BLACKOUT

By Virginia Brandt Berg

In the Northeast Blackout of 1965—the largest blackout in U.S. history—at least 25 million people in Ontario, Canada, and the U.S. Northeast, including New York City, lost electricity for up to 12 hours. Such outages were commonplace in other parts of the world and still are, but this one was totally unexpected and caught everyone unprepared.

This article is taken from a talk given shortly after the incident.

I was listening to a news report about the blackout in the New York area, when one man who had been there said he could never express the feelings he had when the power, which he had always taken for granted, suddenly came back on. It made me think of the personal blackouts I’ve been through, such as a severe accident from which it seemed I would never recover. When I did, how glorious it was to be out of that darkness and into the light once more, free from the pain and ill health! Only those who have been through such blackouts know how wonderful it is when the lights come on again.

When you’re in the midst of darkness, the thing that makes it blacker still is the thought that you may never come out of it. I want to assure you, though, that the lights will come on again if you will put your trust in God and not waver. This is where those with faith in God are at a great advantage, for they know the day will come when God will send deliverance. Faith is the victory.

It was pretty dark for the apostle Paul when he was in prison, but he had such faith that he was able to live above his circumstances and conditions, so much so that he wrote in Philippians 4:11–13: “Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” The joy of the Lord was his strength (Nehemiah 8:10).

No wonder Paul could say, “None of these things move me” (Acts 20:24). I’m sure there were those in that blackout who felt just that way. The blackness didn’t strike terror into their hearts or take from them their feeling of security. They had an inner source of strength, a supply that was above all circumstances. Paul did too, and that is why he could write, “We are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed” (2 Corinthians 4:8–9).

There is an old saying, “When you come to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on!” When Paul came to the end of his rope, he took a promise from God’s Word—“God will not leave you nor forsake you” (Deuteronomy 31:6; Hebrews 13:5)—and held on.

God has given so many wonderful promises to hang on to, and they can shine like stars in your blackout. And by the way, that’s another thing that someone said who went through the blackout. The thing that impressed them most was that they could see the stars. It had been a long time since anybody in New York had seen the stars. Let me give you a few “stars” to help you through the next dark place you pass through:

“The angel of the Lord encamps all around those who fear Him, and delivers them” (Psalm 34:7).

“Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all” (Psalm 34:19).

“Oh, fear the Lord, you His saints! There is no want to those who fear Him. Those who seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing” (Psalm 34:9–10).

“The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous run to it, and are safe” (Proverbs 18:10).

“The Lord also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble” (Psalm 9:9).

What a wonderful feeling when in the dark to know that God is there!

I received a phone call from a woman who had fallen and sprained her ankle. She was weeping with pain, so I hurried to her home and took her to the hospital. I prayed for her complete and speedy recovery and for the pain to subside, but the whole time she didn’t stop talking about how bad things kept happening to her, and about how God must not love her because He didn’t treat her right. I don’t think she heard a word of my prayer. She didn’t have any stars in her night at all. The lights didn’t come on for her, no matter what I said. She never let God have a chance. How sad!

How we handle everyday difficulties prepares us for bigger or more important future events. If we can learn to live above the circumstances and conditions that cast dark shadows over our days, we will be ready for any big blackout that may come. He says, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9). •