Dry much?: Ways to effectively navigate spiritual "dryness."

Spiritual "Dryness" is definitely not a fun place to be. It's the "ho hums", the "blahs", the bland places that most of us have encountered many times in our spiritual lives. In fact, if you have been a Christian for more than five months, you probably have experienced a "dry season."

Bottom line...it's not a place that any of us worship-loving, scripture-devouring, passionate people like to be in for any length of time!  

The truth is we are all designed by God to enjoy a living, breathing, loving relationship with our Creator. What makes this really "interesting" at times is that this relationship happens to be taking place while we are living in a fallen world and while we are behind enemy lines (just to be clear..our only enemy is satan). If that's not enough to make your head spin ...we are also trying to master and control our own flesh and its desires AND deal with difficult people!

Good golly!

It's no wonder that we encounter spiritually "dry" seasons. If Jesus had not told us in the Book of John to "Be of good cheer because He has already overcome the world" it would sure be overwhelming at times. In fact, there have been many times that I have felt overwhelmed, dry, and parched along this journey called life, and I would like to share some ideas that I feel the Holy Spirit has revealed to me in order to lessen the severity or shorten the dry times.

If you're interested, keep reading...

Here are a few ideas on how to navigate this season of life...

Tip #1 - say it

First, it's important to identify that you ARE in a "dry" season in your life with God. Why? Because the enemy would like you to believe a lot of things except the truth. And sometimes just naming the pain or conflict is so helpful. We see David in the Book of Psalms do this so well. He was really good at just being honest with the Lord and his own heart.

Also, the enemy wants to make you think that the Lord has abandoned you or that He doesn't love you anymore or that God is mad at you.

Another tactic of satan's is to try to shame you for feeling dry in your walk with God. Our enemy is looking for any possible way to bring us down or to make us feel shame.

It's super important NOT trust thoughts like that.

One of the enemy's main strategies is to divide and conquer. He wants you to believe that the Lord has left you and that you're all alone. Lies..all lies! Jesus said that He would "never leave you nor forsake you."  

Never means never!

In the book of Jeremiah chapter 31, verse 3, God says, "I have loved you with an everlasting love and with lovingkindness I am drawing you."

Tip #2 - lean in

Secondly, continue to spend time with Him daily no matter how "dry" you are feeling. What I mean by that is this... IT IS important to read God's word and/or pray (talk to Him) no matter whether you feel like it or not. You may be thinking..."Yeah I know that."  But here's what I feel the Holy Spirit has shown me...

However many times you choose to connect and commune with God in any given day...do it with an awareness that HE is infinitely more wonderful, glorious, loving, powerful, perfect, etc. than what you have already experienced or know about Him. He is "exceedingly, abundantly, above all that you could ask or think." Be aware of this fact...you will never, and I mean NEVER, come to the end of the enormity of His goodness! He is so much more than what you or I know! He desires for you to experience ALL of His goodness while you're on this planet and in Heaven too.

The Lord CONSTANTLY wants us to know Him more, and He never stops desiring closer relationship with us.

Lean in to His love and compassion for you even during this dry time. He gets it!

Jesus lived on crusty, dusty earth for 33 years in a human body, and the Bible says, "He knows our frame, and He remembers that we are dust."

What in the world does that mean???

God is intimately and utterly aware of our humanity. Although as believers we have been given a brand new spirit and we are empowered by Holy Spirit to walk with God, He also knows that we are living in a fallen world AND we are "in process" in so MANY AREAS of our lives!!!

As I said earlier...He gets it!

So... LEAN INTO HIS HEART FOR YOU!

Tip #3 - expect

The Holy Spirit also showed me that as your spending time in His Word, expect the Lord to show you new revelation even in scriptures that you've read 100 times. It goes back to the idea that I just shared with you in the preceding paragraph...He is infinitely more than what you already know of Him, so trust Him to show you more of Him in His Word.

Now, here's the key...

Anything that the Lord reveals to you (no matter how great or small) worship Him with that nugget of truth. Talk to Him about it as though you are discussing it with a friend...that's who He is right? He is your Friend and so much more! I think it would surprise us to know how much He dislikes rigidity and "plastic" fakeness when it comes to how we relate to Him. Be open and humble with Him. Ask Him questions in humility and boldness. 

He absolutely loves it!!!

Tip #4 - write it/value it

Finally, write down anything the Lord shows you during this season and during the times that you talk with Him.

That's really important!!

Just think about it...if you receive important information, then you will probably write it down. Why? Because you value the information, and you want to record it, so that you don't forget it, right? So during this time of dryness or whatever you want to call it...Honor what He reveals to you by writing it down. This is a demonstration of your love for Him and anything that He speaks to you.

This simple act instructs your heart that anything He says to you is so valuable! For years, I have kept journals for the sole purpose of recording what I hear Him saying to me. There's just something about writing it down that is so significant. Also, this tends to "lock" it inside my heart and even more.

Spiritual dryness is a term that I've heard many people use about their current spiritual situation, and in fact, I've used it myself at times. I've witnessed young Christians and even people who have walked with the Lord faithfully for many years encounter this season too.

Even though it tends to be a symptom of living in a fallen world and having our own "veil of flesh" to deal with, there are things we can do to lessen this season in our lives if we allow Holy Spirit to direct us.

Unfortunately, some Christians will never press past the dryness to rediscover the infinite freedom and love we are called to experience in Christ.

Like everything in life, we must make a decision. We must decide that we will continue to press into His faithful love and plan for our lives. Will we see immediate results?

Maybe.

I don't know how long it will take, but I am certain of this...the road to recovering from spiritual dryness starts as soon as you "take a step" toward His love... no matter what you feel.

The Holy Spirit is waiting to show you how to shake off the numbness and enjoy God's presence.

Are you ready to drink of His goodness and presence again?