Hope is a Firefly: Finding Light in the Darkness

✨ When Hope Flickers

Hope doesn’t always roar. Sometimes, it flickers, just enough to chase away the dark, like a single glowing firefly in the night.

I’ve always loved fireflies. Driving home from a relative’s house in Iowa several years ago, I watched them with fresh eyes as they danced and flickered along the ditches. Their soft glow brought a rush of happiness to my soul, especially when so many lit up at once.

That simple joy took me back to childhood, running through the warm Nebraska nights with my siblings and close friends, catching fireflies in jars. I’m not sure if it was the light or the chase we loved more, but we played until bedtime, always releasing them before they dimmed.

🌑 When the Night Feels Long

Watching a child navigate fear or anxiety feels a lot like walking through a dark night with no stars, no warm breeze, no porch light, no fireflies. The loneliness can feel overwhelming, stretching out like an endless tunnel of darkness.

I remember walking to my cousin’s house one cloudy night as a young teen girl in a small town. It was less than one block through the alley. But every sound made me jump. The fear gripped me before I realized my cousin and a friend were waiting to scare me at the entrance. It worked! I ran like never before. But I’ll never forget how paralyzing that darkness felt.

Back then, I didn’t know these promises of God:

“When I sit in darkness, the Lord will be a light to me.” – Micah 7:8 (ESV)

“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” – John 1:5 (NIV)

💡 Flickers of Light for Children

One of the best ways we can help children through fear and anxiety is by showing them the small flickers of joy and safety that appear in everyday life, like those tiny fireflies in the dark.

But we have to slow down to see them. A butterfly as it flutters through the air and lands on a flower. A cloud shaped like an animal. A penny (or even a nickel!) discovered on the sidewalk. A friendly wave to a police officer. A neighbor or friend’s kind smile.

Fred Rogers famously told children to “look for the helpers.” That simple act of noticing parents, grandparents, teachers, neighbors, and friends can calm fear and restore trust.

And the greatest Helper of all is Jesus.

“For God, who said, ‘Let there be light in the darkness,’ has made this light shine in our hearts…” — 2 Corinthians 4:6 (NLT)

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” — Romans 15:13 (NIV)

📖 A Bedtime Blessing

One of the most comforting habits my parents gave me was bedtime prayer. No matter what had happened that day, they’d sit on the bed beside me and pray. That calm stayed with me, and I passed it down to my children.

Prayer doesn't have to be long or perfect. It just needs to be real.

You can teach children simple prayers like:

“Now I lay me down to sleep,
I pray the Lord my soul to keep.
Watch and guard me through the night,
And wake me with the morning light. Amen.”

Or sing familiar words of comfort, originally written as a poem by Anna Bartlett Warner (1827-1915):

“Jesus loves me, this I know,
For the Bible tells me so…”

Here’s a beautiful prayer by Kim Lugo, perfect for parents to speak with their young ones:

“Heavenly Father, up above,
Please bless this child that I love.
Let her sleep all through the night,
And may her dreams be pure delight.
When she wakes, be by her side,
So she can feel your love inside.
As she grows, please don't let go,
So she will know you hold her soul. Amen.”

🌟 Reminding Them of God's Plan

As children grow into their teen years, they begin to wonder about the future. Will everything be okay? What if things go wrong?

That’s why this verse matters so much:

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” — Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)

And this one, too:

“Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.” — Psalm 119:105 (NIV)

⚓ A Final Thought

Hope isn’t always loud. Sometimes, it’s quiet, like a firefly on a summer night. A flicker in the dark. A light that tells a child (and us): You are not alone.

Let’s help the next generation find that light, through wonder, through prayer, and through Jesus, our greatest source of HOPE.