4 Hope-Filled Reminders for Your Darkest Spiritual Seasons

Have you ever felt irrationally angry about something that makes no sense? The kind of frustration where you can't let it go, even though logically you know your reaction is disproportionate?

A few Thanksgivings ago, while my best friend battled cancer and my prayers for her healing seemed to hit an invisible ceiling, a mutual friend sent me a decorative gnome to lift my spirits. It was adorable—all beard, no eyes, and a tall pointy hat. Yet something in me despised this innocent wooden figurine with deep, irrational outrage. Its presence became a landmine in my home. I moved it from the fireplace mantle to a windowsill, from a ledge to a countertop. Just when I thought I'd overcome my strange revulsion, I'd turn a corner, spot the little gnome, and internally explode with inexplicable fury.

The breakthrough came during a visit from my young nephews. While playing outside, they discovered the severed head of a small bird. After managing the situation, I found myself shaking with the same irrational anger I felt toward the gnome. Walking back into the house, the realization hit me: I wasn't angry about a decorative gnome or a bird head. These objects had become outlets for deeper grief. Life should not be like this. Everything felt out of place. My best friend should not be dying, leaving behind her husband and three precious sons.

I was angry that my prayers weren't being answered. I was furious that dreams die, hearts get crushed, and some prayers seem to hit an invisible ceiling while others receive miraculous answers. These seasons—when you can't make sense of what God is doing—are called "dark nights of the soul." As Proverbs 13:12 reminds us, 

"Hope deferred makes the heart sick." 

Whether facing loss of dreams, relationships, health, or unanswered prayers, we might act okay while feeling heartsick and angry. This is a completely normal part of Christian life and spiritual formation. Because we haven't normalized this experience in the church, it can feel like we're moving backward spiritually. But this process is actually part of our maturing—God is teaching us that our faith isn't about feelings but about King Jesus.

So, how do we pray and maintain faith during spiritual midnights? Jesus addresses this directly in Luke 11, where he tells a parable about someone banging on a friend's door at midnight, asking for bread. It's a story about persistent prayer in dark nights of the soul, offering four crucial truths for navigating these difficult seasons.

Photo Credit: Unsplash/Norbert Toth