Today I just want to share a short quote by Charles Spurgeon.
I’m not going through the easiest period of my life currently. When I read books on the Dark Night of the Soul by St. John of the Cross himself, or by later writers like Gerald G. May, I suspect that I might be experiencing what they describe there.
This quote by Charles Spurgeon from one of his sermons helps me cope:
“Though the harrow go over and over thy soul, and the deep plough cut into thy very heart; though thou be maimed and wounded, and left for dead, yet if the Spirit of God do it, it is a blessing indeed.”
Can I know for certain that I am suffering due to God working in my life? No. Can I hope so? Yes. And that’s the only choice I have.
If you are going through a tough period in your life, I suggest you look into this phenomenon called the Dark Night of the Soul. It is a time when God works intensely in your life. Jesus said that God prunes back fruit-bearing branches so that they shall bear even more fruit. Paul said that his ‘thorn in the flesh’ was not taken away because the weakness it caused was perfect for Jesus to work through.
Most teachers that I have encountered on this topic say that something like this happens when we move from purely thinking about the things of God, to a deeper relationship. A relationship where contemplation starts. It’s similar to learning how to ‘eat solid food’ that’s required at a certain stage in our faith development.
I hope that this quote will help you hold on to the fact that your tough time might just be God working in you. If so, it will all work out for the better if you can persevere. If you can realize that despite the pain it is a “blessing indeed”, it will become much easier to walk on bravely.
Thanks for the inspiration Mr. Charles Spurgeon.
