Last Christmas, my kids and I saw the movie,”Frozen” which is now one of the coolest comedy-adventure ever to hit the big screen. When a prophecy traps a kingdom in eternal winter, Anna, a fearless optimist, teams up with extreme mountain man Kristoff and his sidekick reindeer Sven on an epic journey to find Anna’s sister Elsa, the Snow Queen, and put an end to her icy spell. To my greatest surprise and advantage, my toddler sat all through, captivated and thrilled – and now with such firmness sings and hums the theme song “Let It Go”. And it makes me wonder if she actually meant it like…”come out of the darkness Elsa, let it go, move forward, breath, live! Hmm!
So, we all have that ‘something that challenges us” also known as our Dark place or places. Having it doesn’t mean we are less qualified for eternal life, it only proves that we are human and still a resourceful client in God’s workshop. Our dark place could be our attitude, our posture, our sensibility, our defect, our instability, orientation, pain, anger and hunger.
It is that cloudy and unlit area of our lives that we usually cover up with pretense, ignorance or shame. We are the only freelance occupant.
Because it is the strongholds we are comfortable with. We then allow people around us to see only what we want them to see. We display only that part of us that wows the public, we give the best smiles, hit the highest pitch while singing in church, people see us and admire our strong will and wonders, but deep down when we get back to ourselves- alone, we clamor when we retreat to our dark place, beating up the thoughts of cold shoulders, the pain of rejection, hurt and waiting for a breakthrough, the unbearable loss of a dear one, the outbreak of sickness, the work load and expectation at work, the burden of the family, the un-expected trials of marriage, the pain of the thought of another miscarriage, a new dawn and still no cry of a baby, the loneliness of reaching out to find a partner, the heaviness and joy of childbearing and child rearing, the struggle with addiction and acceptance. But they are all challenges and it is just a process to wake us up and draw us out of that darkness. We must only make a tent in the dark place but never build a house there.
Through all that defining period of our darkness, God sees seeds in us, but he has to cut us deep (like carving a red delicious apple) to get to the seeds inside, because our future is in the seeds. God always reserve a place to plant his seed and it will only germinate in the dark place.
The dark place is that place that brings you to your knees, that transforms you, you surrender because of the pain of your dark place, the dark place is so painful it brings you to humility and totally connected to God.
Today, I am encouraging someone to allow God to “cut deep” into them like the red delicious apple- so that the seeds inside can be planted for His greater work. I am encouraging someone to freely sing ‘Let it go” like my Toddler, believing that once we let the darkness that’s been a stronghold and a forbidden tenant in our life be unleashed. We cannot develop well in the light, unless we are completely lifted from the dark place. In the dark place, tissues come together, bones begin to form, there’s a move, a kick, you cry in the dark place – so you can dance into victory in the light.
The dark place in our lives is not a destination, but a transformation.
May God help us all.
Yinka
“Even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you. Psalm 139:12
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Moving Forward With Yinka 
If you don’t let it go, how do you overcome it…..Just wondering
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My dear big brother!!! We definitely have to let go of some things to be able to move forward. How do we overcome it? 1st thing is awareness, recognizing, accepting and confronting that dark place. 2nd thing is getting help (through prayer, fasting or meditation) and finally letting God take total control of building us up again, allowing the seeds (goodness in us) be seen in the light. I overcame mine through talk therapy and prayer. Hope this helps! ‘much love 🙂
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Everyone has a dark place.. only hidden till the light shine through it… then its not much of a dark place anymore. Be free and let the light shine through!!
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Well said Niyi, Thanks. 🙂
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Hmmm, Yinka. .This is thoroughly deep. But very interesting. No matter how religious we are, we’ll have a moment when we are helpless and alone, as in our thoughts, deep thoughts when decisions and objectives are required. We all have it. I do. But thankful that I am able to quickly snap out of it. I really like this. Good job girlfriend! Can’t wait for your session to begin. 🙂
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Caroline, in-decision can also be a darkness, may God’s light open our hearts to his will. Thanks.
