Does your love for God sometimes seem like it is like a feeble flame, ready to be blown out by the next strong wind? Do the spiritual disciplines seem at times to be drudgery? Does it sometimes seem as if your prayers are getting no higher than the ceiling? There are at least four steps that we can use to deal with such seasons of spiritual dryness.
Table of Contents:
- Step 1: Turn to God and Pray
- Step 2: Talk to Yourself Rather than Listening to Yourself
- Step 3: Keep Up Your Spiritual Disciplines
- Step 4: Wait and Expect God to Answer Your Prayers
Step 1: Turn to God and Pray
It may sound obvious, but the answer to any problem is to turn to God. God already knows what we are going through, and he wants us to bring all our problems to him. First, I need to turn to God for forgiveness if there is clear sin in my life. But often, God can seem far away even when I am not aware of obvious sins. I can still turn to God, and ask him to help. Psalm 16:11 says: “You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.” I can pray that God will make me know his ways and fill me with joy in his presence.
Step 2: Talk to Yourself Rather than Listening to Yourself
We need to learn to speak the truth to ourselves, rather than listening to the doubts and complaints that come pouring out of our minds. David wrote in Psalm 103:1-2: “Praise the LORD, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the LORD, my soul and forget not all his benefits.” David told himself to praise God, and reminded himself of all of God’s blessings. We need to affirm God’s truth to ourselves. For example, as a Christian, God has promised that nothing can separate me from the love of God (Romans 8:38-39).
Step 3: Keep Up Your Spiritual Disciplines
During times when we feel like we are passing through a spiritual wilderness it is critical that we keep practicing our spiritual disciplines, in particular Bible reading, prayer and meeting with other Christians for worship. These disciplines are means that God uses to strengthen us and protect us and we need to keep at them even when we do not feel like it. To paraphrase an old lesson from sailing: “When the wind dies, you need to start rowing.”
Step 4: Wait and Expect God to Answer Your Prayers
Finally, we need to wait on God’s timing and trust that God will answer our prayers when the perfect time arrives. Psalm 40:1-2 says: “I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.”
All of us go through times of spiritual drought. We want to turn to God, speak God’s truth to ourselves, continue our spiritual disciplines and wait for God to renew his presence in our lives.
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The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author’s and do notnecessarily reflect the official policy or position of Grand Canyon University. Any sources cited wereaccurate as of the publish date.
FAQs
Reflecting on how God has worked in your life in the past can be a powerful antidote to spiritual dryness. Recalling His past faithfulness can strengthen your trust in His present and future care. Consider the Israelites, who were repeatedly reminded to remember how God delivered them from Egypt (Deuteronomy 5:15).
What is the antidote for spiritual dryness? ›
Reflecting on how God has worked in your life in the past can be a powerful antidote to spiritual dryness. Recalling His past faithfulness can strengthen your trust in His present and future care. Consider the Israelites, who were repeatedly reminded to remember how God delivered them from Egypt (Deuteronomy 5:15).
What are the signs of spiritual dryness? ›
You may be aware of the “symptoms.” Do you feel bored when reading the Bible, disinterest in prayer, weariness with church attendance, a sense of purposelessness, a lack of joy, and a gradual pulling away from the Lord because he seems too distant to understand?
What are the 3 steps to spiritual growth? ›
Spiritual Growth and Progression
This gradual growth generally involves three stages of development: the purgative stage, the illuminative stage, and the unitive stage. While these stages are not perfectly linear, they tend to mirror the stages of our human development: childhood, adolescence, and adulthood.
How do I overcome spiritual dryness? ›
- Step 1: Turn to God and Pray. It may sound obvious, but the answer to any problem is to turn to God. ...
- Step 2: Talk to Yourself Rather than Listening to Yourself. ...
- Step 3: Keep Up Your Spiritual Disciplines. ...
- Step 4: Wait and Expect God to Answer Your Prayers.
- Go on a Retreat. One of the most effective ways to recharge your batteries is to depart from your everyday routine and go on a retreat. ...
- Be of Service. ...
- Immerse Yourself in Nature. ...
- Start a New Morning Ritual. ...
- Observe a Sabbath. ...
- Read a Spiritual Text. ...
- Find a Teacher/Mentor. ...
- Eat a Clean Diet and Refrain from Drinking Alcohol.
In Psalm 42, David found himself in a spiritually dry season. He was thirsty for the presence of God.
What should be done when dryness in prayer occurs? ›
When this happens, the first thing to do is resist the temptation. See it for what it is: a temptation to become stingy in your prayer. Remember the generosity with which you began the retreat.
What is the season of dryness in God? ›
A Dry Season is when you feel like you are doing everything right, but God is distant. You feel like you are praying, but God isn't hearing or answering.
What are the 12 steps for spiritual growth? ›
Twelve Steps To Spiritual Maturity
- Recognition that God should be first (Matthew 6:33).
- Authority (2 Timothy 3:16,17). ...
- Willingness (John 7:17). ...
- Responsibility (Romans 6:16,17). ...
- Transformed (Romans 12:1,2). ...
- Commitment (2 Timothy 1:12). ...
- Forgiveness (Acts 2:38; 1 John 1:9). ...
- Hopeful (Romans 8:17-25).
What are the symptoms of spiritual distress?
- Feelings of anger or hopelessness.
- Feelings of depression and anxiety.
- Difficulty sleeping.
- Feeling abandoned by God.
- Questioning the meaning of life or suffering.
- Questioning beliefs or sudden doubt in spiritual or religious beliefs.
- Asking why this situation occurred.
Some other ways we can promote spiritual growth include:
- Connecting with other Christians.
- Studying the Bible.
- Forming prayer habits.
- Showing love to others.
- Obeying the Word of God.
I love Bill O'Hanlon's definition of spirituality in his book “Pathways to Spirituality”. He defines it as the three C's: Connection to something greater than yourself, Compassion or “feeling with” ourselves, others and the world and Contribution, or service to others and the world.
What are the four keys to spiritual growth? ›
While receiving Christ is an end to works-righteousness and alienation from God, it is the beginning of growth toward spiritual maturity. Four keys to spiritual maturity are allowing suffering to play a role, rejecting all forms of perfectionism, keep moving forward, and observing and imitating more mature Christians.
What are the four pillars of spiritual growth? ›
– Rooted in Christ. – Growing in grace. – Flourishing in His will. – Enduring through all storms.
How do you fix spiritual exhaustion? ›
Rest and renewal is spiritual as well as physical. Taking time to meet with God in the moment will refresh you physically and spiritually. This time alone can be as simple as reflecting on the day while driving home from work, standing in line at the supermarket, or just sitting alone in your office.
How do you quench spiritual thirst? ›
Trust Jesus to quench your spiritual thirst.
I'm thirsty for the living water of Jesus and I'm tired of living without you. I know I have sinned, and I ask you to forgive me. I want to come home to your love and forgiveness. “Father, I need your peace.
What are the signs of spiritual dehydration? ›
When we are spiritually dehydrated, we experience symptoms of fear, anxiety, anger, loneliness, jealously, pride, and more. We have to constantly fill ourselves with God's truth in order to be spiritually healthy, because the world will try to fill us with lies.
How do I restore my spiritual balance? ›
How To Maintain Spiritual Balance and Equanimity
- Release Resistance. ...
- Recognize What You Can Control. ...
- Revitalize in Nature. ...
- Revamp Your Routines. ...
- Renew Through Meditation. ...
- Reconnect to Your Values. ...
- Reignite Your Passion.
