Dark Night of the Soul- part 4 of 6

The third reason for a Holy Spirit caused desertion is to develop faith, humility, assurance, prayer, and the fear of God within us. God does not sprinkle us with the fruit of the Spirit or the character of Christ, but chooses to blossom the seed of these graces in the midst of life’s circumstances. Will we trust God and the promise of His word, ‘I will never leave you, nor forsake you," even when we do not sense His presence? Faith is left barren and naked before the world, in that, it has nothing to hang onto except for God. As John Flavel urges, learn to "exercise the faith of adherence, when you have lost the faith of evidence."


In this desertion, the grace of humility also takes root. We soon discover that we are not that pillar of strength that we once thought, but realize we are weak, and that our gifts and abilities are from Him and for Him. Humility is the necessary foundational element of salvation and sanctification. It is the secret source of our strength. It is the upside-down grace that enables the beatitudes to be lived out, the great commandments to be experienced, and the great commission to be pursued.


As concerning the grace of assurance, Joseph Symonds writes:
"God gives much proof and evidence in the truth of grace which he hath wrought in them, when he makes them see they had hearts that could love him, even when it was doubtful to them whether he loved them. When the truth of grace is evidenced clearly, it brings much comfort, and what greater evidence of an upright heart, than to follow God when he seems to fly away; and to love him when he seems to abhor and hate them; to weep upon him in love when he seems armed with the weapons of death; and to pour out the soul to him, when he seems to be pouring down fire and brimstone upon them."


We are urged to patiently continue to seek God’s favor and presence at every turn, remembering with great encouragement the testimony we have with Him from the past. Perhaps one of the most obvious graces to be developed is that of prayer. In the midst of desertion the believer is often thrust upon his knees with his heart and head bowed praying more earnestly for the presence of God to return (2 Corinthians 12:8-9, Psalm 88:1). The believer who is truly in love with God and desires communion with Him will realize He is gone, and pray most fervently for His return pouring out their heart unto Him until their beloved returns.

The last grace to be developed is that of a reverential fear of God. It is a fear that is tempered with love and not horror. This fear is meant to breed a healthy and holy view of God, one of respect, admiration, and appreciation as should be found in any relation between a parent and child, as well as, between God and His creation.


Symonds writes:
"God will not be carelessly dealt with, though he allow us confidence and holy boldness in approach to him and converse with him, yet he expects a due sense of his majesty and greatness: ‘let us have grace, whereby we may serve God with reverence and godly fear, for our God is a consuming fire’ Heb.12:28,29. Though he be a father, yet he is a terrible, a holy and an Almighty God…The fear of God is one of the main pillars of his throne, and so far as he is not our fear he is not our God: therefore he hath ever showed himself in his power and greatness unto men…And in particular persons he so works by intermixtures of frowns and favours, majesty and mercy, that they may learn to walk as those churches did, ‘In the fear of the Lord, and
the comfort of the Holy Ghost’ Acts 9:31"