JEANNE MAYO

DARK TUNNELS

Sometimes going through some of life's "dark tunnels" with God can feel like one of those creepy amusement park rides…the further you go in the tunnel the darker it gets and you just want to say, "let me off this ride!" But I'm reminded of a wise old quote from Corrie ten Boom that says, "When a train goes through a tunnel and it gets really dark, don't panic and jump off! Just sit still and trust the Conductor."

I have learned while navigating through the dark tunnels of life spiritually and God seems a million miles away, to "learn hard" on the Lord…His character, His Word, and His promises. God's promises are like stars. The darker the night, the brighter they shine. I can't begin to tell you when some of the "feelings" will return in your relationship with Christ. Sometimes the dark, spiritually numb times last for only a couple of days. Other times, they last much longer. But on the other side of the "black hole," I promise that your spiritual roots will be deeper and your faith will be stronger. Even more important, you'll make Jesus smile because of the authentic friendship you're developing with Him. You see, He's got a lot of "casual friends" who just stick around when times are good and emotions are high. Try not to be a "friend" like that. Jesus deserves real friendship from you, not just the superficial, self-serving kind.