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This is quite an uplifting piece. Today, I can talk about this comfortably without getting hurt or regrets. I walked out of my 10 years marriage after finding out that not only could my ex not produce a child, but was secretly struggling with drug addiction. Now that’s a full blown darkness I had to walk out off, but it took me 10 years to discover the strength I never knew I had to become very active in my church ministry. You’re so true, ms. antonia, the dark place brought me to my knees, to cry out and surrender all to God. Thank you I say again. You’re doing a great thing in people’s lives.
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Escaped Emotions, I totally agree with you. One of my darkest days was days after my 1st miscarriage…but, I bounced back with the hope that I can do better and wasn’t going to allow the agony pull me down. I do feel you and praying with you. Yes! that dark moment brought me back to my knees, seeking God only. Thanks for your kind words.:)
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Very good write up about something we all face at some point or the other and a great reminder that “this too shall pass”. God is always working it all out for our good in the end, we just gotta trust him. Nice one sis! 🙂
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Thanks baby sister, all that agony, all that pain, all that burden, all the grieve – all shall pass, because God is working it all out for our good! miss you! 😦
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My dark place is un-forgiveness. I have listened to various sermon and preaching on why we need to forgive, but when i remember how deeply hurt I was, i tend to hold back and get mad. Like you said maybe there’s something inside of it that God wants to lift me up with. Maybe. Thanks Antonia.
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Dear PYT, everyone I know for sure struggles with some form of un-forgiveness, you are not alone. The only difference is how we decide to handle it. Forgiveness I learnt is primarily beneficial to the one who’s offended – as in it is a reward, a gift, a token we give ourselves that releases us from the burden of being the one still holding on to the other person’s wrong doing, easier said than done! but it is a tactic we need to understand. Hoping you can connect to God’s will for you.
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My dear Yinka, No doubt that God is definitely using you. I am happy you’re writing about those things very dear to our hearts. We’re all learning from each other and should be able to empower each other through our testimony. God bless.
Omobola Oyekan, Abuja.
Women empowering through their testimony.
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Thank you Aunty.
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Yinka, I am encouraged. Thanks for sharing.
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Thanks Helen.
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This is very impressive! that everyone of us has encountered or still going through one of those things mentioned, our dark places. Like you said, we sometimes get over it with pretending and say ‘it is well’, the usual common let ‘ me be attitude and refusing to seek help. Anthonia, I am really impressed and excited about you blogging about it.You are very bold and direct in releasing some tensions we carry around. My dark place is loneliness, and am available for God to dig deep in me to use my seeds. Thanks Anthonia.
Dazzle!
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Dear Dazzle, praying with you. ,much love. 🙂
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Anthonia, my 5 year old son also loves singing Let it go, especially when he feels there’s something important he has to express, funny how even the little ones around us can be expressive about life in their own way.
My dark side is my emotional outburst, I feel I take in so much just to please people and then crash afterwards, I need to learn how to control my feelings I guess, lol.
Thanks for sharing, this message is definitely is for me, God help us all.
D.
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Danielle, like almost all the kids I know under 6 loves that theme song!! lol.
Praying with you. Thanks.
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Nice one, Yinka. Very very good. I love it!
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Thanks coz. ‘much love.
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Yinka, you seem to understand a way of undoing the knotty myriads about the circle of life, to give an exciting sensual feeling of not being alone, to the sensitive soul and to make it feel and think that there is always an unseen angel standing by, with words thoughtful and gently whispered in the ears of the heart and saying, “you’re not alone; help is with you”: the touch of your mind is ‘rich and rare’ – providence shall pay back in its own style and time. As for us who are touched by the saintly finger of your spirit…all we can do, at best is, say thank you. May the deep, graceful spring of life within your heart, remain fresh and outpouring. Now I know why my spirit is strongly tied with memories of your friendship. Meanwhile, I did not forget May 10; my memory slept behind time. Your name has a place with very few, close to my God, in the hall of my heart.
I’m still moving with Yinka…
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Amen and thank you Tony, ‘appreciate it.
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