark. It covers up what I see and know. When it’s dark, I’m only guessing about what is actually there.

ARE YOU SCARED OF THE DARK?

When I was a teenager, and yes even in college, when I would come home at night, I would run from the car to the front door as fast as I could. The darkness was terrifying. There could be someone in the trees, by the road, or even just a few feet from me and I wouldn’t have known! That is what is scary about the darkness, the unknown that is lurking out there.

But guess what. We had street lights and a light by the front door. So I wasn’t even in complete darkness, yet I did not like what I could not see.

How does “a darkness that can be felt” feel? I imagine that it’s cold, uninviting, confusing. Every little sound makes you say, “What was that? Who’s there?” What fear must have come over the Egyptians that they didn’t even leave from where they were. While darkness keeps you confused and worried, light gives you freedom to move without fear—you can step with certainty, knowing that you are in the right place.

Even though today we have street lights and building lights and car lights, we can still know this kind of darkness. An emotional toll that overwhelms the soul will often be described as a darkness that can be felt.

WHAT DOES DARKNESS FEEL LIKE?

I wanted to talk to people that have felt darkness before, so I asked some friends these questions:  Have you ever experienced “a darkness that can be felt,” whether physically or emotionally? What did it feel like? Was there a certain event that caused it? How did you get out of it? Here are some answers:

When you bury a child there is a darkness that can be felt. I cannot describe what it felt like, there are no words. As for getting out of it, there is only one way, Jesus. He carried me through that darkness.

I have felt darkness in my home before. I’ve had to physically get up out of bed and fervently prayer walk my entire house more than once.

Anyone that has dealt with depression can explain to you in detail how darkness “feels.” It’s a feeling you don’t forget and a place you fight to avoid…medication saved me mentally but only Christ Jesus could save me spiritually and give me the physical strength. Psalm 34 has always been my go to chapter to remind me of God’s love and comfort.

Another friend described her depression as “an oppressive weight.” A weight she must fight against minute by minute. And how did my friends get out of the darkness? Jesus, prayer, and the Bible.

COULD THEY REALLY FEEL THE DARKNESS?

The Hebrew word for feel in this verse is mashash. It means to feel, grope, or search. In Genesis, when Jacob was disguising himself as Esau, his father reached out and felt him. It is the same Hebrew word. It’s like the Egyptians could reach out and touch the darkness, just as Isaac reached out to touch Jacob. It wasn’t just an emotional type of darkness that fogs the mind, it was a physically overwhelming darkness, as my friends have felt in depression and the loss of a child.

When I first started writing this, I knew I wanted to write about overcoming the darkness, but I do not want to give tired, overused advice. I thought maybe I could write how to avoid the darkness by using the example of Pharaoh, but not every battle with darkness is because of disobedience. Then I thought about prayer. Is prayer the way out of darkness?

ESCAPING THE DARKNESS

Last night I watched the movie Harriet. How funny that I’m thinking about Moses and darkness and God’s people being set free, when I remember that I rented a movie about a woman they called Moses, Harriet Tubman. I had already decided this post would be about prayer before I started the movie. And then I watched the movie and saw that Harriet was a woman of great faith, who often prayed to God—and then obeyed His answer no matter what.

Harriet Tubman’s prayer life and her faith in a God who would set her free is what helped her escape the darkness of slavery. And what a darkness that was. Many slaves had great faith in God, even though the word of God was used as a weapon against them. (The movie opens with a black preacher reading Colossians 3:22 to the slaves while their masters are watching: Slaves, obey your human masters in everything. Don’t work only while being watched, as people-pleasers, but work wholeheartedly, fearing the Lord.)

Is prayer the way out of darkness? Surely it was for Harriet Tubman and for people I know personally. But what if you don’t have the words for talking to God at such a dark time? What if you really don’t feel like spilling out all the details about how you feel and how you hate it? There is hope because prayers do not have to include lots of words and they do not have to be your own.

