4 Biblical Messages for Your Spiritually Dry Season
Are you in a spiritually dry season? Every Christian will face ups and downs in their spiritual life. At times we’ll feel like we’re on top of the mountain, with our faith stronger than ever, experiencing God’s presence like never before, and feeling secure in the journey the Lord has called us to follow.
Other times we’ll find ourselves in the valley, feeling lower than ever, facing trials, and wondering if God has forgotten about us. And, of course, many variations of these two circumstances will come in between.
But what are we to do when we face the valley? When the once-flowing river of faith has seemed to run dry, and we feel lost in our relationship with the Lord? When we feel we are standing on shaky footing, we must always return to the rock of our foundation: God’s Word.
Let’s discuss four messages the Bible shares with us about spiritually dry seasons.
1. God is Present Despite Our Feelings
One thing about spiritually dry seasons is that they can be very misleading. In a dry season, we often feel distant from God, unmotivated in our Christian walk, and sometimes unsure if God is still with us and working in our lives.
However, the truth is that these thoughts are only reliant on our feelings, and feelings are fickle and usually a lousy way to determine truth. God’s Word tells us the complete opposite of those feelings, particularly on the subject of God’s presence. When we feel like God isn’t there, we must resist the urge to believe it. Why? Because the Bible tells us that the Lord is always with us and will never leave nor forsake us!
The next time you feel tempted to believe the lie that God has abandoned you, repeat these Scriptures to yourself and ask God to help you receive them in faith, store them in your hearts, and practice them in your life.
Deuteronomy 31:6 Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave or forsake You.
Joshua 1:9 Have I not commanded you? "Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
2. God Makes Himself Available to Us
Now that we know God is always with us let’s debunk the lie that He is difficult to access. Spiritually dry seasons can easily make us feel like our prayers are falling on deaf ears and our praises count for nothing. We may feel led to think that even though God is there, we have to jump through hoops just to access His presence.
The fact is that this kind of thinking is simply untrue according to God’s Word. Scripture tells us that while God is transcendent above all creation, he is also immanent, never out of range of the cries of his people. He is fully available and waiting for those to approach him with sincere hearts. God desires that we love him above all else. He wants us to come to him with a disposition of inner vulnerability, recognizing our need for him. But He doesn’t make himself inaccessible or hard to find.
Look at the Bible verses listed below and note the verb usage. What actions is God calling us to complete to find Him?
James 4:8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.
Psalm 145:18 The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.
Jeremiah 29:13 You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.
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3. Choose to Refresh Yourself in the Lord
In a spiritually dry season, we may not feel like reading the Bible, playing worship music, or spending time in prayer. Despite the drought, we must choose to refresh ourselves in the Lord.
The Bible promises spiritual refreshment to anyone who calls on the Lord. Even if we have neglected time with God, He is always ready to welcome us back with open arms. And even if time spent in His presence in this dry season feels different than in other seasons, our God is still faithful to refresh His children when they seek His face.
Psalm 63:1-3 O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek You; my soul thirsts for You; my flesh faints for Your presence. In a dry and weary land where there is no water. So I have looked upon You in the sanctuary, beholding your power and glory.
Matthew 5:6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
Psalm 16:11 You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
4. Don’t Give Up
The spiritually dry season can feel like the end, like you’re walking aimlessly through the desert with no light at the end of the tunnel. It can be tempting in these moments to give up on what God has called you to do and for some to stop following God altogether.
However, the Bible encourages us to strive in our Christian walk and not give up. Despite the temptations we experience and the type of thinking that says our efforts to persevere may be in vain, trust that God will strengthen you and bring your journey to completion when the time is right