There are times in life where we’re stuck in a Psalm 88 season where there is no light. There has to be a place in God’s word that reflects a place of pure darkness, for there are times in life when life’s like that.
If that sounds unreal, hold out consideration that this is reality for many people.
Many people in the faith cannot contemplate such a hellish place where there’s no sign of light. That’s why it’s good for those who bear witness to utter despair that there is a psalm like Psalm 88.
The truth is there are so many in the faith who disparage another’s experience of the dark night of the soul because it speaks so chillingly to the reality that it’s possible. When someone is blacklisted spiritually, as if they “don’t have enough faith” to experience God’s light, it’s a blasphemy of the Holy Spirit.
It’s a manipulation of God for humanity’s purposes, and God doesn’t work that way.
It’s never God’s will that a person in a Psalm 88 season would not be supported.
It’s never God’s will that a person enduring a dark night of the soul would be abandoned.
The despair that a person experiences even as they practice their faith in the darkest night is real. Indeed, that’s the quintessence of faith; that a person has a plethora of reasons to give up on God, yet wisely by faith they cling to the only hope of light they know. Such is the assurance of a faith that will not eventually be crushed.
The one experiencing the grief of despair’s dark night of the soul has an inspiring faith.
This is the one who should not be vanquished and banished for their apparent grief, but all the more should be lauded for the fact that their perseverance speaks potently of God’s venerable power.
It doesn’t look like the one who is struggling under the weight of loss has much faith. But how else is faith to be deepened than it is pushed to and past the brink. Experiences that break us are part of how faith is meant to work. But we must not call to eventualities before they exist.
Instead, we’re to allow the dark night of the soul to persist without judging it or anyone else. Of course, this doesn’t mean we won’t do all in our power to change the equation—for faith calls us to the light that will ultimately make the darkness mute.
Instead of changing the reality in our minds by denying its pain, we’re called to endure the pain as it draws us into parallel with the sufferings of Jesus—whom is very well acquainted with a Psalm 88 season. In fact, Jesus is with the person in their darkness even if they can’t feel him.
It’s important that we don’t over-spiritualise the concept of despair by engaging in a spiritual bypassing that makes all of life only benevolent. All of life is NOT benevolent. “In this world you will have trouble,” said Jesus.
We must understand that there are times in life where there is no light, and it’s in those times that we show the most faith by enduring, “Walking by faith, not by sight.”
It’s abuse to tell someone that their experience of the dark night of the soul is their fault.
On the contrary, the one experiencing the dark night of the soul has a more profound faith in the making, and that ought to be revered.
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