A Cure for Spiritual Dryness

I thought I was in a period of spiritual dryness.

Prayer, for a while, had honestly just been kind of “eh.”

Prayer was good in the sense that it was consistent, and I was showing up daily, and putting in effort even despite the dryness. And it was also good that I would undeniably, without fail, leave with a some sort of sense of peace. However, I hadn’t heard anything for days. I had a couple big questions on my heart, and I never seemed to be given a direct answer.

Jesus was seriously keeping His quiet.

And since my heart desired to receive something, I was becoming somewhat frustrated. I wanted to get something out of my prayer, or to simply feel some sort of connection. And for whatever reason, it just wasn’t happening. But I kept going anyway, hoping that I would eventually snap out of it and hear Him again.

So yea, prayer wasn’t bad, it was just kind of “eh.”

During this season I decided to attend a praise and worship session. I was decently reluctant to go, as I was fairly confident I would spend an hour in praise without really feeling like praising. But I still went, because I desired to have a relationship with Jesus that went beyond just feelings. Sure enough, the music started, we were well in to praise, everyone else was vibing, and I remained cross-legged on the floor, devoid of all emotion.

I didn’t really feel like praising. But the idea came to me to do something that seemed more attainable (and full disclaimer: this was definitely a Holy Spirit inspired idea). I made a list of all the blessings in my life that I could think of, and then just went through it, thanking the Lord for each one of them.

Part of the way into my list, I started to thank God for the relationship I have with my boyfriend. In particular, I was especially grateful for the fact that we have the kind of relationship in which we can just sit together, and that is enough. There is no pressure to always have to say something or do something, but we can just be together. That freedom assures me of the depth of our relationship.

Just being together is enough.

It was at that moment that I heard that still, small voice which had been quiet in my heart for weeks.

“Gracie, if that is the way you feel with him, why do you refuse to feel that way with Me?”

That was the only statement I heard, but it was a question that greatly impacted me, and has stayed with me ever since.

That question completely changed my perspective on “spiritual dryness.”

Jesus made me question that night that, maybe what I was labeling as “spiritual dryness,” was actually me putting pressure on Him to talk.

Jesus desires to have the kind of relationship with me where He doesn’t have to do anything or say anything. He desires to have a level of intimacy and trust with me, where He can just be in my presence, and His presence is enough. He wants a relationship that is deeper than feelings and emotions, and lasts even in their absence. He finds comfort and peace in those hearts who don’t put expectations on Him to perform every time.

All He wants is to just be with me. All He wants is to just be with you. And He wants that to be all we want too.

Spiritual dryness is a very real thing. And it can be a season of struggle and sadness. But I challenge you to switch your perspective of things the next time such a season rolls around, or even continues.

Maybe this is His invitation to a deeper relationship. Maybe this is an offer of intimacy.