I know of nothing more troubling for a Christian than to experience an extended season of spiritual apathy. Many of the great saints of old referred to this proverbial valley as "the long, dark night of the soul"-- a dark and dry season through which every true saint will probably journey. In light of Scripture's strong warnings for those who falsely think themselves saved and yet bear bad fruit, it's truly frightening to realize that, perhaps for some time, you've become more comfortable with sin, less attracted to the Word, and generally less interested in knowing and obeying God. During this time, God and spiritual realities feel quite distant; while you agree intellectually with Scripture, it stirs you up very little, if at all. Paradoxically, the most frightening thing is how little you're frightened by this condition. What's most troubling is how little you're troubled.
This apathy is certainly good cause to "make your calling and election sure," (2 Peter 1:10), because it is characteristic of many false converts who previously responded dramatically to the gospel, (Mark 4:16-19). Yet what seasoned Christian has never known unprecedented times of spiritual drought? Luther did. Bunyan did. The Puritans wrote extensively about such times in what has famously become, "The Valley of Vision: a Collection of Puritan Prayers and Devotions," (highly recommended by... well, pretty much anybody worth listening to.) It seems that God providentially ordains that most or all of His children will face the Long, Dark Night.
But can a loving Father really allow his children such pain, or even depression? He can, and He does. Foundational to surviving in and growing through the Valley is a firm confidence in the character and promise of God revealed in Scripture. "And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers." (Romans 8:28-29) Before the earth was formed, God ordained that all things should happen to produce the highest good for His elect people: Christ-likeness for Christ's glory. Despite our feelings, the darkest valley in a believer's life is the merciful blessing of a gracious God. Because God is sovereign, good, and faithful, we can have peace in the valley while we wait on the Lord to lead us through it.
Among the innumerable blessings God brings through the valley is a deepened assurance of salvation, once the believer has been driven to test himself to see if he is in the faith, (but that's a whole other blog.) Eventually, God grants the believer a diminished reliance upon self, a greater dissatisfaction with the present world, and ultimately a fresh vision of the glory of Christ and the power of His cross. Due to the weakness of our flesh and the pervasiveness of indwelling sin, we would never learn these truths so fully were we not lovingly led into the valley. But though the cross which leads to life is invariably painful, thereby is God's strength made perfect through weakness, and God's glory made to shine in the darkness.
"He made darkness his covering, his canopy around him,thick clouds dark with water... For it is you who light my lamp; the Lord my God lightens my darkness."
Psalm 18:11-28
