The Dark Night of the Soul: Why Every Christian Faces Seasons of Spiritual Darkness

What Is the Dark Night of the Soul and Why Do Christians Experience It?

Pastor Shane Idleman of Westside Christian Fellowship in Lancaster, California, has addressed a question that has troubled believers for over 500 years: why do Christians experience what is known as the "dark night of the soul"?

Writing in The Christian Post, Idleman explained that the dark night of the soul represents a deep season of suffering and confusion when believers feel abandoned by God. But, he argued, the ultimate purpose of such darkness is to deepen spiritual union with the Divine.

Idleman cited theologian R.C. Sproul, who observed that even the greatest Christians have suffered through these seasons.

This is no ordinary fit of depression, but it is a depression that is linked to a crisis of faith. Our faith is not a constant action. It is mobile. It vacillates. We move from faith to faith, and in between we may have periods of doubt.

R.C. Sproul said these words to describe how the dark night differs from ordinary depression.

The pastor revealed that he personally experienced a very dark season in the late 1990s that ultimately drew him back to the Lord. He faced another hard season in 2020, which led him to write his 2025 book, I Almost Quit.

According to Idleman, these dark seasons demand a critical choice: believers either turn toward God or toward bitterness and anger. Multiple difficult periods can strike throughout a Christian's life, including failed marriages, bereavement, and serious diagnoses.

He pointed to Acts 12 as a biblical example, where the execution of James and the imprisonment of Peter created existential dread among early believers. Modern equivalents, he said, include medical diagnoses, relationship collapse, or financial crisis.

When friends, parents, pastors, and others fail us, we are forced to lean more fully on God.

Idleman emphasized that trust and worry cannot coexist. He warned that while anxiety sometimes prompts necessary changes like repentance, unbiblical worry becomes destructive. The pastor encouraged believers to choose thankfulness over fear and joy over dread, recognizing that God has the final say.

Understanding the Christian Struggle with Spiritual Depression and Doubt

Idleman stressed that dark seasons reveal what believers actually believe beneath the surface. These moments strip away illusions of control, forcing a confrontation with unchangeable realities. Hitting rock bottom, he explained, often redirects people toward "the Rock at the bottom."

During easy times, discussing God's goodness and trusting Jesus feels effortless. But difficulties reveal whether faith functions as mere rhetoric or genuine foundation. Worship becomes authentic, Idleman concluded, when "the wheels fall off, and the storm comes."

The Crusader's Opinion

The world tells you that feeling abandoned by God means He was never there. That is a lie straight from the pit of hell. Every saint who ever walked this earth went through the fire. The Apostle Paul was beaten, shipwrecked, and imprisoned. Jesus Himself cried out on the cross. If you are in the dark right now, you are in good company. The enemy wants you to quit. Do not give him the satisfaction. Get on your knees, open your Bible, and fight. God never left. He is forging something in you that comfort never could.

Take Action

• If you are struggling with spiritual depression, reach out to a trusted pastor or Christian counselor today. Do not suffer in silence.
• Read Shane Idleman's book I Almost Quit, available as a free download at shaneidleman.com.
• Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 if you or someone you know is in crisis.
• Support Christians facing persecution and spiritual hardship through The Shepherd's Shield.
• Share this article with a fellow believer who may be going through a dark season. Sometimes knowing you are not alone makes all the difference.