Dark Night of the Soul
This was a term penned by Saint John of the Cross, He was a great evangelist for the Catholic Church, he was considered in many ways to be controversial because of the reformations said he tried to bring but he penned the term to speak about the journey of the human soul, in a world filled with hardship and persecution pain and difficulties that he himself spoke about the fact that most of the years of his life seem to be involved in this dark night of the soul.
If ever there were people who understand the concept of the dark night of the soul, it was the people of Israel a people who were once a great powerful nation. Who just in a short time became a subservient people without any sense identity, a people who were once called, the people of God. The people who were given the promises of God. Yet for over 400 years it seemed like all of their prayers never left the ground never reached heaven because God didn't seem to respond to them, a people who had no legal rights. A people who have suffered injustice after injustice, if there ever was any kind of justice for their offenses it was a fluke, generosity. There were people who had to live every day facing the religious leaders who were almost totally corrupt, and wonder if what they claim to be the word of God was really the word of a God or there twisting it up for their own private selfish motivations. A people who would come home and find that their homes have been taken and they've been kicked out on the street because the government decided they needed their stuff. A people who watched their loved ones at times being torn apart in the Roman arenas just for sport. They lived this life a dark night of the sold a life with very little hope and just a lot of confusion. Saint John the Cross penned the phrase because he knew that with all the humanities plight that was the plight of all people who were who are looking for something better who are looking for a home to call their own. A people who are looking for something good. Have you every been there? You don't get much good in darkness. In fact in darkness all you really look for is light. Because light holds out the hope that there's something good, that there is life.
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John 1:4, 5 & 9
4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it… 9 The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world.
What could be better news, when you're living in this constant state of a dark soul. To hear that God was going to send you light and it was going to be the light of men, it was going to be light that gave life. That promised something good. Finally, after four hundred years of silence God now speaks
Not much good happened to shepherds, they weren't looking for anything good they had pretty much given up that this is our plight. 'We'll just bare it out.' and yet we read that the shepherds come to them.
Luke2:10-20
10 But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.
You're a shepherd and angels come to you and say that they've got good news for you of "great joy". How often do you think that happens? Never. "good news" we are talking about light coming into the darkness of our lives
11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.
A savior that has been born for you.
12 This will be a sign to you; You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." 13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 14 "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests."
What do you think when you hear 'Glory'? It is the presence of God, all this power and majesty. It's an awesome display of his person and the wonder and mystery of who he is and it was just dark a few minutes ago
15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Lets go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about. 16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed
Why do you think they were amazed? It was coming from a shepherd and it was coming to a people and what the shepherd was telling them is, light is coming into the world. And when you live in darkness, when light comes, something good is happening and when something good happens you begin to experience life again. God has built us for life.
at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.
Mary ponders, as it keeps unfolding, she just keeps pondering.
20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.
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His Goodness Still Overcomes Every Darkness
The purpose of this series was for us to look back and to see what it was like to hunger for God, To see what it was like to truly desire something great to happen, to need something great and then have it happen.
These people haven't had wonderful for a long, long time, they just have darkness every night, every day was the dark night of their soul, and then all of a sudden the good news comes and it keeps coming to all men/women on who his favor rests.
What does that mean for us?
We have to remember and hold onto every day, that his goodness still overcomes every darkness because we all experience it. We all experience darkness in our lives and in that darkness it can break you. Because the darkness of this world the pain the hurt, the hardship the difficulties, they hit us right where we live, around the good things that we're trying to do for our families, for our friends for God's kingdom and it's easy to say 'God where are you in this? Am I ever going to come out?'
We have to believe the promise of the hope of the reality of Christ, that good news of great joy has come into the world that is for all the people and we have to remember that no matter how dark it gets his goodness still overcomes every darkness.
No matter how thick the fog gets in life, when it lifts you'll still be standing. If you believe in the goodness of God and the message that he's given you. If you believe that the whole purpose of Jesus is coming into this world was for goodness to overcome darkness, that in his coming on the darkest night, God's goodness still burned brighter than the darkest night around us.
I. We Are Not Alone: If you are going to see beyond the darkness to the goodness you have to remember you're not here by yourself, God is with you. He has not forgotten you. He will not forsake you.
II. We Don't Need To Be Afraid: If Christ is for us, who can be against us? Because perfect love casts out all fear.
III. We Will Find His Direction For Our Actions: When it's dark out, it's hard to see, it's hard to know where you're going, in fact that's the most horrible thing about darkness. You will always be given direction by God.
IV. We Will Be Amazed: Wasn't that the deal with the shepherds? They weren't expecting much, and what they got was amazing. It's more than you could ever hoped, dreamed or imagined.
V. We Have Only To Await And Affirm: All we have to do is just wait. Await what he's going to do next and affirm what he's doing now. It's easy to live in complaint, that's why God wants us to live in thanksgiving. Thanksgiving sees the hope and it sees the blessings and complaint just sees the darkness.
Notes taken by: lorelllawrence@comcast.net
Any errors or miscommunication please refer to me not the pastor, the intent is for you to have the notes for review in the series, also to reflect on during the week.
God Bless,
lorell