My Soul's Dark Night

Today, I read an article in Christianity Today by Chuck Colson entitled My Soul’s Dark Night. I took away some great, deep insight, and thought you’d enjoy some of the things he said too.

We’re taught in most Christian circles to “rely on the still, small voice of God cheering us on” no matter how dark our days are. And you’re not human if you don’t experience those. But what if God seems absent? Does that mean we’ve lost faith. I don’t think so, and neither does Colson.

“I'm not sure how well the contemporary evangelical world prepares us for this struggle, which I suspect many evangelicals experience but fear to admit because of the expectations we create. At such times, we can turn for strength to older and richer theological traditions probably unfamiliar to many—writings by saints who endured agonies both physical and spiritual.”

“A prominent pastor once told me he experienced the Holy Spirit's presence every moment. Contemporary evangelicals regard this as maturity. Perhaps it is—or maybe it is a form of presumption. True faith trusts even when every outward reality tells us there is no reason to. Faith becomes strongest when we are without consolation and must walk into the darkness with complete abandon. As theologian Michael Novak explains, true faith says, "Let this be done, Lord, according to your will"—even if we don't know what "this" is.”

Can we really rely on our intimacy with God? Colson doesn’t think so.

“It struck me that I don't have to make sense of the agonies I bear or hear a clear answer. God is not a creature of my emotions or senses. God is God, the one who created me and takes responsibility for my children's destiny and mine. I can only cling to the certainty that he is and he has spoken.”

“Evangelicals must rely on more than cheerful tunes, easy answers, and happy smiles. We must dig deeply into the church's treasures to find what it is like to worship God, not because of our circumstances, but in spite of them.”

“Countless times over the years I've experienced God and his providence, but I've also known the dark night. God, I've realized, is not just the friend who takes my hand, but also the great, majestic Creator who reigns forever.”

God is God no matter what we feel, no matter what we see, no matter what circumstances we have to endure.

It’s truly refreshing when someone speaks the honest truth about something we all go through.

I learned a lot from this short piece that you can read in it’s entirety at: http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2005/012/15.80.html