Shadows and Light: The Journey Through the Dark Night of the Soul

Episode Overview:
In this second episode of The Distracted Christian Podcast, host Nate Labadorf continues our contemplative exploration of The Dark Night of the Soul, moving beyond the introduction into the heart of its spiritual mystery and practical reality. This episode is a soul-deep invitation to rethink how we interpret silence, struggle, and the seasons when God feels most distant.

With raw honesty and historical insight, Nate recounts the story of missionary Hudson Taylor—his despair, silence, striving, and eventual transformation—not through resolution but through surrender. It’s a powerful story of faith born not in triumph but in stillness. Through this lens, we revisit the writings of St. John of the Cross and wrestle with both the beauty and tension found in the concept of the “dark night.” Is it divine abandonment—or divine intimacy in disguise?

Blending rich theology with real-world stories, psychological reflection, and biblical truth, this episode speaks to believers navigating mental, emotional, and spiritual deserts. If you’ve ever felt that God had gone silent in your life, this episode will help you reframe that silence as sacred.

In This Episode:

1. The Story of Hudson Taylor
How a missionary’s breakdown became his breakthrough. Nate recounts the emotional and spiritual anguish Taylor endured—until one sentence shattered the illusion of self-striving and revealed the truth of resting in Christ.

2. St. John of the Cross: History and Mystery
Discover the soul behind the theology. Learn how the tortured solitude of a 16th-century prison cell produced one of Christianity’s most profound spiritual works. The darkness St. John experienced wasn’t metaphorical—it was real, suffocating, and yet, strangely sacred.

3. The Evangelical Perspective
Does the mystical language of St. John fit within evangelical theology? Nate explores the tension between spiritual purgation and Scripture’s celebration of God’s presence in both suffering and abundance. How can we embrace the discipline of silence without denying the joy of God in daily life?

4. Practical Reflections: Turning Trials into Transformation
Nate offers a practical framework for facing your own spiritual darkness. Through the story of Soviet dissident Alexander Ogorodnikov, we see how God reveals Himself even in prison cells and seasons of spiritual oppression. Reflective practices and journaling prompts help listeners frame their own trials as pathways to intimacy with God.

5. Hope in the Dark
The episode closes with a tender but challenging word of hope: the Dark Night is not a curse—it is a calling. God is not absent in the silence; He is drawing near, reshaping your soul for a deeper union with Him.

Key Takeaways:

• Holiness is not something you earn through striving—it is something you receive through surrender.
• The silence of God is not proof of His absence but the space where He works most deeply.
• The Dark Night of the Soul is not the end of your faith story—it may be the beginning of your transformation.

Quotes Worth Sharing:

“How to get faith strengthened? Not by striving after faith, but by resting on the Faithful One.” – Letter to Hudson Taylor

Who This Episode Is For:

• Christians feeling spiritually dry, burned out, or disconnected
• Those wrestling with mental or emotional weight and wondering where God is
• Listeners seeking more than surface-level answers to life’s deepest struggles
• Anyone longing to hear that the silence in their soul might actually be sacred

Share This With Someone Who Needs It:
If you know someone in a season of struggle or spiritual confusion, this episode offers language and insight for what they may be too weary to express. Share it with a friend, a ministry leader, or a small group—it could be the word they didn’t know they needed.

Listen Now on Apple Podcasts or Spotify
Connect with Us:
Explore more reflections and join the conversation at freshgroundtheology.com.
Share your thoughts using #TheDistractedChristian or email us at freshgroundtheology@gmail.com.

Coming Next Week:
In Episode 3, we’ll dive into The Night of Sense—the first stage of the soul’s journey through the dark night. We’ll explore how God lovingly removes even good things to make space for something eternal. Don’t miss it.

Let us walk with you through the darkness—toward the Light that never fades.