KEEPING YOUR SONG IN THE NIGHT
--Submitted by Sondra McCauley

On Saturday, March 25th, several of us at the Triumphant Church had the opportunity to attend an all-day women's conference, "The Holy Happening," sponsored by The Tabernacle Church in Laurel, Maryland. The entire conference was a blessing, but one workshop in particular especially touched my heart and I feel a need to share what I received so that it might bless someone else. With the permission of the teacher, Sharon Snowe, the following are my notes from her workshop on "Keeping Your Song in the Night."

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Life is full of seasons. Most of us prefer the spring or summer. In winter, things look stark, bleak, and barren. It's a season when everything has the appearance of inactivity, darkness, and deadness-as though nothing is going on. But that is not true. Winter is a time of slowing down and preparation for new growth. If trees do not rest, they can't grow. And if they don't grow, they won't bare leaves, blossoms, or fruit.

The same holds true for your Christian walk. It has seasons, too, and winter is one of the most essential. It's a time when you get jerked back to reality. It also tends to work in you a compassion for others who are lost or hurting. When you're in a winter season, it's your own personal night. It is a quiet and dark time--the absence of direct sunlight. Things take on a different appearance. Night-time circumstances block your view of God. Satan takes advantage of the shadows that the absence of direct sunlight casts and demonic activity increases. No one else can truly understand how you feel. It's tight, it's lonely, and it hurts. But only by experiencing your night season can you begin to understand how to minister to someone else who is hurting and do so without being critical or impatient.

Everyone has their night seasons-even Jesus. In the Garden of Gethsemane, He was afraid-not necessarily of death--but of being separated from the Father. Peter also had a night season when he denied Christ. Jonah had a night season in a whale. And Paul had night seasons on many occasions to the point where he despaired even of life.

God has a purpose for the night seasons. The night is always God-directed, unless it is sin driven (i.e., the example of Jesus vs. that of Jonah). But regardless of the cause, God is still in it. The night teaches us things that we can't learn in the day. The night is also intended to bring our will into alignment with God's will. It may be tight, but it is only for a season. The night does not last forever. The sun obeys its Creator, and when it is time for night to be over the sun will rise again. Night seasons come as quickly as they go--sometimes seemingly in an instant.

Wait out your night season until day breaks. In this digital age, we are an impatient people. But God has not changed speeds. He is about a purpose in your night season and that may take some time. During that season, you can fill your heart with worry and fear, you can condemn yourself, or you can become overwhelmed by depression. But all of that is a waste of time. You may even want to question God about His purpose in the night and that's all right: He may tell you and He may not, but He won't be put off by your questioning.

While you wait, recognize who you are in Christ and maintain that position. If you've sinned, examine yourself and repent. Rise, wash, anoint yourself, and eat like David did. Live life as normally as possible and continue to serve Him. Pray without ceasing. Hide His Word in your heart and stand on it. Write the vision and make it plain; keep track of the promise that God gave you. Get back in balance. Redefine who God is-not a puppet on a string, but a Sovereign God that you get to follow. Anchor your faith in God with hope: Hope always believes, and anchored in faith it always looks up. Trust, praise, and worship God and He will embrace you. There is nothing like the presence of God to make you certain of who you are and to see you through. In the night, you can draw so close to God that, while you may want the season to be over for the pain's sake, you won't want to lose the intimacy you obtained with God.

Through it all, keep your song in the night--your testimony of what God is teaching you and working in you in the night. It may not be a literal song, but then again it may be. It may also be an anger that rises up within you in defense of the deeper truth and reality that God is bringing to you. That song will always be based on a scripture or a word given you by God even before the night began.

Remember: Night is the absence of direct sunlight. The sun appears to be gone, but it is not. It is behind you. But each of us has a moon which, while not a source of light, is a reflection of the sun. The moon will give you the light you need in the midst of the darkness. For some, the moon may be very tiny, but it will be enough to guide you through Egypt. And as you forge ahead, God will part the Red Sea and your walk will be a testimony for Him.

Recognize your winter as an opportunity to be God's display case. Nonbelievers may not "buy" your party-time in Jesus, but walk through some deep tragedy or straightened circumstance with joy and peace and they will be awed by the light of God reflected off of you. A lot of people talk about faith, but few live it. The Christian life is not a "win-only" situation with no conflicts. We are wrestlers even more than we are warriors. The more we win, the stronger the next opponent. As we wrestle, what falls off in the night is flesh. And what is formed in you is His character.