"The dark night of the soul is not an evil to be endured; it's a good for which we should be grateful.  Of course, it doesn't always seem that way.  The thought of plunging into a spiritual abyss and losing all the sweetness in our relationship with God strikes few as appealing.  But neither does...

“God conquers our hearts not by force, but by love, and thus teaches us the way to authentic freedom, peace and fulfillment" Pope Benedict XVI