Hope for a Spiritually Dry Season
Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” (John 4:13-14 NIV)
Over the summer, a friend shared with me how her family is experiencing a drought where they live. My friend makes a living as a farmer, and the drought was affecting their ability to care for and feed their animals properly. The land was dry and barren. As I listened to her share her situation, I pictured myself standing in her dry fields. As she described how her desolate land desperately needed rain, I related to the need. I felt spiritually dry and desolate, like that land.
Let me clarify, though. I wasn’t doubting God or questioning my faith; I was just dry. It was a feeling. However, just because I was feeling dry doesn’t mean God was neither present nor at work.
Here are a few things to remember when you are in a spiritually dry season.
God Is with You
God is always with you. Whether you are on a mountain high or in a valley low, he is there. In Joshua 1, we learn that Moses has passed away and the Lord has commanded Joshua to be the new leader. In verse 5, the Lord says, “No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Josh 1:5 NIV). I love how the Lord recalls that he was with Moses, then states that he will be with Joshua, then proclaims he will never leave him. Past. Present. Future.
We are also told in Psalm 139 that we cannot flee from God. No matter where we try to hide, he is there. Even there. If you are feeling spiritually dry and alone, if you feel like God has left you—I promise you, he has not. God is with you, and he will never leave you or forsake you.
God’s Word Is True
The Bible is God’s message to us. It is our resource for learning about Jesus and the history of God’s creation. There is a quote by Charles Spurgeon that I believe is true:
“A Bible that’s falling apart usually belongs to someone who isn’t.”
We are living in a world that wants to tell us the Bible is not true and is not the Word of God. Full Stop! Friends, now more than ever, we need to be in the Word. If you are spiritually dry, saturate yourself in God’s Word. In 2 Timothy 3:16-17, we’re told, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (NIV) and Romans 15:4 says, “For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope” (NIV)
The Bible is God-breathed and is given to us not only to teach us and correct us but to give us encouragement and hope. God’s Word will not wither away, and neither will we if we cling to it.
The Drought Will End
Seasons change. At the same time my friend was going through a drought, our area of the world had record rainfall. It rained daily for a week. At times we had torrential downpours, which caused flash flooding. Major highways were closed due to flooding, and many people had water in their basements.
Eventually, the rain will come to my friend’s town. It might not be when she wants it to come, but it will come. The drought will end. The same goes for our spiritually dry seasons. They might last longer than we want, but refreshment will come, and our thirst will be quenched.
Jesus tells us he is the living water and that if we come to him and drink his water, we will not be thirsty. Continue to seek Jesus. Go to him and tell him about how you’re feeling; he can handle it.
Dear heavenly Father, thank you for never leaving us. Thank you for always being with us, even in our dry seasons. Thank you also for your Word, the Bible. Thank you for the instruction and encouragement it gives us. And Lord, thank you for the seasons of life. Even in the midst of a dry season, I thank you because I know you are still at work, and I know that seasons change. Lord, I pray that you would use this dry season how you choose and prepare me for the next season. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Scripture for Reflection
“For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground, I will pour out my Spirit on your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants.” (Is. 44:3 NIV)
“As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God? (Ps. 42: 1-2 NIV)
“Then Jesus declared, ‘I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.’” (John 6:35 NIV)
“Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’” (Heb 13:5 NIV)
Reach for More
If you are in a spiritually dry season, don’t allow it to keep you from remembering all God has done in your life. Choose to worship God and praise him! I currently love the song “Yes He Can” by Cain. which reminds us that God moved mountains and parted seas, so he can work in our lives, too! Find a song that is speaking life to you today, and listen to it on repeat, and sing loudly. Then, don’t just keep it to yourself—share it online and tag us so we can sing along, too!
is living the full life with her husband, Jeff, four kids, and a dog in Metro Detroit. Heather enjoys reading, writing, coffee-ing, and serving in youth ministry. She was born a Jersey girl and feels most at home on a beach. She is the host of the monthly link-up, Share Four Somethings. You can join Heather on the journey to living the full life at www.heathergerwing.com.
Photograph © Lucy Chian, used with permission
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