Scripture records at least 153 passages about darkness, and it’s a well-worn metaphor for anyone who has read the words and heard the sermons. In the Old Testament, darkness is linked to death and light to life. In the New Testament, light is often associated with knowledge and darkness with ignorance.
It would seem, then, that darkness is dangerous and should be avoided—until we start noticing how many vital events in the Bible happen in the dark. When we picture Mary’s first recorded encounter with God, we might assume ineffable light until we check the reference and find that she was “overshadowed.” By all accounts, a stone blocked the entrance to Jesus’s tomb, so whatever happened to Jesus on Easter morning happened in the dark dampness of a cave.
Barbara Brown Taylor writes and speaks about the “full solar version of spirituality,” which requires light in order to be true, and sells faith in God as protection from every kind of darkness. 1 With so many biblical characters encountering God in their darkest moments, it’s clear that there are gifts from God that can only be received in the dark.
With so many biblical characters encountering God in their darkest moments, it’s clear that there are gifts from God that can only be received in the dark.
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This was Aubrey Sampson’s experience after the death of her best friend. She was plunged into darkness by overwhelming grief, and yet she learned that even in this, there was a painful purpose to be discovered and lived.
Her journey of loss comprised three distinct phases: nightfall (its onset), midnight (its darkest hour), and night-lights (the moments of luminous adjustment). As a vibrant Christian in professional ministry, Sampson needed time to find her way through the strangeness of God’s perceived absence before she could finally conclude, “Though the darkness hide thee, O God, we trust that your presence is in the dark as it is in the light.”
What We Find in the Dark is an eyewitness account of God’s faithfulness, a beautifully written memoir with exquisite attention to word choice. Fresh grief is an “uncharitable, unchartable path,” and its whispered goodbyes are a “time of forlorn formlessness.”
Anyone who has suffered the loss of a dear person will recognize the dissonance of wanting and needing that person to process the loss. Readers walking through grief will appreciate the genuineness of Sampson’s conclusion that grief takes time, and sometimes the darkness sticks around for longer than we’d like. However, making her list of Things Found in the Dark, like a detective on a case, she found surprising gifts there, mile markers on the path leading toward hope.
What Other Reviewers Are Saying
“Friend, if you are drowning in the darkness of grief, you do not have to walk alone. Aubrey has been to the depths of hopelessness, and she will walk slowly with you through this valley. In these pages you will not feel pressured or pushed, but you may discover a God who sees you even in the dark and a story that can guide your search to solid ground.”
Catherine McNiel, coauthor of Mid-Faith Crisis
“By inviting us into her own dark night of the soul, Aubrey offers hope and light for the seasons of grief, loss, doubt, and suffering that we all encounter. What We Find in the Dark provides language for what is often impossible to articulate. It is vulnerable, transparent, honest, and faith-filled―a sacred gift.”
Christine Caine, founder of A21 and Propel Women
Holding You in the Light,
After the death of her best friend, overwhelming grief plunged Aubrey Sampson into darkness, and yet she learned that even in this, there was a painful purpose to be discovered and lived. #WhatWeFindintheDark @aubsamp @NavPress
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- Learning to Walk in the Dark, Barbara Brown Taylor ↩︎
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Many thanks to NavPress for providing a copy of this book to facilitate my review, which is, of course, offered freely and with honesty.
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I like some of the word choices you shared. This sounds like a valuable resource
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Though I’ve not yet suffered the depth of loss that Aubrey has, I too have learned the benefit of searching for blessings in spite of heartache, and writing them down in my “God Is Faithful” journal. It’s comforting to know that God uses such a pursuit for good, even when the unthinkable occurs. I agree with Barbara above–this sounds like a valuable resource.
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“Even when the unthinkable occurs.”
YES, because that’s when our faith in God’s goodness is put through the fire.
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Michele, this sounds like a wonderful book!
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It really was on every level: beautiful writing, a compelling narrative, and a vulnerable memoir.
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That sounds like such a powerful book.
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It really was!
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