Ludwig van Beethoven, one of the world’s greatest musicians, was born into a musical family in Germany. As a child he spent many lonely hours practicing his music every day.

By the age of eleven he was already composing his own music and conducting an orchestra. In his late teens he went to Vienna for further study. There he reached fame, though not fortune.

I have read how, one evening, as he was out walking he passed a cobbler’s house where he heard someone inside practicing one of his compositions. As he stopped to listen he overheard a girl say that she wished she could hear a real musician play it properly.

Beethoven went into the house and, noticing the young lady at the piano was blind, offered to play the piece for her. He did so for her for more than an hour, and while he did, darkness fell and the lone candle in the room had gone out.

Outside in the night sky the moon shone brightly and sent its radiant beams glistening into the room where Beethoven sat playing beautiful music. He was so inspired by the appreciation of his music by the young lady and the beauty of the atmosphere in the room that he composed his famous “Moonlight Sonata.”

Do you ever feel that your dreams have been shattered and you feel all alone in the darkness of despair. I certainly have. However, when our life is truly committed to Christ, it’s in these “dark nights of the soul” when God is working in us to give us more understanding of life and compassion for others—and in time will bring back the music into our life.

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, in my ‘dark nights of the soul’—even though I feel that you are far away—help me to see with my heart and know that you are at my side, and that you will never leave me or forsake me. And help me to ‘see’ that you are using my circumstances to help me become a better, healthier, and more whole person. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

1. Job 35:10 (NIV).