The Fall
The Fall

The fall is for the sake of the ascent.

Rabbi Nachman of Breslov, Likutei Moharan II, 12

When the profundity of the world escapes you, search even more diligently for God. The destination, after all, is the journey.

When darkness overcomes, lack of inspiration creeps in, and the mundane overwhelms your sphere of existence, remind yourself of the goal: to keep searching. For within the search itself, you will find God.

Falling to depression, despair, and darkness may yield a more painful search than one who walks in the light. But within the nature of darkness and adversity, a light more powerful than one borne of peace and happiness resides.

So, where can one find God? Does He reside in the brightest light, or does He reside in the deepest darkness?

“If I ascend to heaven, there You are; if I make my bed in the lowest depths, behold, You are there…” (Psalm 139:8).

Though we may descend to hellish planes of existence, though we may feel the darkness envelop us, suffocating us within its vacuous space, we must remember one thing: God is there, too.

Though we fall seven times, we arise and do not allow the falls to hinder us from our immortal pursuit.

Though God Himself may seem distant, absent, unloving; though He may seem to turn away from our cries…He is there, whispering to us, “a still small voice” (1 Kings 19:12).

It may appear to the naked eye that light should come with ease, and spiritual ascent should come from a place of complete purity. And yet a more powerful ascent comes from a place of darkness and impurity.

Even when we walk in the “valley overshadowed by death,” even when we find ourselves wandering within that empty, black space, we should be assured of God’s presence, His rod and staff eternally comforting us (Psalm 23:4).

It is our very recognition of God within these dark spaces, where imagination runs wild and demons creep, that brings Him with force into that seemingly untouchable realm.

We are the bearers of God’s torch, the bringers of His light.

We step forward into the shadows with no other soul in sight.

But we do not walk alone. We walk with God.

For You light my lamp; the Lord, my God, does light my darkness.

Psalm 18:29