When you’re tempted to doubt the intensity of God’s love for you, don’t listen to yourself. Preach to yourself! Let the gospel inform and shape your emotions. Take time to prayerfully meditate on the many blessings that are yours because of grace. As you do so, actively thank God for all that He has done, is doing, and will do for you in Christ.
- “I feel like I’m just going through the motions.”
- “I’m not getting anything out of my devotions or church.”
- “I don’t feel close to God right now.”
- “I used to be on fire for the Lord, but now I feel so cold.”
Every Christian goes through times when they feel spiritually dry. Maybe you’re going through a dry season right now. You love the Lord, but don’t feel close to Him. You used to be zealous for the things of God, but that passion seems to have waned. Practicing the spiritual disciplines seems more like drudgery than delight.
When you’re feeling spiritually dry, what should you do?
Take Time for Earnest Reflection
Feeling spiritually dry can be an indicator that things aren’t right in our relationship with God and others. We can ignore this gracious warning, or we can take time to reflect and evaluate where we may have gone wrong. During times of dryness, we should ask ourselves:
- Are there patterns of unconfessed sin that hinder me from drawing near to God (Ps. 66:18)?
- Am I numbing my soul with excessive entertainment and mindless distractions?
- Am I truly satisfied in Christ, or am I looking to something else for a sense of worth, identity, or purpose?
Like the Psalmist, ask God to search your heart and lead you in the way everlasting (Ps.139:23-24).
Realize That Spiritual Dryness Can be a Time of Testing
The Lord often uses seasons of spiritual dryness to mature us in the faith. Naturally, we’re inclined to depend more upon our feelings than on the truths of God’s Word.
