I have gone through dark times with my family, loved ones, my health, and my relationships and for many years I didn't realize that God was using these situations to increase my knowledge of Him. Now that I look back, I realize these were the very times that I had the greatest sense of His presence in my life. The more serious the difficulty, the more fervently I reached out to Him. As a result, my perception of who God is grew deeper and deeper. I discovered the amazing largeness of His love and grace toward those who walk closely with Him. Some things we only learn in the dark.
I'm not saying that God causes bad things to happen in our lives. He doesn't. We live in a fallen world and bad things happen. But God works in the midst of even the deepest darkness. His presence and His light are there for those who open their eyes to see it, and He brings good out of every situation. Sometimes what seems like the darkest step we've ever been on comes just before the brightest light we've ever experienced.
"Lord, thank You that because I walk with You I don't have to fear the dark. Even in the blackest night, You are there."