Overcoming Spiritual Dryness

Theme Scripture: Psalm 42:1 "As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God."

Introduction:

Spiritual dryness is one of the most difficult seasons in a believer’s life. It's a time when our souls feel empty, our prayers seem unanswered, our desire for God fades, and we begin to question everything. Yet this is not a strange or new experience. Psalm 42 gives us a glimpse into such a moment. The psalmist cries out, comparing his deep longing for God to a thirsty deer desperately searching for water in the wilderness. He doesn't deny his thirst—he brings it to God.

That’s the first step in overcoming spiritual dryness: recognizing our need for God and being honest about where we are. If a deer doesn’t find water, it dies. If our souls are not refreshed by God, we too suffer inwardly. But the good news is that God uses seasons of dryness to awaken us, draw us closer, and prepare us for something greater.

Have you ever felt far from God, like your prayers are hitting the ceiling, your heart is numb, and worship feels dry? That deep emptiness, where your soul feels disconnected from God, is what we call spiritual dryness. It is one of the most difficult yet deeply formative experiences in the Christian life.

Psalm 42:1 paints a vivid picture of a deer panting for water in a dry land. This is not a casual thirst. It is desperate, urgent, and life-threatening. The psalmist is describing a soul that is spiritually parched, longing for the refreshing presence of God. Just as water is essential for a deer’s survival, so is the presence of God for our souls.

1. So, What is Spiritual Dryness

Spiritual dryness is a season or state where God seems distant. Many people feel this. You may feel as though you’re going through the motions, reading your Bible, praying, attending church, but there is no life or joy in it. The heavens feel silent. Your heart feels cold.

But here’s the truth: spiritual dryness doesn’t mean you’ve failed or that God has abandoned you. In fact, it’s often a sign that your soul is maturing and longing for something deeper than surface-level spirituality.

2. What Causes Spiritual Dryness?

There are several reasons we experience spiritual dryness:

A. External Circumstances

Sometimes, spiritual dryness is triggered by life’s hardships, financial struggle, betrayal, stress at work, or physical sickness... The list can be endless. These external pressures drain our emotional and spiritual energy, leaving us exhausted and disconnected.

B. Internal Struggles

Our own sin, guilt, bitterness, or emotional wounds can weigh us down and cut off our sensitivity to God’s presence. Unforgiveness, unconfessed sin, or even a busy, distracted life can slowly dry up the wells of intimacy with God.

C. Life Transitions

Major changes like parenting, moving, starting a new job, or marriage, can cause us to lose our spiritual rhythm. Even joyful events can disorient us spiritually if we do not stay grounded.

D. Overexposure to the Noise of the World

We live in a world flooded with distractions, constant notifications, media overload, multiple social destructions and relentless busyness. These create noise that drowns out the still, small voice of God.

3. Recognizing the Signs of Spiritual Dryness

How do we know we are spiritually dry? Here are some common signs:

• Loss of Passion for God: We stop enjoying prayer, worship, and Bible study. Our relationship with God feels like a duty, not a joy.

• Doubt and Disillusionment: We begin to question if God is listening, or if our faith matters. We might say, “Where is God in all of this?”

• Isolation: We pull away from church, fellowship, and Christian community. We stop seeking the encouragement that comes from being with others in faith.

  
  

In Psalm 42, the psalmist says, “Why are you downcast, O my soul?” This shows that even the most devoted believers can struggle with dryness—but we must not stay there. When your soul is dry, everything in life starts to feel meaningless. But even this thirst is a gift, it signals a deep need for God and His living water.

4. The Blessing Hidden in the Dryness

So, Why Does God Allow Dry Seasons? Dryness often precedes spiritual growth. God allows us to experience hunger so that we will seek Him more earnestly. It’s in these seasons that our motives are tested. Will we continue to pursue God when there is no emotional reward? Will we love Him for who He is and not just for what He gives? Spiritual dryness strips away the superficial and brings us face-to-face with our true spiritual hunger. It may be surprising, but spiritual dryness can actually be a gift, because:

• It shows us how much we truly need God.

• It humbles us and removes self-reliance.

• It helps us grow deeper roots of faith.

• It leads us to long for God more than anything else.

  
  

God often uses dry seasons to prepare us for spiritual breakthroughs. It is in the desert where Moses encountered the burning bush. It was in the wilderness that John the Baptist heard God’s voice clearly.

