A change that will remain

We must never forget God's promise to be with us

Living by the spirit, heeding the inspirations that come, and even more importantly, following the way you discern, brings a deep joy and satisfaction. But it does not always come immediately. Sometimes the path leads one into a place of extreme loneliness. And during such times, life can seem unusually hard, because we all treasure a friend who can understand and encourage.

I've rarely read anything to guide me through a time like this. Most literature speaks about "The Dark Night of the Soul".  But rarely have I read about the topic of loneliness, as though it is to be avoided at all costs, or perhaps as if it doesn't happen to good hearted souls.

But happen, it does. I suspect the topic does not get mentioned because it is a difficult one to tackle. No one wants to learn that when you are most "down" you may even be most "alone".  No one likes to hear...when life is hardest, you may even have to give up hope for a friend. You may have to go forth on this journey all alone, with all your doubts and confusion, and stop expecting understanding or compassion. Because during such a time, life does become darker than night. There is a lot we can bear, if we have just one person by our side to encourage us. To go it alone leads one into a desolate place.

During such times it is important to remember my pilgrim journey, that I am moving, and that this place won't last. It is also good to remember that such a time is not without benefits: it is often during my most "alone" hours that I learn of my weaknesses and of my great  strengths. As I continue forward, believing solely because my faith tells me to, I find that when reaching down into the depths for inner strength, I find a faith, hope and trust I didn't know I had.

We all like to think of the joys and rewards of our journey to God. It is good to remind ourselves that the journey also involves quite a bit of loneliness as well. It isn't so much when we suffer it, but how we work through these times that changes us as a person. And that change will remain.