--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What do we do in the dark night? We do…" description: "\"“What do we do in the dark night? We do nothing. We wait. We remember that we are not God. We hold on. We ask for help. We do less. We resign from thin..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac5/john-ortberg-932_ask-for-help_what-do-we-do-in-the-dark-night-we-do-no_8925.png" --- # What do we do in the dark night? We do nothing. We wait… ![“What do we do in the dark night? We do nothing. We wait. We remember that we are not God. We hold on. We ask for help. We do less. We resign from things, we rest more, we stop going to church, we ask somebody else to pray because we can’t. We let go of our need to hurry through it. You can’t run…” quote by John Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac5/john-ortberg-932_ask-for-help_what-do-we-do-in-the-dark-night-we-do-no_8925.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac5/john-ortberg-932_ask-for-help_what-do-we-do-in-the-dark-night-we-do-no_8925.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac5/john-ortberg-932_ask-for-help_what-do-we-do-in-the-dark-night-we-do-no_8925.png) > ““What do we do in the dark night? We do nothing. We wait. We remember that we are not God. We hold on. We ask for help. We do less. We resign from things, we rest more, we stop going to church, we ask somebody else to pray because we can’t. We let go of our need to hurry through it. You can’t run in the dark.”” [John Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. In darkness we must pause, accept limits, seek support, and relinquish the urge to control outcomes. **In simple terms:** Accept limits, seek help, pause. Key Takeaway Quiet acceptance over frantic action. Themes humility faith patience trust self-care Mood contemplative somber hopeful Type reflection advice When to use this quote - grief - nighttime anxiety - spiritual doubt - overwhelming responsibility Key Concepts mortality spirituality community rest Practical Applications - counseling - meditation Questions to Reflect On - How does surrender change your response to crisis? - What practices help you hold space in uncertainty? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ask for help](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ask-for-help/) [Dark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dark/) [Dark night](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dark-night/) [Night](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/night/) [Night Wait](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/night-wait-346320/) [Pray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pray/) [Run Dark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/run-dark-346319/) ## Related quotes > [It's like you run into this dark tunnel, trusting that somewhere there's another end to it where you're going to come out. 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It invokes an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-b-shepherd/sitting-outside-on-a-dark-night-under-the-stars-invites-confidences/) [A.B. Shepherd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-b-shepherd/) > [Maine out of season is unmistakably a great destination: hospitable, good-humored, plenty of elbow room, short days, dark nights of crackling ice crystals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-theroux/maine-out-of-season-is-unmistakably-a-great-destination-hospitable/) [Paul Theroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-theroux/) > [Faith is a dark night for man, but in this very way it gives him light.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/faith-is-a-dark-night-for-man-but-in-this-very-way-it-gives-him-light/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [On Hanukkah, the first dark night, Light yourself a candle bright. 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It leads to grace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg/true-repentance-never-leads-to-despair-its-leads-home-it-leads-to/) [John Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg/) > [The greatest bloodbaths in the history of the human race were recorded in the twentieth century in countries that sought to eliminate God, worship,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg/the-greatest-bloodbaths-in-the-history-of-the-human-race-were/) [John Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg/) > [There is no way for a human being to come to God that does not involve surrender.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg/there-is-no-way-for-a-human-being-to-come-to-god-that-does-not/) [John Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg/) > [Will you keep going when you don't know why? 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