3 Reasons Why Dark Seasons of the Soul Are a Healthy Part of Spiritual Growth

“Hey, daddy, watch this!” The bold declaration every child screams right before they do that miraculous stunt only a dad would be proud of. If you are a parent, you have likely had to stop everything you are doing to look up, give that little one your full attention, and show some sort of recognition of how enamored you are with their skills and talents.

Are we really any different? While we may not always seek the accolades of our earthly fathers, as believers, our hearts yearn for the approval and attention of our Heavenly Father. That’s because we were created in a way that longs to intimately know our God (Jeremiah 29:13), and we desperately seek His acceptance; it’s innate in all of us (Romans 15:7). In other words, we are all His children just screaming from the deepest desires of our hearts, “Dad, watch this! Did you see me? I am doing this for you. Aren’t you proud of me?”

But, what about the times when you are striving to do “all the right things” and loudly (or maybe quietly) yearning for God’s full-on attention, only to be met with the sting of silence or worse yet, the feeling of harsh rejection?

The Truth About Dark Seasons 

Let’s address the issue of wavering faith, first. You know the times when faith feels forced, uncomfortable, lacks authenticity, or seems to be spiraling out of control. We’ve all been there. Maybe you are there now. It’s those strange seasons when God appears distant or life becomes so burdensome, hope gets lost in the shuffle of circumstances.

Just because we are Christ-followers doesn’t mean we automatically live “joyfully” ever after, making impacts wherever we go, glorifying God, and never doubt or question our faith. In fact, it is often in these times when we are demanding God’s attention that two things generally happen. We are quietly growing spiritually (even if it doesn’t feel like it) and we gain the attraction of the deceiver!

Darling friend, if you find yourself in a dark season, wholeheartedly seeking God to no avail, I invite you to grab your Bible and sit with me. You aren’t alone, and I don’t say that lightly, because I am in this dark season with you. It’s tough, I know, you can admit that. But together, let’s have a heart-to-heart and discover three insightful truths that may just set your soul free!

Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/Matt Henry Gunther