Psalm 22
The phrase, "the dark night to the soul" was first used by Saint John of the Cross in the 18th century. He coined it in a poem and it represents the hardships and difficulties the soul meets in our journey through life. This term is used for the spiritual crisis that occurs in our lives when we are spiritually dry and disconnected from God.
Every person will experience a "dark night of the soul" sometime during life. When that day arrives, our faith becomes weak, our hearts are filled with doubts, our hope disappears and life becomes very bleak.
Usually the issue that arises during this "dark night" is doubting the goodness of God. Why is God silent? Why doesn't God do something? Why doesn't God stop the pain? Many have become so disappointed in him that they just give up on any belief in his goodness and power.
What should we do when we find ourselves in this place? Turn to Psalm 22. This is the greatest of all the Messianic Psalms. For those who deny the inspiration of the Bible and the deity of Christ, this chapter stands like the Rock of Gibraltar against their assaults. Some say it is only an expression of David as he went through a difficult time. But there is no record that David ever endured this kind of rejection, scorn and violence. David wrote of something that was more than his own experience. He wrote about Jesus and his agony on the cross. God gave him a glimpse of the coming Messiah and his suffering and glorification. And all of this was written 900 years before the birth of Christ. Hundreds of years before crucifixion was even invented, God gave David this glimpse into the Messiah's "dark night of the soul."
Here is how the chapter starts: "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"
These were the words Jesus spoke on the cross. If Jesus could experience this, it is certainly possible for you and me to. The tension between our experience and our beliefs can cause us to doubt God. Feelings of abandonment and being utterly forsaken can happen to any person. When this feeling appears in our hearts, it is not time to put on a pretending, faking or happy face. In honest and truthful words we need to pour out our hearts to God, tell him what we are feeling and the pain we are going thorough and even express our doubts. Every devout Jew memorized Psalm 22 for times of great distress and darkness. When they couldn't get a prayer out, this psalm was recited.
The "dark night of the soul" is a terrible place to be. But it will happen in your life. When it does, remember that Jesus knows your loneliness. Jesus knows your darkness. You are not suffering alone. He feels your pain. Our God is a God who is acquainted with suffering. You can talk to Him; He understands
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