Lessons from Dark Places
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St. John of the Cross AKA Juan de Yepz was taken prisoner in 1577 and carried off to the Carmelite house in Toledo. There he suffered through “hellish imprisonment” for more than 9 months. He was put into a lice infested cell in the middle of winter where some of his skin and toes were removed due to frostbite. John eventually caught dysentary from the rotten food he was fed. He was then undergo circular disciple in which eight members of the community took turns lashing his bare back. ON occasion he would be taken to the rectory at meal times and made tot sit like a dog while he was humiliated and flogged.
He eventually escaped prison by unscrewing a lock on his door and sneaking past the guard. Where He wrote three poems and commentaries entitled
The Dark Night of the Soul
In this series he talks about three ways you know you are in the Dark Night
No Consolation- he first is when men find no comfort [or consolation] in the things of God, and none also in created things
Lack of Faith- The second sign and condition of this purgation are that the memory dwells ordinarily upon God with a painful anxiety and carefulness, the soul thinks it is not serving God, but going backwards, because it is no longer conscious of any sweetness in the things of God
Inability to Meditate “The third sign… is an inability to meditate and make reflections, and to excite the imagination, as before, notwithstanding all the efforts we may make
https://prodigalcatholic.com/2019/05/31/summary-of-the-dark-night-of-the-soul-by-st-john-of-the-cross/
Dark Night Happen when we take our eyes off of God. We give Peter a lot of grief for sinking when he was walking on water, but many of us know the difficulty of keeping our eyes locked on Jesus while walking in treacherous times.
I know that there are those who feel like they are in their own dark night. Where hope is gone and all you see is struggle. I know for many tonight the battle is real and that there is this unknown set before us.
The English Theologian Thomas Fuller states:
It’s always darkest before the dawn
The trouble is it’s hard to see in the darkness. We grope around trying to find whatever we can that will give us an idea of where we are. We pull every string, look for every option, and try to find hope anywhere we can. One of the biggest lessons I have learned in the darkness is
The Need to Stop
YOu would think this is counter productive, but you need to stop the panic. You need to stop the thoughts. You need to stop the frantic searching for answer because one thing I have come to realize is that you will never find answers when we are frantically searching. Frantic searching, angry searching, or erratic searching produces mess.
When you’re in a lake searching through the mud you realize the slower you go the easier it is to see in the water. When you frantically search you stir up the mud. You need to take a moment. Allow your heart rate to settle. Allow the thoughts to slow down because this is the only place where we can come and listen.
6 For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
This brings me to a sub-learning point. Many people frantically search because they are hoping to find the light at the end of the tunnel. People are hoping that if they dig far enough. Move quick enough. and Search long enough that they will find the light so that they can find the way out of their situation.
Light isn’t found; it’s created
The only way it’s created is through God speaking and you can’t hear God when you’re running in circles. Sometimes the best way to find an answer is to stop looking and start asking.
God creates the light through command.
So first we need to stop
We need to listen
Psalm 93:5 (NKJV)
5 Your testimonies are very sure;
Psalm 19:7 (ESV)
7 The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple;
7 All God accomplishes is flawless, faithful, and fair, and his every word proves trustworthy and true.
God’s words produce light.
19 And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts,
Peter is trying to separate the Gospel of Christ from all the other false gospels that were coming alive in His time. He was talking about the truth of scripture that is reaffirmed by his experiences with Christ. Not that his experiences are better, but that they are reaffirmed. We have to be careful when we elevate past experiences over present situations. Everything should be measured by the word whether it confirms or denies your experiences. We can’t get caught up in the Moses circle of striking when the rock because it worked the last time instead of obediently speaking to the rock. Sometimes our desire to do something prolongs our walk in the darkness.
Sometimes we can get so busy frantically looking for options we forget to seek God first. But the day dawns because we are listening for the word. Pay attention why? Because the word used for dark is defined as a dismal swamp. Depressing. So what Peter is saying is in the depressing-pay attention to the light. Until that light rises in you. Hold it externally until it makes itself internal.
Sometimes you have to hold onto the promise until the promise has it’s hold on you.
The only way to access this comes in verse 20
20 You must understand this at the outset: Interpretation of scriptural prophecy requires the Holy Spirit, for it does not originate from someone’s own imagination.
The Holy Spirit has to lead you.
You need to stop, you need to listen
You need to tap into Holy Spirit
16 Every Scripture has been written by the Holy Spirit, the breath of God. It will empower you by its instruction and correction, giving you the strength to take the right direction and lead you deeper into the path of godliness.
Giving you the strength to take the right direction AND lead you deeper into the path of godliness. Paul is writting to Timothy about prophesy and false teachers which is the same place Peter was speaking from.
1 Timothy, in the presence of our great God and our Lord Jesus Christ, the One who is destined to judge both the living and the dead by the revelation of his kingdom—I solemnly instruct you to
2 proclaim the Word of God and stand upon it no matter what! Rise to the occasion and preach when it is convenient and when it is not. Preach in the full expression of the Holy Spirit —with wisdom and patience as you instruct and teach the people.
Stand upon it no matter what. When we are caught in the darkness you will be tempted to find a new place to stand, but you must stay firm on the word of God Paul is telling Timothy to preach the truth no matter what, but the same can be said about the doors we walk through and how we lay things before God.
we could litterally say walk, wait, stand in the expression- What is stated. We have to stand in what we know is said. What we know is true. We can’t wonder into the realm of what could be or might happen, but what is.
Tonight we need to take time to stand in what is. So for worship tonight, if you are in a dark place I want you stop, listen and lean into what God is saying. And then tap into Holy Spirit. God has your answer you just need to press into it. You need to seek it out.