PRAY WORDS FROM YOUR BIBLE

This sounds easy, but yet if you’ve actually tried it, maybe it’s a little daunting. Flipping through your Bible looking for a prayer to pray, it’s too much, too hard, too many words to choose from. But there may be prayers you know already, like the Lord’s Prayer:  “Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed by your name…” Or Psalm 23 could be said as a prayer, and a reminder that the Lord is walking beside you through the valley:  “The Lord is my shepherd, I have everything I need.”

The Bible is full of God-approved words that we can use for praising, giving thanks, and begging for help. These two passages from Psalms may give you some words when your own words are failing. Save these images to Pinterest so you will have them on hand when you need them.

PRAY SHORT PRAYERS

“Sometimes it takes more faith to say less words.” One of my favorite podcast episodes of The Next Right Thing (I like all of them, by the way), is “Say Short Prayers.” Emily P. Freeman lists some short prayers from the Bible, including this one from Matthew 15:25:  “Lord, help me.”

God knows what you’re experiencing, feeling, and thinking. It’s not always necessary to pour out every detail to God—you may not even know what to say or ask. “Lord, help me” accomplishes much with very little.

Here are more short prayers from the Bible:

“Lord, save me” (Matt. 14:30)

“God, be merciful to me a sinner!” (Luke 18:13)

“O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.” (Matthew 26:39)

“I am Yours, save me” (Psalm 119:94)

“Consider my affliction and deliver me.” (Psalm 119:153)

Father, you know what I need. Matthew 6:8

BREATHE YOUR PRAYERS

I am pretty new to this idea, but it’s as simple as slowing down and breathing. A breath prayer is exactly what it sounds like, saying (or thinking) a prayer as you breathe. It’s usually a short phrase, so you can say one or two words as you inhale, then the rest of the phrase as you exhale. For example:

As you inhale, pray “be still.”
As you exhale, pray “and know.”

You continue it for how ever long the kids let you! I have a breath prayer that comes to me automatically every time I start taking deep breaths and it’s “eat, of me.” It sounds strange I know, but it’s a phrase that has stuck in my mind since recently reading Matthew 6:53-58. Verse 56 says, “He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him.” Praying “eat of me” while slowly inhaling and exhaling reminds me that everything I need comes from Jesus.

Here are some more ideas for breath prayers, especially when facing darkness:

Inhale:  My glory and the lifter
Exhale: of my head (Psalm 3:3)

Inhale: The Lord
Exhale:  Is Near (Psalm 34:18)

Inhale: My help
Exhale: Comes from the Lord (Psalm 121:2)

Inhale: When I am weak
Exhale: Then I am strong (2 Corinthians 12:10)

Pin this image to save for later:

ASK FRIENDS TO PRAY FOR YOU

There is nothing more encouraging than knowing others are praying for you. My son has had a couple minor surgeries (if you can call any surgery minor!), and it was such a relief in the waiting room to know that friends were praying also. I didn’t carry the entire burden on myself. I could take a break from praying over and over in my mind knowing that someone else was also praying.

Extra prayers that are not your own are only a text away. If you don’t feel comfortable sharing what you’re going through, you can just simply say, “Pray for me” or “I need prayers.”

MAKE THE DARKNESS TREMBLE

I’ve heard some songs this week that again brought to mind Exodus 10:21. Music is a great way to uplift your spirits and to remind you of goodness, beauty, and truth from God’s Word. One of these songs is simply called “Tremble.” I hope you’ll listen to it. “Jesus, Jesus you make the darkness tremble.”

We can make the darkness tremble by simply calling on the name of Jesus. Hopefully these prayers will help you when you’re feeling the darkness. I can’t promise that these prayers will make your troubles disappear, but I do hope a spark of light appears.

I will say to the prisoners, ‘Come out in freedom,’
and to those in darkness, ‘Come into the light.’
Isaiah 49:9