All New Things Begin in Darkness: Transitioning Through Your Dark Night–Personal Poetic Responses–Part 2

New life begins in darkness, as this germinating seed reveals.

What follows is an excerpt from the prophetic word entitled All New Things Begin in Darkness: Transitioning Through Your Dark Night posted as an e-letter by John Paul Jackson, interspersed with original poetry at strategic points, as I read the words of exhortation. This is Part 2 of a response to the message which will be posted over the next few days. Click here to view the message without the poetic inserts:

http://www.streamsministries.com/index.php?cat_id=32&page_id=141

January 20, 2012  Part 2

Three Levels of Darkness

From pregnancy to creation, from anointing to new days, everything begins in darkness. It has been that way from the first day of creation, and it will continue to the end.

New things begin in darkness. There are three levels, or deep times, of darkness that we encounter on the road to our destiny and true, pure spirituality: the Dark Night of the Wilderness or Desert, the Dark Night of the Soul and the Dark Night of the Spirit. With each one, you will feel like you are immersed in a deeper darkness than you have ever been in before.

This section brought to mind “This Lonesome Valley” a poem that speaks of a similar kind of wilderness experience.

 This Lonesome Valley

Jesus walked this lonesome valley.
He had to walk it by Himself;
O, nobody else could walk it for Him,
He had to walk it by Himself.

You have to walk this lonesome valley.
You have to walk it by yourself;
O, nobody else can walk it for you,
You have to walk it by yourself. 

Traditional hymn

Valley places are always places of testing. . . 

It’s in the valley places that your character is tested.

Apostle Eric L. Warren

Though there is no place where God’s presence does not dwell,

 There is this lonesome valley we all must cross alone.

 The Spirit drove Jesus into the wilderness,

 And as a pilgrim, I too go through this barren land.  

Propelled by goodness and mercy as my rearguards,

I am led by the hand of God into a wasteland,

Where I must stand on my own and confront my fears,

As I pass through the valley of the shadow of death,

The dark place where no companion can go with me.

Unsure of all that lies ahead, I hesitate,

But I must follow the Spirit’s call into the unknown:

The narrow way–to walk by faith and not by sight.

Though my path may be unclear, this I know for sure:

If God brought me to it, He will bring me through it.

 

You will see less clearly, if at all, where you thought you were going. You most likely will not understand the purpose of it and why God is allowing you to go through such a dark, difficult time. Depending on what God is after, this time may shake you to your very core.

Whenever I am shaken to the very core of my being, I am reminded that the intense shaking that I am enduring is all part of “The Process”:

The Process                          

“When everything that can be shaken is being shaken,

we must  acknowledge the process . . . trust the process. . .

embrace the process. . . and enjoy the process.”

Dr. Mark Chironna

 

My brethren, count it all joy

when you fall into various trials,

James 1:2

 

What I perceive as failure, God sees as success.

In peace and confidence I know that I will find

Understanding that reveals what God had in mind.

As I pursue truth, I acknowledge the process.

Though adversity seeks to hinder my progress,

Though I may be shaken to the depths of my soul,

If I refuse to give up, I will be made whole.

Because our God is faithful, I trust the process.

God’s heart of compassion forever seeks to bless.

I no longer wrestle but surrender—I yield.

As a soldier I vow to stay on the battlefield.

Though I would shun it, I embrace the process.

Our gracious God is good, despite the strain and stress;

Resting in the Lord, I now enjoy the process.

The statement “trust the process” brings to mind a familiar hymn: “Trust and Obey,” which always has application, no matter the situation:

Closing out this entry is a commentary by William Dyer entitled “Fiery Trials Make Golden Christians.” Dyer (1632-1696) is described as a godly pastor, a man of great piety, and a serious fervent preacher, who was expelled from his church in London during the ‘Great Ejection’ of 1662: