There are times when I think I am the only one- the only one confused, the only one struggling to maintain joy and a hopeful focus, the only Christian enduring a crisis of faith. Unfortunately, most Christians I know are "shiny plastic people" who feign a smile and always wear an "everything is great" mask. But this isn't reality! Dark times come; they are real, and we must be prepared for them.
I am encouraged when I consider the great men and women of God in the Bible and throughout history who endured times walking through a dark valley. Moses, Elijah, David, and Peter quickly come to mind; these men all faced times of crisis, doubt, and failure. C.H. Spurgeon, the "prince of preachers" and one of my favorites, had well-known bouts with depression. The Bible reminds us and encourages us to approach these times with a proper focus; we should not pretend they aren't real and don't happen to God's children but should instead remember that God has ordained and allowed these dark times for a reason.
Perhaps James 1 is the most well-known passage that deals with trials and tribulations, as it reminds us that they produce endurance in us. We are also told by Paul in 1 Corinthians 10 than God always provides a way of escape and will not place upon us more than can be handled; in addition, God promises never to leave or forsake us. The reality that we are created for His glory and purposes (Isaiah 43:6-7) should also help us endure knowing that there is always a greater purpose to everything, and Jesus' words found in Matthew 6 about worry in light of the fact that we are more valuable to God than the lilies or the sparrows should offer encouragment. We take these thoughts and couple them with the reality that there is a spiritual battle that we can not see being waged all around us, and that the enemy is at work and wants to bring us down. With these thoughts in our mind we can begin to make sense of the battles we face and find strength and a reason to carry on through the tough times.
This post is a call for honesty among Christians. I am not advocating a perpetual whining or complaining, but I am encouraging God's people to face that reality that dark times- times in the valley- are real. I am hoping that we will be reminded of their purpose and the fact that God is allowing them and will use them for good. Furthermore, I hope that we all will use the weapons that God has given us to fight these spiritual battles in our lives. During my times of doubt, crisis, and struggle I have noticed that what I allow into my mind is of utmost importance. There is a direct correlation in my own life to time spent in Scripture, what music and movies and TV I am taking in, time in prayer, and areas of basic disobedience to my spriritual outlook. In other words, when the times of testing and trial and doubt do come I find that I can only trudge through if my focus is where it should be. If I lose focus I sink deeper in the mire.
A few things that are invaluable during the times of darkness: an accountability partner, a small group of Christians with whom you can share like a Sunday school class or Bible study group, a habit of personal devotion time in the Bible and prayer, a habit of gathering with other Christians to worship and serve, and a realization that God allows tough times. This is not an exhaustive list, but all of these have meant something to me in the last several days of my own darkness. I also found great encouragment from these two posts and I would encourage you to check them out http://www.desiringgod.org/Blog/1908_how_long_will_this_last/ and http://www.desiringgod.org/Blog/944_what_i_learned_in_a_spiritual_storm/
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