Sometimes folks who are walking on a spiritual or religious path have experienced what St. John of the Cross referred to as “The Dark Night of The Soul.”
It’s a valley that one doesn’t plan on entering, or can one see coming. Yet when it’s upon it feels as if one may never return to the feeling of connectedness they were perhaps experiencing before. Regardless of the methods employed by the God follower and regardless of how disciplined one might be, you may still find yourself in this Dark Night. Here the follower begins to question everything around them including the God they worshiped. Familiar surroundings and conversations, places and people are no longer the same. One can feel isolated from everything external and even questions one’s own faith and path they have been on. Depression, and perhaps anxiety and fear of this unknown are amplified. Yet it seems while here, as one continues to search and continues to worship even when in doubt, a very intimate relationship has begun and even fortified as the purification of the soul is underway. We return to a very small a very quiet and very pure place in this union with our Creator.
I have visited this place and have experienced all that it had to offer. Even loss of interest in those so close to us or even having a physical union with the person in our life. It’s a complete removal of all. Walking down a block one has walked regularly or visiting with friends whom you’ve known for years seems foreign and you can become distant listener. Yet we continue to turn back to God and surrender to God.
Here I have found some interesting things in reflection. It’s not the lack of effort that will block me from God, but sometimes too much effort. We can be so busy trying to “get God” that we keep missing him. How can God work on us if we still cling to what we know or simply will not let go of what we know or what we do. Be still and know I am God comes to mind as I write this.
Do I think Gods will is the same of what my will is? It can be a rude awakening for many of us. We think we have God when the plans are going our way and God needs to remove it all to do His will.
If one of us were moved (by Gods will) from a big city to quiet town in the Midwest perhaps, our mind would tell us “now what am I going to do there?”
“There is nothing there for me”
“How can God so this to me?”
“Why has God done this to me?”
Yet we never think that God brought us there to be a beacon for others just a ray of hope to others who perhaps, may have lost their way.
God connects the dots for both you and me, yet we cannot always see what’s ahead nor should we. It the grand scheme of things, have you ever noticed how His plans are always right?
Through this Dark Night of the Soul I returned to the “Father” and kneel, and beg, whatever Your will for me I obey and I’m wiling to carry it out. I continue to surrender to this Power to seek His will and for the power to carry it out. Emerging from the Dark Night of the Soul, one is never the same. A light shines brightly from the soul and without saying a word will resonate with those who are lost and those who aren’t.
It’s God.
Blessings,
Chop wood, carry water
