It felt like it would never end. The season where I just didn’t know where God wanted me to go or to do. It was as if God had abandoned me and I was lost in a dry barren land. I’m not saying that to sound dramatic either. Have you been there in your walk with God?

You sit down to pray, hoping for a moment of connection, but it feels like your words barely make it past the ceiling. All you sense is silence. No still small voice. You sit. You wait. Nothing.

Or you open your Bible, you begin to read, and all you hear is the noise in your head as you desperately want something that will quiet the noise from God. Yet the words fall flat and feel void of comfort.

This sort of spiritual “dryness” is more common than you think and it should be encouraging to hear that because every believer encounters it. My friend, this season you’ve encountered is a beautiful opportunity to truly experience the fruit of God’s work in your life and to live in this space testing your faith and trust in His promises.

So, let’s explore some things you can do to invigorate and strengthen your faith as you wait for the refreshing abundance that you feel is missing in this moment.

Recognize and Embrace
Spiritual dryness often sneaks up on us subtly. You might suddenly feel detached during worship, find prayer challenging, or struggle to feel joy in your daily walk and things start to spiral. The realities hit you suddenly and spiritual challenges creep in. It’s important first to acknowledge what’s going on and to avoid piling on shame. Identify your feelings and take a deep breath. Spiritual dryness isn’t a failure nor does it change who God is and the good plans He has for your life; it’s a signal that something deeper may need attention or is coming your way.

Unpack the Source of Dryness
This can stem from various causes. Sometimes, certain realities in life simply begin to overwhelm the spiritual flourishing you had previously experienced—business, stress, exhaustion, unregulated triggers, can wear down our sense of connection to God. It might also mean we need to confront other internal struggles such as unconfessed sin or doubts about God’s promises and timing.

Take a moment to pause and reflect. Identify what might be causing this sense of spiritual dryness in your life. Self-awareness and compassion for yourself is key here. Are you being patient with this moment? Are you expressing gentleness and compassion toward yourself and God? This could be the key to understanding what’s going on.

Turn Back to the Basics
When feeling disconnected, go back to the foundation. And if you are in a good routine, then don’t let it break down. Continue in daily devotion and prayer no matter how you feel. Push through. Make sure you have set aside time each day, even if it’s just a few minutes, to read scripture, pray, or simply sit in God’s presence no matter how you feel. Spiritual renewal often starts with simple, consistent practices. Consider reading a favorite Psalm or meditating on God’s promises. Remember, this isn’t about ticking off boxes—it’s about reconnecting with God’s heart.

Connect with a trusted Community or Coach
Isolation often deepens spiritual dryness. God did not create us to be alone. He saw that Adam without a partner was not good. So he created Eve as a suitable partner. So, going it alone isn’t God’s design. We were made for being a community. So, seek out your church community for help, join a small group, or reach out to a trusted friend who can offer support and encouragement.

Our coaching provides a safe place to process and get to emotional stability by addressing the impacts of beliefs and faith in our lives. Sharing your struggles and receiving encouragement doesn’t make you weak. It makes you human. It’s so important to hear and see others’ experiences. They can remind you that you’re not alone and can get help when you need it.

Remember Past Spiritual Victories
Sometimes recalling our past can be painful, but recalling seasons of victory and success can help as well. All my life, I held church up to the standard of spiritual closeness and community from my days working at summer camp. It changed my life. Now, instead of hankering for “the way things were” I can recall the elements that made that season so sweet and see how gratitude for the season I am currently in can be shaped by the beautiful things in my past.

Think back to times when your faith felt alive and full. This is exactly why so many people have encouraged me over the years to keep a prayer journal and to revisit it frequently. Our memory fails us, but when we intentionally look for God to answer our prayers and shape our lives and then record it. We have a measure by which we can see and be reminded of God’s faithfulness.

Seek Inspiration through Devotionals
It doesn’t take having a massive library of spiritual books and devotionals in this day and age to be encouraged. Resources on the internet are vast but be sure to find good bible teaching from devotionals and publishers such as as Crossway and Our Daily Bread to gain perspective. The Bible.app has a host of daily devotional and tools to help bring your spiritual refreshment. A fresh perspective can break through the dryness and make all the difference.

Consider these devotionals or Bible studies that will focus on rekindling your faith. Let them provide new insights, spark your curiosity, and nourish your spirit with encouragement. Just remember to pick something that feels manageable in the dry season you end. It’s important not to let overwhelm, even in bible reading to keep you from it.

Above All
Embrace this time and rest and relax knowing this is part of the journey. The valley’s change the beauty and wonder of the mountain top experiences. God uses them to refine us. God has not abandoned you in this moment. So, disconnect from social media and be careful not to be comparing yourself and your spiritual walk with others. The perception that others are more spiritual than you is a comparison that is not from God. YOU WALK YOUR WALK! Don’t let the behaviors or spiritual routines of others distract you from your relationship with God. This walk is not one of instant results. Most of the time the Spiritual growth you’re hungry for happens in the quiet, unseen moments.

Don’t give up!
Spiritual dryness doesn’t mean you’re failing or that God has turned away. Often, it’s an invitation to dig deeper, to grow in faith even when feelings fade. As you work through these steps, take heart. Just as seasons change, so will this. God promises to be near, even in the quietest moments. So, pick one step to try today and remember: renewal is always within reach.

