Elijah List -THE DARK NIGHT OF THE SOUL:
“At no other time does God express love more than when He allows this time of total emptiness. God risks being misunderstood. He faces the potential of one of His children walking away frustrated and confused, but He believes the good it will produce is well worth the risk.
What do you do when this cloud of darkness settles on you?
Scientists respond to a depressed nucleus by intensifying the neutron beam, and resolve to do so until fission occurs. They commit to keep moving, not relying on any physical signs. That is precisely what we must do to see the end of this night.
Why does God allow this dark night? I strongly believe that our Father realized that those through whom He works to bring revival receive great praise from the church and awesome attacks from Satan. A person lacking humility won’t survive the praise of men. A person without perseverance won’t overcome Satan. The revival core must realize this and stand the test.
Just as a scientist turns up the force of the neutron beam even though he sees no result, so true revivalists will turn up their prayer during the dark night of the soul. If the children of God demonstrate that they won’t go by what they see or feel, God will know that He has vessels that will not rely on circumstances or feelings to keep them on a straight course.
If the prayer of the revival core continues during this dark night, their true motive surfaces. The only thing that will hold us when the nucleus depresses is a pure heart of love for the lost and a true desire to see God glorified. God wisely observes that anyone who survives this night is rightfully suited to invade enemy territory.
Again we see this fifth stage in our key verse, 2 Chronicles 7:14, “…will humble themselves and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways…’
It would seem that by this stage, God would know we have abandoned our sin. The issue, however, is something deeper; it deals with our ways.
Our repentance has dealt with what we have done; now the purification focuses on what we are.”
~Mario Murillo, in his book “Critical Mass”, calls Stage Five: Dark Night of the Soul, p. 41.