Spiritual Dryness 

Bill Lambert

I was whispering these thoughts into my trusty old Dictaphone at 4am this morning when I couldn’t drop off. Ideas and words come to me more easily in the quiet hours.

I had been trying to have a little pray….  but the line was dead.  In fact it had been dead for quite a few days.  God was busy elsewhere, the three of them.

My immediate reaction was guilt.  What had I done to cut myself off from God?  Negative thought. If I had something bad on my conscience I’d know about it.

So what to do about this spiritual aridity? First, just hang in there.  The Holy Spirit will be back in your soul when she’s ready. Remember you’re in very good company. The saints suffered from spiritual dryness.  Mother Theresa lost touch with God for years, but she just soldiered on with her life of sacrifice and charity.  This could be a time of special grace for you.

Next, start counting your blessings, and you’ll find you’re praying thanks and praise.

Now think of some kindness you can perform for someone you know, and then you’ll feel the love of God flowing through you to that person.

I think spiritual dryness is rather like those doubts that sneak into your mind and undermine your faith.  But you overcome them and they go away….  So don’t let spiritual dryness get you down.  God will be back on the line when he’s ready. And that’s something to look forward to!