Dark night of the soul

The term 'dark night of the soul' has been used to describe an intense period of spiritual emptiness or longing. It is a phrase that can cover a lot of different aspects, especially relating to the silence of God or even feeling as if we are wandering in the desert of loneliness. 

As we mark the shortest day/longest night (in the Southern Hemisphere) today, I want to ask you how you push through the times of darkness? If you have ever experienced the dark night of the soul, what helped you to hold on during those difficult times?

St John of the Cross believed that it was from these experiences that he encountered the light of Christ. He wrote: In the dark night of the soul, bright flows the river of God.

It seems that David also believed that by hanging on, he would eventually crawl out of his dark spaces and encounter the light of God. He says:

"Yet I am standing here depressed and gloomy, but I will meditate upon your kindness to this lovely land where the Jordan River flows and where Mount Hermon and Mount Mizar stand." - Psalm 42:6

May you lean on the promises of Jesus as you walk out of darkness into his glorious light.

Living in Grace

D3LM3

Ten - part 2

To be continued ... these have to be the most annoying words on TV. Just when you feel as if you are getting into the swing of things and the story is about to get interesting those dreaded words appear... To be continued!

Today I am going to continue the thoughts I was reflecting on yesterday, particularly about God revealing things to us in the dark. I have been reading a fascinating book 'Learning to walk in the dark' by Barbara Brown Taylor. It offers a different look at the darkness that enfolds us at times and urges us to listen to the voice of God during these tough times.

In one of her chapters, Barbara looks at the response of St. John of the Cross who suggests that 'the dark night of the soul is God's best gift to you, intended for your liberation. It is freeing you from your ideas about God, your fears about God..."

Let's read that passage from Matthew 10 again - this time from the Contemporary English Version. 

"Don’t be afraid of anyone! Everything that is hidden will be found out, and every secret will be known. Whatever I say to you in the dark, you must tell in the light. And you must announce from the housetops whatever I have whispered to you." - Matthew 10:26-27 (CEV)

Living in Grace
D3LM3

Long day?

This week we mark the winter solstice in the South Hemisphere - the 21st June will be the shortest day and longest night in the year.

Sometimes our lives feel as if we are living through the longest night - what the mystics referred to as the 'dark night of the soul.' It is not anything new - Christians have been experiencing moments of despair for centuries, but this doesn't mean that God is silent or even deaf to our cries.

The Good News for all of us is that even in the darkest night of your life, God can still shine through. Every day from the 21 June ushers in brighter sunshine and longer days, until we eventually get to the longest day of the year (in December). With God there is always hope.

“If a man wishes to be sure of the road he’s travelling on, then he must close his eyes and travel in the dark.”- John of the Cross

2 Samuel 22:29 - "O Lord, you are my lamp. The Lord lights up my darkness."

Living in Grace
D3LM3