The Principle of Contrast
Why darkness often helps us see what matters most.
A daily devotional adapted from The Drive podcast
Have you ever had that feeling that someone was watching you?
I remember having that feeling one night while drifting in and out of sleep. I couldn’t shake it. So I rolled over toward the side of my bed and saw, through sleepy eyes, a small figure just standing there—staring at me.
Startled, I opened my eyes fully and realized it was my daughter Makayla.
Holding her blanket, in that soft four-year-old voice that always melted my heart, she said, “Dad… I’m scared. Can I sleep with you?”
I said yes and pulled her into bed. Almost instantly, her body relaxed. She nestled in close, safe and calm—and within moments she was asleep.
I, on the other hand, took much longer to fall back asleep.
But lying there, I realized something profound had happened.
Something had made her afraid… and she knew that if she could just get to her dad, she would feel safe.
Seeing Light Because of the Dark
I believe we all come from a loving Heavenly Father who desires our growth, well-being, and happiness. But He also knew that in mortality, fear would come—and that we wouldn’t always know how to get back to Him easily.
So He created places, practices, and patterns that allow Him to come to us.
Where I live, there are sacred buildings called temples. One of my favorite things about them is how they are lit at night—bright white, glowing, visible from miles away.
One evening I was driving home and noticed three of them clearly standing out against the dark sky.
I had traveled that road countless times—but had never seen them so clearly.
And then it hit me.
It wasn’t the light that was new.
It was the contrast.
The darkness made the light unmistakable.
What Contrast Teaches Us
Contrast is defined as the state of being strikingly different from something else when placed close together.
And it turns out, contrast is one of life’s greatest teachers.
Some truths only become clear because something else went wrong.
Some answers appear only after deep struggle.
Some appreciation comes only after loss.
Some strengths are born only through adversity.
During 2020, I noticed something interesting. On my morning walks—once quiet and mostly solitary—I suddenly saw families everywhere. People walking, biking, playing in yards.
Isolation taught us the value of togetherness.
Contrast taught us what mattered.
Trusting Contrast with Those You Love
Many people worry about loved ones—especially children—being influenced by darkness. And the truth is, we can’t control every influence around them.
But we can control what we bring.
Our love.
Our faith.
Our light.
The more light you provide, the more clearly it will stand out against darkness.
Growing up, my father never missed a single game I played. Later, I learned why.
His own father never came to see him play—not once. Even when my dad pitched a college game in the same city where his father lived, his dad didn’t show up.
My father learned how to be present… from the absence he experienced.
He learned by contrast.
When Life Feels Dark for You
And what about when you find yourself in darkness?
I promise this: if you look for the light, you will see it—maybe more clearly than ever before.
Like a lighthouse, it will shine brightest against the dark and guide you toward safety, peace, and home.
That place—like it was for my daughter—will always be close to your Heavenly Father.
Christ said:
“I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.”
—John 12:46
And He also asked us to let our light shine.
Today’s Daily Challenge
Today, let your light shine—at home, at work, or in your community.
It doesn’t have to be big.
The smallest light can pierce the darkest night.
The stars prove that every evening.
For daily devotionals and episode topics, visit
https://joshdowns.com/daily-devotionals
For weekly gospel-based lessons designed for teens, visit
https://joshdowns.com/come-follow-me-for-teens
