Dark Night - Consolation

Since we began A Year to a Better You together, we have learned much about our freedom in Christ and His great love for us as we have grown more in love with Him. We have discovered how soul care and spiritual formation allow us to live in Him and claim the abundant life He has for us. We also know that living the life of a believer means challenges and dark times and yet we have the ability to overcome the enemy and dark times because Christ lives in us (1 John 2:12-14).  

In truth, God can use the dark times in our lives for His divine purposes – to help us mature in Christ and love Him more. In the “dark night of the soul” we often discover consolation and desolation are less about actions and more about God’s gifts to us in order to achieve His purpose in our lives.

In the first stage of spiritual development, we understand we are God’s children and we love God. We know our sins are forgiven. It is here that our spiritual strength beings to grow. In stage two of spiritual development, though we are indwelt by the Holy Spirit much of our character is still filled with the flesh. Stage three is the “dark night” – God is growing us to love Him for His sake. It is here we meet our true selves and discover our hidden heart. All heroes of our faith faced the dark night of the soul – a time of desolation. How should we understand these dark times in light of God’s promises? More importantly, how can we overcome these dark times?

In Colossians 1:27, Paul and Timothy write, “To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” Peter adds, in 2 Peter 1:4, “Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.” No matter what we are facing, as believers we have the promise of Christ in us – our hope of glory. We are also promised the power of his might and blessings to save us when evil surrounds us in the darkest of times. Let us know that even in the “dark night of the soul” God is always with us, He never leaves us or forsakes us, and He is often more present when we feel His absence than when we feel His presence.