What if spiritual darkness does not mean that God has left you?
In this episode of The Distracted Christian Podcast, Nate explores the idea of darkness that illuminates. The discussion focuses on Book Two, Chapters Nine and Ten of Saint John of the Cross’s Dark Night of the Soul.
Saint John offers a difficult but hopeful message. Sometimes God’s light feels like darkness because it reaches parts of us that are not ready to receive it. Therefore, the darkness is not separate from the work of God. Instead, it may be the place where that work begins.
Through the images of manna, fire, and wood, Saint John explains why spiritual dryness can feel painful. At the same time, God may be preparing the soul for deeper love.
Darkness That Illuminates the Spirit
Chapter Nine focuses on a strange truth: the dark night brings darkness to the spirit so that it can later bring light.
Saint John is not only using poetic language. He believes God’s wisdom is greater than our natural ability to understand it. Because of that, our usual ways of thinking, feeling, and holding on must first be changed.
The problem is not always open sin. Sometimes the problem is attachment. For example, we may cling to a certain feeling, comfort, spiritual experience, or plan for the future.
Saint John points to the Israelites in the desert. Although they received manna, they still missed the food of Egypt. In the same way, we may struggle to receive a new gift from God because we still want an old kind of comfort.
As a result, the old hunger can block the new gift.
You can read Book Two, Chapter Nine of Dark Night of the Soul through the Christian Classics Ethereal Library.
When the Wood Begins to Burn
Chapter Ten gives us one of Saint John’s clearest images: a log placed in a fire.
At first, the fire dries the wood. Then the wood turns black, gives off smoke, and begins to crack. It may even smell worse than it did before.
From the outside, the wood seems ruined. However, the fire is not only destroying it. The fire is also changing it.
After a time, the wood begins to glow from within. Finally, it gives off light and heat. In a sense, it becomes like the fire itself.
Saint John says the same process happens in the soul. God’s presence shows us what must change. Then, little by little, God removes what keeps us from love.
For that reason, the same presence that will one day fill us with light may first make us feel as though we are falling apart.
Explore the complete text of Dark Night of the Soul, including Book Two, Chapters Nine and Ten.
Psalm 27 and the Life of Faith
Saint John did not invent the dark night. Instead, he gave words to a pattern already found in Scripture.
Psalm 27 begins with confidence:
“The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear?”
Later, however, the psalmist cries:
“Do not hide your face from me.”
Both statements come from the same faithful person.
This change from confidence to pain does not mean faith is gone. Rather, it may show a faith that is learning to live without easy answers.
Earlier in the psalm, the writer says that he wants one thing: to seek God and look upon the beauty of the Lord. Saint John believes the dark night helps make that desire clear. Other wants begin to fall away, and the soul learns to seek God alone.
In the end, Psalm 27 tells us to wait for the Lord. Yet this waiting is not passive. It is an active choice to keep turning toward God.
Therefore, even when we cannot feel what God is doing, we can still remain open to God.
Three Practices for the Dark Night
1. Name Your Egypt
Set aside twenty quiet minutes and ask:
What comfort am I still craving that belongs to my old life?
It may be another person’s approval. Perhaps it is certainty about the future. It could also be a certain feeling you expect to have during prayer.
First, write it down. Do not rush to fix it. Instead, begin by naming it honestly.
2. Stop Trying to Escape Every Darkness
Not every painful season should be accepted without help. Wise support, counseling, medical care, and pastoral guidance can all matter.
Still, there are times when our constant effort to feel better becomes another form of resistance. We may keep searching for the next book, message, practice, or experience that will make the discomfort disappear.
Saint John warns that some seasons cannot be rushed. The fire needs time to do its work.
So, when you feel the urge to escape the dryness, try something different. Sit still. Breathe slowly. Then pray:
The darkness has a purpose. God is still at work. I am not abandoned. I am being prepared.
You may not feel those words right away. Even so, faith is sometimes spoken before it is felt.
3. Wait With Your Body
Choose one physical act of worship this week.
For example, light a candle. Kneel in prayer. Fast from a meal. Receive Communion within the practices of your church tradition.
These actions are not magic. Instead, they help turn your whole self toward God.
Your thoughts may feel unclear. Your emotions may feel cold. Nevertheless, your body can still face the right direction.
What to Remember
The dark night does not put out the flame. Instead, it clears away what keeps the flame from burning cleanly.
You may feel as though you are losing God. However, Saint John suggests that you may be losing the habits, comforts, and false supports that stand between you and God.
That process can hurt. Yet it may also be one of the deepest ways God shows love.
The darkness that illuminates is not empty darkness. God may be working below the surface, even when you cannot see the result.
For more episodes on spiritual growth and Christian tradition, explore Fresh Ground Theology’s podcast archive.
You can also continue this series with The Dark Night of the Will or learn more about the mission of Fresh Ground Theology.
Resources Mentioned
- Dark Night of the Soul by Saint John of the Cross
- Psalm 27
- Vatican introduction to Saint John of the Cross
- More Fresh Ground Theology episodes
Timestamps
00:00 — The Wanderer escapes the ruined prison
06:46 — The darkness that illuminates
08:30 — Why God’s light can feel like darkness
10:30 — Manna, Egypt, and spiritual attachment
12:30 — Fire and wood in Chapter Ten
15:43 — Psalm 27 and the loss of God’s felt presence
18:00 — Waiting with hope
20:16 — This week’s three-part spiritual practice
25:00 — The dark night changes rather than destroys
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