Discovering the Heart of God Part 7

1. Discovering the Heart of God Part 7

2. Introduction Though God is omnipresent, there are times He seems so far away. We have looked at our own excuses for avoiding God. We hide because His holiness reveals our own sinfulness. We hide for we fear of the call of God in our lives. We hide because of false guilt and unworthiness.

3. Introduction Today we want to look at some of the reasons that God withdraws the intimacy of His presence. This is a terrifying thought, but a study of Biblical characters, as well as the writings of the church fathers, and “giants” of the faith, reveal that this is an expected process in the Christian life.

4. The Dark Night of the Soul Many are familiar with the phrase, but few want to experience it. When it comes (notice when not if) the tendency is to deny it or make excuses. In some cases, people even walk away from Christ. This is not what they signed up for… How do you respond, when you feel that God has let you down. When you need Him, and He seems so far away? If He loves you so much, why does He not come to the rescue?

5. The Dark Night of the Soul God veils His presence to prevent our stagnation. There is a cycle of spiritual Growth. Stage 1 – We receive a life changing awareness of God that sets us on our journey with Christ as we become aware of the intimacy of His presence. Stage 2 – Is a stage of discipleship. This stage is characterized by learning about God and what it means to be a follower of Christ. One becomes part of a Christian community and is rooted in the disciplines of the faith.

6. The Dark Night of the Soul God veils His presence to prevent our stagnation. There is a cycle of spiritual Growth. Stage 3 – Is characterized by an active Christian life that is marked by doing. One gets involved and actively works for God by serving Him and His people. One takes responsibility of bringing their talents and gifts to serve the cause of Christ. Many Christians believe that this is the pinnacle or final stage of growth. Rather there is a cycle, and one of these stage may become your “home” stage.

7. The Dark Night of the Soul The 4th stage has been called various things, by different writers. It has been called the “dark night of the soul”, the “night shift” or “the wall”. It is characterized by a period of time where God veils His presence from us. Stage 4 – A period time where God’s presence is veiled so that it compels us on an Inward Journey of contemplation and discovery.

8. The Dark Night of the Soul We usually become aware that we have entered the “dark night of the soul” in some moment of crisis. Our good feelings of God’s presence evaporate. We feel the door of heaven has been shut as we pray. Darkness, helplessness, weariness, a sense of failure, defeat, barrenness, emptiness, dryness descend upon us. Would it surprise you that Spurgeon spent much of his life here?

9. The Dark Night of the Soul Many Christians deny that they have entered the “dark night” and stagnate there and no longer move forward with God’s purpose for their lives. Some hide behind their faith to flee the pain rather than trust God to transform them through it. We all use the phrase “God uses all things for good (Romans 8:28). We can smile and sing, and keep it together to demonstrate to those who are watching that our faith is strong and solid.

10. The Dark Night of the Soul The reality is that those who possess an emotionally healthy faith admit: I am bewildered. I don’t know what God is doing right now. I am hurt. I am angry. Yes, this is a mystery. I am very sad right now. O God, why have you forsaken me? Just read the Psalms, or through the Minor Prophets!

11. The Dark Night of the Soul The “dark night of the soul” is God’s way or rewiring and purging our affections and passions so we might delight in his love and enter into a deeper communication with His love. Though “feelings” are important in our journey to know God. It is easy to become focused on enjoying the “warmth of His presence” over the reality that we are “in His presence”. This can become another form of Spiritual Idolatry.

12. The Dark Night of the Soul Saint John of the Cross wrote, Dark Night of the Soul hundreds of years ago. He comments that many mistake the feelings of and about God for God Himself. These feelings and sensations are not God, but His messengers from God that He uses to speak to us. He continues that that is no other way for our souls to be strengthened and purified so that we do not worship our feelings than for God to remove them altogether. This is God’s way of rewiring our “taste buds” so that we might taste of Him more fully.

13. The Dark Night of the Soul God leads us in an inward journey where we confront our true selves, hidden sin, improper motives and values, and any other aspect that He wants to purge or transforms. As we yield and allow God to do His work we work through the “dark night”. DO NOT be foolish and try to manipulate the situation. You do not want to get stuck here.

14. The Dark Night of the Soul As God completes His work. (God does some of His greatest transforming work during these “dark times”.) One begins to move into stage 5 Stage 5 – Having passed through the “dark night of the soul” one begins to move outward to “do” for God. It may be some of the same activities done before but with a new grounded center of ourselves in God. Stage 6 – God continually sends events, circumstances, people and other things into our lives to keep us moving forward on our journey were we are transformed to love by His love.

15. My God Why Have You Forsaken Me. There is one other aspect I want to touch on here. When we face ridicule for being a Christian and living according to God’s will, we comfort ourselves in the fact that we are partakers of the sufferings of Christ. Seeing Christ in His suffering produces growth and understanding that cannot be learned in any other way.

16. My God Why Have You Forsaken Me. Jesus quoted from Psalm 22 upon the cross. Psalm 22:1-2My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? Why are You so far from helping Me, And from the words of My groaning? 2 O My God, I cry in the daytime, but You do not hear; And in the night season, and am not silent. In going through the “dark night” we encounter Christ in His sufferings in a powerful and profound way.

17. My God Why Have You Forsaken Me. Think of what the power of God accomplished when Jesus went through His “dark night of the soul” as He cried out in agony upon the cross. The pain is real in the these dark times, but so is the power of transformation. Like a caterpillar that dissolves inside its chrysalis, only to emerge a beautiful butterfly, God transforms us into the likeness of Christ’s character.

18. Having Compassion Please let me give a word of caution. Those who think they are spiritual have a tendency to judge those who are going through the “dark night”. Those in the midst of the storms feel alone and abandoned and do not need the “misguided” to throw any stones. The “dark night of the soul” is a normal part of the believer’s walk. Most of us have been there and most likely will be there again. We need to have love and compassion and stand beside our hurting families.