5. How Do We Overcome Spiritual Dryness?

A. Return to Prayer and Meditation

Even when you don’t feel like praying, pray anyway. Tell God exactly how you feel. Be honest. He is not afraid of your doubts or dryness. Write your thoughts in a journal. Allow yourself to sit quietly and listen.

James 4:8 says, “Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.” And  Matthew 11:28 says "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."

B. Engage Deeply with Scripture

Don’t read the Bible like a task. Don’t just skim the Bible. Read it like a letter from someone who loves you. Meditate on it. Let it speak to you. Read slowly and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal truth to your heart. Meditate on it again and again. Ask God to speak through it.

David says in Psalm 119:105 "Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path."

C. Worship and Praise Intentionally

Worship is powerful especially in dry seasons. It redirects your focus from your problems to God's greatness. Even when you don’t feel like it, praise Him. Praise breaks chains. Worship is not about feelings, it’s about focus. When we choose to praise God in the desert, He meets us there.

Isaiah 61:3 says "Put on the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness."

D. Build Spiritual Community

Isolation deepens dryness. Surround yourself with godly people who can pray with you, speak life over you, and walk with you. Join a small group. Participate in church.

Hebrews 10:25 “Do not neglect meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encourage one another...”

E. Serve Others

Serving brings refreshing. When we give ourselves to help others, God fills us in return. Serving shifts your focus from your dryness to God’s purpose.

“Whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.” – Proverbs 11:25

6. The Power of Community

We were not meant to go through spiritual battles alone.

• Find accountability partners - people who will pray with you and encourage you.

• Join a small group or Bible study - sharing your struggles can bring healing.

• Participate in church - even when you don’t feel like it, being in God’s presence with others matters.

We are encouraged by the book of Hebrews 10:25 which says "Let us not give up meeting together... but encourage one another."

7. Serving Others Revives the Soul

Serving others is a powerful way to come alive spiritually. When we focus on the needs of others, we often forget our own emptiness, and God fills us with joy. Proverbs 11:25 says "Whoever refreshes others will be refreshed." Jesus Himself said that serving others is the path to greatness and joy. Washing the disciples’ feet wasn’t just a gesture—it was a spiritual key.

You are not alone. Even spiritual giants like Elijah, David, and Jeremiah went through seasons of dryness. Jesus Himself cried, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (Matthew 27:46). But He held on, and so must you.

Dryness is not the end. It is a transition. It is a valley between two mountains. Keep walking.

8. The Role of Spiritual Disciplines

Sometimes we need to intentionally practice spiritual habits that bring renewal:

• Fasting – Clears away distractions and refocuses our hunger toward God.

• Silence and Solitude – Helps us hear God’s voice without the noise.

• Journaling – Helps process what God is doing and what we’re feeling.

In dry times, spiritual disciplines become life-support systems. These practices don’t earn God’s presence, they make space for you to receive it. They are not religious tasks—they are ways to make room for God to move again. Halleluiah!

9. Embrace God’s Promises

Even when we don’t feel God, His promises remain true. Scripture Jeremiah 29:11 clearly says to us “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you.” Isaiah 40:29 “He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless.” Matthew 5:6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.”

God will not leave you in your dryness. He is faithful, and He has not changed. The same God who parted the Red Sea is the same God who can bring water out of your wilderness. God promises to never leave us nor forsake us. Even when He feels distant, He is near. Trust His Word more than your feelings.

The word of God in Isaiah 43:2 says, “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you...”  and Isaiah 40:31 promises us that, “They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength...”

Even in the desert, God provides water. Even in silence, He is working.

Conclusion:

There Is Hope in the Dry Places. Spiritual dryness is painful, but it is not permanent. It can lead to the deepest intimacy with God. If you’re in a dry season now, don’t give up. Keep seeking. Keep praying. Keep showing up. In Psalm 42:1 David cried out saying “As the deer pants for the water brooks, so pants my soul for You, O God.” Let that be your cry. And trust that God hears every whisper from your dry place. Living water is coming. Healing is coming. Joy is coming.

The season may be dry, but the God who provides rivers in the desert is watching and walking with you. God specializes in turning deserts into rivers. Spiritual dryness is not permanent. As you continue to seek, trust, worship, and stay connected to the body of Christ, you will be renewed. Isaiah 44:3 “For I will pour water on him who is thirsty, and floods on the dry ground…”

Today, if your soul is dry, please don’t give up. Come to the living water. Let your soul pant again with a deep desire to know God more than ever before. Let Psalm 42:1 become your prayer: “As the deer pants for the water brooks, so pants my soul for You, O God.”

Written By Pastor Leo T Mukumba