How A Dark Night of the Soul Can Lead to Hope

Oct 4

Oct 4 How A Dark Night of the Soul Can Lead to Hope

Devos and Studies, Psalms Devos_Studies, God's Word

Dark Night of the Soul

Experiencing a dark night of the soul is common to all of us. A dark night of the soul can be a time of depression or a crisis in our lives, even a crisis of faith. This phrase is linked to a 16th-century poem written by a Spanish mystic, where he describes a time of spiritual purification.

While in a dark night of the soul, it's easy to focus on the darkness itself. But there's light at the end of the tunnel when we turn our hearts to God. A time of spiritual depression or warfare often leads to hope, if we’re willing to look to the Lord beyond the darkness.

I remember a time when I experienced this darkness in a different way than a specific crisis in my life or faith. While still young in my faith, I went through a prolonged time of trial and testing, but I couldn't put my finger on why I was experiencing it.

Darkness seemed to hover over me, but for no apparent reason. This drove me to pray a lot as I went about life with my young family and the daily routine of my job. As I read through Psalm 107 one morning, I began to realize how it applied to me.

Scripture

Give thanks to the Lord because he is good, because his mercy endures forever.
Let the people the Lord defended repeat these words.
They are the people he defended from the power of their enemies and gathered from other countries, from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south.
They wandered around the desert on a deserted road without finding an inhabited city. They were hungry and thirsty. They began to lose hope.
In their distress they cried out to the Lord. He rescued them from their troubles. He led them on a road that went straight to an inhabited city. [vss 1-7]
Let them give thanks to the Lord because of his mercy. He performed his miracles for Adam’s descendants.
He gave plenty to drink to those who were thirsty. He filled those who were hungry with good food. Those who lived in the dark, in death’s shadow were prisoners in misery.
They were held in iron chains because they had rebelled against God’s words and had despised the advice given by the Most High.
So he humbled them with hard work. They fell down, but no one was there to help them.
In their distress they cried out to the Lord. He saved them from their troubles.
He brought them out of the dark, out of death’s shadow. He broke apart their chains. [vss 8-14]
Let them give thanks to the Lord because of his mercy. He performed his miracles for Adam’s descendants. He shattered bronze gates and cut iron bars in two.
Fools suffered because of their disobedience and because of their crimes. All food was disgusting to them, and they came near death’s gates.
In their distress they cried out to the Lord. He saved them from their troubles.
He sent his message and healed them. He rescued them from the grave.
Let them give thanks to the Lord because of his mercy. He performed his miracles for Adam’s descendants.
Let them bring songs of thanksgiving as their sacrifice. Let them tell in joyful songs what he has done. [vss 15-22]
Let those who think they are wise pay attention to these things so that they may understand the Lord’s blessings. [vs 43]

(Psalms 107:1-22, 43 GW) [Context– Psalm 107]

Psalm 107

Reflections and Insights

Psalm 107 is the first psalm of Book 5, the last of the five collections of the Psalms. Many years ago, as I read this psalm in my devotional reading, the first verse encouraged me in a great way.

Give thanks to the Lord because he is good, because his mercy endures forever. (Psa 107:1 GW)

I was struck by how this refrain in the first verse became the main theme of the psalm. This exhortation to give thanks for the Lord’s mercy and kindness precedes reminders of how the Lord intervened in the lives of His people. As you read through the psalm, you’ll see it follows this other repeated phrase—

In their distress they cried out to the Lord. He rescued them…. (verse 7)

Each time God’s people call out in their distress, He helps them. Then comes the exhortation to give thanks to the Lord for His mercy. As I read, I realized the Lord was exhorting me to remember God's goodness and faithfulness in the midst of trials and testing in my life.

After this simple revelation, I expected this time of darkness to lift. But a sense of darkness continued to prevail. At first, I didn’t understand why this darkness of my soul didn't lift. After all, hadn’t I learned my lesson?

As I questioned this in my heart and mind, the Lord seemed to correct my thinking. We all tend to get hung up on the why of things in life. I expected and wanted an immediate resolve and a lifting of this darkness. Then I realized how I need to be thankful regardless of my feelings.

God was teaching me to walk by faith in a deeper way. I needed to be thankful and trust the Lord, regardless of my feelings or circumstances. This is a hard lesson to learn, but it’s an important one.

Reflection—

Do you get hung up on why dark times come into your life, or have you learned to be thankful for God’s mercy regardless of your feelings? Take time every day to reflect on the Lord’s faithfulness and goodness and give thanks to Him for His mercy!

Prayer Focus—

When your soul seems to be immersed in darkness, cry out to the Lord in prayer! Then, by faith, give thanks to Him for His mercy, goodness, and faithfulness. If the darkness doesn’t lift when you expect it to, continue to be thankful for all the Lord has done in your life so far.

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