The only way out of any form of spiritual darkness is a firm faith in Christ. Spiritual darkness always means that in some way or other we are doubting him. We are often tempted to think that something else is necessary to be done before we begin to trust him, some sacrifice to make, some duty to perform, some problem to be solved. But these things come after faith, not before it. Of course if some positive wrong has been committed this wrong must be righted before we can believe that Christ fully saves us. But where no such positive wrong has been done and no clear duty neglected, the first, and indeed the only requirement is to trust in Christ. Any other advice would be false. "Christ died for the ungodly." There is our only place of peace and light. When you believe that he died for you, that he died to make possible the forgiveness of your sins and the cleansing of your heart; when you believe that because he died your sins are forgiven and your heart is cleansed, you will have peace, and you will find the Saviour near you, with his light and comfort and power. After all, it is no wonder that we feel sad while we are doubting him. You would feel sad if you were doubting your friend, your brother, your parent And remember that he, too, is saddened by our doubt. Read some of the rich promises of God's Word, and refuse any longer to doubt that they were written to you as well as to any other of his children: Isa. 55; Ezek. 36:25-27; Matt. 5:8,10; Matt. 7:7-11; John 7:38,39; John 8:36; Acts 2:14,16-21,39; Rom. 6; Rom. 8:11; II Cor. 7:1; Gal. 3; Eph. 3:14-21; Col. 3; I Thess. 5:23; Heb. 4:9-11, 7:25, 9:11-14; Heb. 10:1-22,35; Heb. 11; I John 3:1-9,22; I John 5:4; Jude 1:24,25.
