“God is There” and 2 Other Things to Remember During Spiritual Droughts

Do you ever feel like you receive so much insight and depth in your relationship with God, and other times, it feels so…dry?

I grew up in Southern California, so I’m quite familiar with what it’s like to go through a drought, and what it’s like when the drought ends, and rain finally comes again. I often think of my spiritual life as being like that weather…sometimes it’s really dry and hardly ever rains, and then the drought ends, and…well, it showers for days—or weeks!

Sometimes, I can “feel” God. I know I’m close to him, and I can sense how he’s working in my life every day. I think of those seasons as times of rain. I don’t know about you, but since I grew up in a dry climate; when it rains, I get really excited.

Then there are those times that seem like God isn’t there at all. I read my Bible, pray, go to Church, witness to others, repeating the actions again and again, but it feels like he isn’t doing anything in my life. It can get to the point where I even doubt his existence. I think of these times as spiritual deserts or droughts.

Sometimes, when we go through spiritual deserts, it’s a result of our own pride; trying to do everything in our own strength, but often we go through spiritual deserts because Satan wants to destroy us.

Think of Job. He did nothing wrong. He was upright, generous—he was good. He was so good that Satan begged God to allow him to hurt Job, to see if he really loved God like he said he did. Job went through a “spiritually dry” point in his life, not because he did anything wrong, but because he did things right.

Here are some things to keep in mind when you’re going through a spiritual desert, whether it’s a result of your own pride or Satan’s attempt to destroy you:

1. God is always there.

He does hear you, and he knows what you’re going through. Remember, Jesus was tempted by Satan too. Whether you “feel” him or not, God is there. Jesus said he’s with us always, even unto the end of the earth.

“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” (Isaiah 41:10)

2. Satan is a liar.

Satan will do anything to deceive God’s people, so don’t listen to the voice telling you that God isn’t there, because he is. Don’t forget that God’s Word is truth, not your thoughts, or the thoughts Satan is putting in your head.

“Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” (Genesis 3:1)

3. No drought lasts forever.

You may feel spiritually dry today, but you may feel God’s presence again tomorrow.

Eventually, the drought ends, and it finally rains, and when the rain finally comes again, it pours! In the end, God will always provide your needs.

“But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:13)

Whatever is going on in your life, hold on to Jesus because you will get through the drought.

God is there. Even in the drought.