There are often times in life where things feel dark. Not necessarily scary, or depressing, but the darkness of not knowing. Like something is happening, but you don't know what it is. What's next? Is this an ending or a beginning? How long will it last?

One question you can ask is: Is this darkness a womb or a tomb?

A womb is a productive darkness where something new is growing. It is in the dark because it needs to be protected until it can survive on its own. This sort of darkness is an unknowing as we wait to see what is birthed. It can feel frustrating. The growth of something new seems to happen without our active participation. This sort of darkness can feel like a time of doing nothing, but that isn't truly the case. Waiting obediently and letting God work in us is as valid as doing something more obvious and active.

So, what about the tomb? In this context, a tomb is a place where something is placed after it has died. It is a place of grieving for an ending or something that isn't to be. With a tomb, or perhaps a better word would be a mausoleum, we can choose to stay in it, holding on to the remains as they decay away, or we can take our leave after appropriate grieving, emerge into the light, and move on.

So, is this darkness about growing or grieving? And how will you deal with it?