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Psalm 88:18 "Thou hast caused lover and friend to shun me, my companions are in darkness."

 

This shunning is so incredibly painful. People we've known and loved all our lives suddenly stop speaking to us, and sometimes tell us not to speak to them. It hurts like hell, because it is a sample of the pain of hell. Hell is separation from God, from the source of all goodness and love. When relationships based on love and goodness are broken, with one party being unable or unwilling to even talk to the other, that is a taste of the separation from God that is hell.

 

We choose hell, God does not assign it to us. I used to wonder how anyone could choose it, wouldn't everyone throw themselves on God's mercy when they meet the Just Judge face-to-face? Wouldn't everyone see that even a lengthy stay in purgatory after acknowledging one's sins is far, far better than an eternity with no love, only pain? But having witnessed "my companions in darkness", I now understand how it can happen. The darkness becomes comfortable the further and longer one is in it. When there are others there as well, especially many others, one can start to think that the darkness is normal, that it is reality, while the faithful have been sold a fairy-tale. After spending enough time in the darkness, light will seem an attack on one's senses. It will assault blinded eyes, pierce addled minds, and burn pasty skin. The light will seem to be wrong, rather than the darkness. This also explains why they shun us, we are in some small way bringing light to them, and they want to hide from it. Even in death, one might choose to cling to the comfort of the darkness rather than look into the painful light of truth (although the “comfort” of the darkness will not last long after death!).

 

This is a terrible thing to think about, and it is why we must pray for everyone in darkness, especially the lovers and friends who have shunned us. Our companions may be in darkness, but God knows the way, and right time, to shine a light into their darkness. If they won't talk to us, we can talk to God on their behalf, asking Him to do just that, and offering Him any assistance He might ask of us.