““Jesus says to Nicodemus, “though the light has come into the world, people have preferred darkness to the light” (John 3:19). In me I can feel this strange preference for the darkness. It seems as if I resist coming into the light and enjoy staying in my self-made darkness. Jesus offers the light, the truth, the life coming from above. He makes it clear that God wants to pull me away from the darkness; he wants to offer me a solid love to dwell in, a firm ground to stand on, a faithful presence to trust in. But I have to look upward instead of inward, and embrace the gifts that are given. Yet””
![“As [George Whitaker] began studying the scriptures, "everything seemed plain and easy to understand," and he was astonished when others ridiculed him. Hurt and puzzled, he wondered why his perception was so different from theirs, and received the answer, "They do not want any more light. They have…” quote by Lavina Fielding Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/11c/lavina-fielding-anderson-19574_bible_as-george-whitaker-began-studying-the-sc_2585166.jpg)
![“For the first time in this 11 years--I have come to love the darkness--for I believe now that it is a part, a very, very small part of Jesus' dakness and pain on earth. You have taught me to accept it [as] a "spiritual side of 'your work'"... (Mother Teresa, quoated in Kolodiejchuk, p. 208).” quote by Brian Kolodiejchuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/871/brian-kolodiejchuk-47338_darkness_for-the-first-time-in-this-11-years-i-ha_1640277.jpg)
