Hope for Spiritually Dry Seasons
A few years ago, my husband and I traveled to Yosemite National Park. We didn’t have much time to spend there, so we chose one hike we saw online and decided to go for it. This particular hike was meant to lead to a lake, with stunning mountain views reflected in the water. We didn’t realize that the area was currently experiencing a drought, so when we arrived at the lake, it was all dried up.
Sometimes our spiritual lives can feel similar to what happened to this lake. At times, we can find ourselves overflowing with joy in our walk with the Lord, feeling like our love for God and His Word is strong. But at other times, it can feel like our love and joy has dried up. We still believe in God and the good news of the gospel but find that we have distanced ourselves from the Lord or that our time in Scripture feels dull. Finding ourselves in these seasons can be hard. We might worry that we did something wrong to feel this way, or perhaps even wonder if we have lost our faith. But dry seasons are common in the life of the believer, and there is hope for them. Scripture encourages us in dry seasons by reminding us that God is with us and is the One who ultimately refreshes us.
Is God Upset with Me?
When we find ourselves in a spiritually dry season, we might worry that God is upset with us. We might worry that He is displeased that we are struggling to pray or be in His Word. So we may be tempted to think that God has distanced Himself from us, no longer giving us His presence. But this could not be further from the truth. Scripture reminds us that no matter our season, God is with us. In Psalm 139:7–10, David declares, “Where can I go to escape your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I make my bed in Sheol, you are there. If I fly on the wings of the dawn and settle down on the western horizon, even there your hand will lead me; your right hand will hold on to me.” These verses remind us of God’s immanence, or His nearness to us. For those of us in Christ, we are promised that because of the Holy Spirit within us, God’s presence is always with us.
This is good news for our dry seasons because we are reminded that God remains by our side, even if we are struggling spiritually. He does not retreat or stand at a distance. And because of the grace we have received through Christ, we know that He remains loving and merciful, even in our struggle. So even if it feels like God is far away in our dry seasons, we can cling to His presence and rest in these words from the Lord, “I will never leave you or abandon you” (Hebrews 13:5).
Looking to God for Refreshment
As we remind ourselves of God’s presence with us, we can also remember that God is the One who ultimately refreshes us. When we are in dry seasons, we often long to feel spiritually renewed, to be back in a place of spiritual vitality where our joy in the Lord is strong. We might look to other people or certain hobbies to bring us that sense of life and joy. And while that might work for a little while, we always find ourselves back in that place of longing. This is because our longings for spiritual renewal are met in the Lord. He is the One who ultimately refreshes and brings new life to our souls. In Psalm 42:1–2, David declares, “As a deer longs for flowing streams, so I long for you, God. I thirst for God, the living God.” His words remind us of our need for the Lord and that we are to look to Him to meet our deepest longings. So in our dry seasons, we can look to the Lord to refresh us. We can ask Him to breathe new life into us again, renewing our joy in Him.
Resting in God’s presence and relying on God to renew us might not bring us out of our dry season immediately. But as we continue to seek the Lord, trust in Him, and follow Him, we will find ourselves slowly being filled up once again, overflowing with the life that only comes from Him.
