Comfort in the Darkness: Thomas Chatham

“Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance.” –Psalms 42:5, KJV

I have never forgotten these words since the day I first read them. The day I first felt the loving presence of God in the midst of a great tempest. It was the day I first put my trust and my hope in the Lord. 

Explaining this phenomenal day in my life requires turning to a grim chapter in my history, a time when I had but two options: curse the Lord or put my hope in Him. My goal in disclosing this event is not to command pity or compassion but rather to prove to you that the Lord is with you always—especially when the darkness creeps forward. The story is long, so I will try to shorten it while hopefully maintaining cohesion. 

The story begins on the evening of Wednesday, September 4, 2019. Having just returned home from a Bible study at my church, I checked my phone to see a hail of disturbing questions and appalling rumors. From what I could gather, someone had heard that my closest friend had taken his own life. Unable to reach my friend or his family, the only way to confirm or, hopefully, deny these rumors was to drive to the local hospital. The on-duty nurse could only tell us that his family had left shortly before our arrival. 

As the full weight of the night’s events dawned and the tears began welling up, I was angry and confused. Worse yet, I wanted to curse God. How could a loving God allow this to happen? But in that moment the most relieving and calming sensation came over me and, from somewhere in the dark recesses of my mind, the most beautiful song began playing. I knew then that God was with me. I knew then that He loved me. 

After coming home and settling in for an uneasy night’s rest, I opened my Bible. I didn’t know what I was looking for or why I had opened it. I never opened it outside of church. Turning a page, I found this, the most beautiful passage of any book I had ever read: “Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why are thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance. O my God, my soul is cast down within me: therefore will I remember thee from the land of Jordan, and of the Hermonites, from the hill Mizar. Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy waterspouts: all thy waves and thy billows are gone over me. Yet the Lord will command his loving-kindness in the daytime, and in the night his song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life” (Psalm 42:5-8). For weeks I took refuge in these words and in that song. Through them, God comforted me. God was there in darkness just as He was there in the light. I just never saw him. 

Remember, brethren, that the Lord is always nearby. He will never forsake you. When the shadows draw near, I invite you to take heed to the words of this psalm. When the waves and the billows are gone over you, put your hope in the Lord and praise Him for the help of His countenance for He is the health of your soul. When the woes of this world are too great to handle, do not be afraid to take refuge in the Lord. In the words of David, “Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved” (Psalm 55:22). The Lord is a beacon shining out across a stormy sea, guiding to safety all those who flounder in the might of the tempest. In the rest and comfort of the Lord will you be given the strength to express the attitude of the sons of Korah: “Then will I go unto the altar of God, unto God my exceeding joy: yea, upon the harp will I praise thee, O God my God. Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God” (Psalm 43:4-5). Comforted by God, you will find yourself asking your soul why it is saddened, and it will not remember. 

Brothers and Sisters in Christ, remember that God is mightier than all worldly woes and His comfort impenetrable by any sorrow. Remember, I beg you, that no matter where you are in life—no matter how grim your situation—the Lord God is with you and He loves you. He desires to be with you and to extend His comfort to you. All glory and honor are His. Peace be with you all. Amen.

Thomas is a dedicated and faithful member of the Wesley Foundation community. The presence of Jesus in his life can be clearly seen in his gentle, humble, and patient spirit. He is currently a freshman at Louisiana Tech University majoring in History, which is one of his passions. All of us at the Wesley are blessed that Thomas came through our doors when he did and better people for it. Strike up a conversation with him if you see him!