Dry Spell

Dry Spell

     Sometimes we may feel that we are not hearing God or that out prayer life seems to have, well “ Dried Up”. There are times that we  do go through some Dry Spells. It does not mean God does not care for us or is not listening. It is something many saints like John of the Cross and Teresa of Avila. Dry spells in faith are not uncommon at all. 

     When this happens, dry spells, we need not to worry or give up. We have to continue on and move forward still. Keep on praying. Continue doing what you felt called to do the day before and do not take away from whatever prayers you have been doing. It is time to add things in your life instead of taking away. Start reading some books with christian messages and lessons. Check out those inspirational books that will lift us up and not drag us further down. Sometimes it may just be one quote that changes your spiritual life or stats that spark again. 

      There is also a physical piece that maybe hindering your spiritual side. Ask yourself these questions: Am I getting enough sleep? Am I eating right? Am I taking some down time? Questions like these my help us understand what might be causing this or adding to it. We need to make sure that we are approaching the spiritual side of our lives when our physical is also in tune. Try and have that alone time to charge yourself. Some down time alone helps. Be relaxed when you are talking to God. Do things that do not drain your energy but enhance it. That may be going for a walk in the park or sitting by the ocean and watch the waves come crashing in.  If we are weak physically it just may add to make us weak spiritually and we will not hear God speaking to us. 

      Receive the sacraments of Confession and Eucharist. They are both healing in nature. Confession can take the burden of sin off of our soul and a make room for God. Keep going to mass and if possible increase it. See about daily mass or a healing mass. It would be easy to not attend mass when you feel this. Instead by going you are increasing the graces that are out there. You are also going to be around some like minded people who, if asked, will pray for you. Speak to a Priest, Deacon or even a spiritual director and ask for their advice. Use the avenues that God has placed here on earth to get back and not feel like there is nothing there. 

     Another area to check is sin. Are you in a cycle of sin that is pushing away or blocking those areas that God uses to speak to you. You can go to confession to help remove sin but if you just go back to the same sin over and over you need to find another way to stop it. Confession is great but if you are not truly sorry or just keep returning to it then something else needs to be done. Only you can answer if this is true for you or not. 

      Sometimes we need to go through the dry spells so we can learn from them. That no matter what graces God gives or not, that we will continue doing as we did when we did not feel like this. It is not a give and take relationship and when that give goes then we go as well. Hold onto those times when grace was given so when when we are not feeling the graces flowing we have those graces to hold onto. When that dry spell is over hold onto what you learned tightly and hold onto what you have in the spiritual life. You may never know why it is happening but just remember you got through it and you cam out the other side. 

Until tomorrow, God Bless, and when dryness sets in, ask God to pour down His graces on you.