Let’s be honest: most of us have experienced spiritual dryness at some point in our lives. Whether it’s not attending church services, failing to pray, or simply not acknowledging the many blessings in our lives. That’s why I want to share three ways to moisturize your habits when you experience spiritual dryness.
- Fess up to where you are
One of the most important things you can do is to admit to yourself that you are in a spiritual dry period. Don’t deny that you’re in that dry state. Why? Because if you deny it, you’re bound to stay there and not find a way out. Jesus is the only one who can help us to climb out of our pit of spiritual dryness, but we need to fess up to where we are so that the power of God can lift us out. So, how do we do this?
- Keep praying (seriously, I mean it – keep praying)
When we are in our dry period and feeling distant from God, the first action that typically goes away is our prayer life. We find ourselves saying, “Why should I pray? God’s probably not listening anyway. I never hear God speaking to me. God has more important things to worry about than my spiritual dryness.” But our only hope for getting out of our spiritual dry spell is by increasing our communication with God. God’s silence is not God’s absence. Honestly, some of the biggest moves that God has made in my life have come during or immediately after a period of spiritual dryness. So stay close to God and continually pray, even when you don’t feel like it. God always has a purpose in the quietness.
- Read inspiring spiritual books
It never ceases to amaze me what a boost it is to my spiritual life to always have a good, inspiring book at the ready. I often do this during Lent, but have found that reading throughout the year is a great way to stay spiritually moisturized. Find a good book that challenges you to live your faith more fully. Perhaps read how some of our saints have overcome the challenges faced in their lives and see how that pertains to your own life. If you need some recommendations of where to start, try one or more of these: Come Be My Light by Mother Teresa; The Gift of Peace by Joseph Cardinal Bernadin; The Seven Story Mountain by Thomas Merton; The Imitation of Christ by Thomas Kempis.
Why the Dryness?
I’m always asked, why would God lead us to these spiritual dry spells? According to my former spiritual director, God may be preparing us for some bold insight or a deeper emotional experience that is yet to come. And God may also use this time of dryness to make us more aware of God’s presence, so we can be more aware of that presence at a later time.
Bottom line, God is always listening. Enjoy the stillness and the quiet. Be faithful, consistent, and persistent, because God is always closer than you think.
Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. ~James 4:8
There is an angel and a devil on your shoulders. Which path should you choose? Find out here.
