Finding Hope in the Dark

by Betsy Sunny

Day 1: Navigating the Dark Night of the Soul

The journey through the "dark night of the soul" can feel like moving through the shadows of uncertainty and doubt. The last thing we think about in darkness is the idea that something good is formed from it. Most of the time, we struggle to survive or endure a dark season. A lot of us end up trying to resist it.

Take a moment to watch this video, "Darkroom of the Soul":

In Psalm 23, we see the posture of a king who has endured many challenging seasons and dark nights of the soul. We believe the Psalmist is writing towards the end of his life. The David we hear of and remember is esteemed as a man with a hero’s heart. Throughout the course of his life, he constantly endured trials and tribulations. Some were the result of an external circumstance, and some by his own hand.

We get the benefit of looking at his life post-trial, and we see the end result of the dark season. David writes at the end of this Psalm: “Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” (V6) The valley is not the end of the journey, it’s merely the beginning. What’s waiting for us on the other is goodness, faithfulness, and God’s presence.

With the experience and maturity of a king, there is recognition that dark valleys are inevitable, and there is still confidence in a God who will see David through whatever darkness lies in front of him. We experience the gift that comes from a dark season and the presence of a God who will be with us in our hardship when we choose to acknowledge and embrace that season in our lives and trust that there is a God with us in it.

Reflection: Reflect on a season in your life when you experienced walking through a valley of death. Did you find yourself resisting a season of darkness? What things keep you from embracing the season of hardship and challenge?

Prayer: Loving God, grant me the courage and strength to navigate the dark valleys of life, knowing that You are always with me. Help me to find comfort in Your presence and to trust in Your guiding hand, even when the path ahead seems uncertain. Amen.