Help for a Dark Night of the Soul

From time to time we all go through trials in which we lose heart and feel overwhelmed with discouragement, worry, or exhaustion. The painful times are “Dark Nights of the Soul” when our prayers seem to go unanswered and God’s comfort cannot be found.

All Christ-followers go through Dark Nights when God seems distant and prayer and other spiritual activities do not yield the experience of God’s blessings as they have in times past. But few people today have been trained in how to deal with these spiritual trials. Inspired by Psalm 77, I wrote a prayer for the Dark Night of the Soul that I want to share with you.

Be Prepared!

The best time to offer a Dark Night prayer and to meditate on God’s wisdom from the Psalmist is before you get to your next Dark Night experience.

Prepare your heart now. Get a hold of your self and pray to become the kind of person who when God seems distant, unkind, unfair, or just unhelpful you will still demonstrate your love and adoration for him simply because he is good.

Will you worship God when no blessings are coming your way? Will you trust that the Lord is with you and delight in him even when you are in the valley of the shadow of death and you do not feel his presence or help? The Psalmist shows us the way…

In the Night I Remember You

Help me!  O God.  Hear my prayer.
At night I keep stretching out my hands to you –
But my soul finds no comfort.
 ~
I remember you and I groan with longing for you… Selah.
 ~
I have lost heart.
I cannot sleep.
I am too upset to speak.
 ~
I remember my night songs and I sing to you… Selah.
 ~
Will you never show me your favor again?
Has your promise failed me forever?
Have you forgotten to be merciful?
 ~
I remember your deeds of love and I meditate on you… Selah.
 ~
Your ways, O God, are holy.
You are great and glorious.
With your mighty arm you have saved us.
 ~
I remember your miracles and I give thanks to you… Selah.
 ~
You path, O Lord, leads through the sea;
We follow your unseen footprints;
We walk by faith, not by sight.
 ~
I remember you, Lord Jesus Christ… Selah.
I remember your cross of love… Selah.
I remember your resurrection… Selah.
I remember you sent your Holy Spirit… Selah.
(Inspired by Psalm 77)

The Other Side of Deep Darkness is another Psalm prayer I wrote to help you get through a Dark Night of the Soul.

In Spiritual Direction ministry Kristi and I talk with ministry leaders and others going through a Dark Night of the Soul. We listen. And we help them to pray “Dark Night” prayers. This is one of the ways in our Soul Shepherding ministry that we help pastors, pastors’ wives, missionaries, and other Christian leaders not to burn out or blow out.

On my Soul Shepherding Blog during Lent I'm sharing a series of short devotionals from the Stations of the Cross.

You can seek Christ's face with me on  Facebook and Twitter .

Bill Gaultiere, Ph.D. & Kristi Gaultiere, Psy.D. ~ http://www.soulshepherding.org

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