Dark Nights of the Soul
Have you ever walked through a season that was so deeply difficult, filled with such enormous trials, that you began to doubt God? Have you felt the pain of darkness so thick that you found yourself wondering – “Where are you, God? Are you even there at all?”
I’ve been there. It was August 2014, as my wife and I sat in the NICU by our newborn son, begging God to intervene and save his life. Nothing will shake your world like a child on the verge of death – and after days of struggle without the improvements we were begging God to bring, questions began to knock in my mind, and doubt began to gnaw in my heart. Each day the sky was bright and clear, but it was nothing but a dark night in my soul.
Tucked into Luke 7, we find John the Baptist in a similar situation. Prophet of God, faithful and fearless preacher in the wilderness, the one who prepared the way for Jesus and baptized Him himself… that John, now stuck in prison, finds himself suddenly with some enormous questions swirling around in his mind:
The disciples of John reported all these [miracles of Jesus] to him. And John, calling two of his disciples to him, sent them to the Lord, saying, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” Luke 7:18-19 (ESV)
This is precisely what pain and darkness can do to us – make us ask questions that we already know the answers to. Throw us into doubts of those truths that we’ve held fast to all our life. Make us wonder if God is really good, really loving, and really in control. “Surely if he was, this would not be happening.”
This is where John was – his own dark night of the soul. The pain of prison making him wonder if Jesus was indeed the Messiah, or if perhaps, he had spent his life on something that didn’t even matter at all. He was in pain, and he was doubting. And I love how Jesus responds to him in this moment:
And when the men had come to him, they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to you, saying, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” In that hour he healed many people of diseases and plagues and evil spirits, and on many who were blind he bestowed sight. And he answered them, “Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have good news preached to them. And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.” Luke 7:20-23 (ESV)
In these verses, I see three enormous truths to serve us in our own dark nights of the soul. All three being reminders to cling to as we walk through these difficult seasons…
1. Jesus sympathizes with us in our weakness.
As John is struggling in prison, dealing with these enormous questions, Jesus does not respond with a harsh rebuke. There is no, “Stop doubting, John. Pull yourself together!” that flows from our Redeemer’s lips. Quite to the opposite, Jesus responds with kindness. He performs miracles, sends John some eye-witnesses of His power, and comforts John with the answer he seeks – “Yes, I am the Messiah! Hold fast, John!”
This teaches us something amazing – Jesus is a gentle and sympathetic savior for us! He knows what it is like to be tempted, and yet he was faithful and sinless. He is thus fully able to help us in our moments of need. This is what Hebrews 4:14-16 teaches us! When we doubt, we should not run from Jesus, but look squarely to Him! Yes, you may have questions – but take them to Jesus!
2. We need community in the midst of our doubts.
I love that Jesus doesn’t only send John an answer – he sends John friends who have personally seen his power from a front-row-seat. He knows John needs more than just words, he needs witnesses! He needs more than just news, he needs the encouragement and warmth of brothers who can remind him of the goodness and power of Jesus!
This is so vital for us to see and understand! God did not create our spiritual lives to thrive in isolation – we need each other. He designed us to grow in the context of community, saving us into the family of God, in order to provide protection in our moments of darkness. If you’re going about your Christian life all alone, you are missing out on one of God’s greatest protections for you. When the moments of darkness come (as they inevitably do), Satan would love nothing more than to find you isolated and alone.
God has designed us for community. He made us to take comfort in the rich testimony of brothers and sisters when we find ourselves in crisis. Don’t be alone – find your people.
3. The darkness will not last. Jesus is coming!
In the final sentence of Jesus’ message to John, he utters some cryptic words worth examining – “blessed is the one who is not offended by me.” It’s an interesting closing phrase, one that may not be immediately obvious as to what is meant. But a close look at the Greek may help – the verb there “not offended” refers to not being trapped. The original word is poetic in imagery, referring to the snare on a trap that springs it. In other words, we could rephrase this – “blessed is the one who [is not trapped] or [does not fall away] on account of me.”
I think that is more helpful. That may be closer to Jesus’s original meaning here. This word of “blessing” is actually also a warning, with Jesus warning John not to fall away. “Don’t fall away, John. I know this moment is hard, but hold fast to me, cling to me. Life is here, John. Don’t fall away!”
Jesus was pulling John’s tear-filled eyes back to himself, and lifting his gaze up past the prison-bars to the eternity that is coming. This moment was dark to be sure, but eternal light was on it’s way. Though John would never leave this prison, Jesus was holding John’s gaze on the eternity that He has prepared for him – where every tear would at last finally be wiped away.
Darkness is inevitable. God in his providential wisdom has not ordained our lives to go forth without struggle or pain. “Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Tim 3:12). But as we take refuge with our sympathizing Savior, take comfort in the warmth of Christian community, and keep our eyes fixed on eternity – God will keep us through the storm.
“In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33
Note – This article is adapted from the sermon “Hold Fast to Jesus!” preached by Pastor Brian Bone on Sunday, March 12, 2023.