Gratitude Matters

Gratitude can truly have a transformative power in our lives. I use to get so annoyed by the clichés for gratitude. The problem is that if we let our annoyances drive our willingness to change we will remain stuck. So, I had to get over the annoyance and realize that gratitude can really make a difference and I’m not talking just putting on rose colored glasses and ignoring problems.

Having gratitude is an attitude that requires effort. It’s upstream of our feelings. If you’re like me, feelings of depression and discouragement are easier to come by. I refer to easy or default emotions as downstream. So expressing gratitude will always come with the price of intentional thought. upstream.

Gratitude is a quality that we harness to refuse the downward spiral and to acknowledge, in spite of life’s challenges, to see the good and the blessings all around us. So, gratitude is fueled by our focus on the small, seemingly insignificant blessings and not simply faking positivity.

Gratitude is especially impactful in our difficult seasons, because it is so difficult to come by in the midst of an onslaught of challenges and negative thoughts. While it might be so incredibly hard to invoke gratitude when everything seems to be hitting the fan. Living in the practice of expressing gratitude will help you get in the habit in the “good” seasons so that you’re ready for the bad seasons. It’s in those hard times that it will help you find peace, strength, and perspective in the midst of the storm.

Scripture is filled with passages that help remind us to express our gratitude regularly. Consider 1 Thessalonians 5:18: “Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

Gratitude is a Choice

Acknowledge that gratitude often doesn’t come naturally, especially in challenging situations. It’s important to remember that we have to choose to have gratitude. We drift toward complaint or ingratitude which is a reflection of discontentment.

So what we do is that when discontentment or ingratitude is stirred up in us we repent or turn toward the exact opposite by choice. This again requires a self-awareness that reflects a maturity in our lives.

Some practical ways to practice gratitude and to keep choosing it is to put into your routine a pause and moments in your day that force you to think, ponder, and respond to the subtle things in your life you should express gratitude for.

From Problems to Promises

This is why it is so important to then acknowledge the giver of all the things you have in life. To bring into focus your life for the purpose of glorifying God. When we focus on God’s promises instead of our problems, we gain strength and hope.

In every situation, God is working for our good (Romans 8:28).

There are a number of ways we can return to the scriptures and reflect on the promises of God’s presence and provision for our lives. God is not done when you are going through hardship. He is working things together for your good and you can sit in His presence without the feeling of ingratitude when you recognize His purposes on a grander scale.

Take a moment

Develop small, consistent habits of expressing thanks, such as keeping a gratitude journal or saying a quick prayer of thanks each morning. Don’t just wait for sitting down to a meal with your family and express gratitude more frequently

Aim to make this a habit. In every moment commit to express gratitude and be persistent in challenging the awkwardness or challenge it can be. With time and persistence it can become a natural response, not just an occasional practice.

Reframe Negative Thoughts

It’s amazing what our focus can do when we take a moment to look around and vocally identify the thoughts that are captivating our attention and to speak the truth over them. Remember this is not an opportunity to partner with shame but to simply state the truth and own it and to deny the lie.

Surround Yourself with Positive Influences

You are the average of the 5 people you surround yourself with. That is why it’s so important to evaluate and to be mindful of the influences you have in your life and the community and company you keep. What sort of talk do they have about their circumstances? Have you ever been critical in your reflection of your time with others? Maybe it’s time to distance yourself from others that are constantly complaining, harbor resentment, or entitlement, and focus on what is lacking rather than what is present.

Surround yourself with people who are uplifting and encouraging, as well as encourage you to seek the Lord in your struggles and challenges through time in prayer and worship.

Practice Service and Generosity

Another way to pivot or experience gratitude for yourself and circumstances to take your eye off of yourself. Stop “navel gazing” as it is called and lift your eyes up to the world around you and others who are in need. I’m not talking about having pity on others who comparatively might have things worst off, but to serve others as Christ would have you serve. This always knocks me out of the spirit of ingratitude and into living in the spirit and God’s will.

This helps us shift focus away from what we lack to what we can offer and honestly the ultimate source of all things in our life. God.

Serve in small ways by being thoughtful of your co-workers, or doing an intentional act of kindness for someone in need. Take a moment out of your busy day and even your challenging times and think about others. It’ll do you a world of good.

Final Thoughts

Gratitude can Impact Everything

Gratitude reshapes us and gets us to live in the flow of the spirit. It’s where we experience the joy and peace of walking in God’s provision and out of comparison and ingratitude. It takes habitual intentional effort that you must into practice. Use routine to help you in the seasons where things seem to be better than the challenging ones and you’ll find it easier to face the challenging seasons with more gratitude than you had before. We can develop an enduring attitude of gratitude that carries us through any season by the grace of God. Be blessed!

Finding my spiritual gift has been an elusive idea my entire life in the Christian church and life. I’ve really struggled with what spiritual gifts might be accessible to me.

I think there has been a little bit of a doubt in my heart that spiritual gifting was actually for me. The idea that God would bestow me with some sort of super spiritual gifting always felt beyond my reach.

Why? Why would I believe that when it’s not in fact true.

Honestly, it might be because I was believing an alternative gospel. One that required me to clean myself up or do something for my acceptance in God’s good graces to be used by Him.

The truth is… spiritual gifts are made available to all Christians. It just might be a matter of timing or spiritual maturity that God is waiting on in you, but what I discovered is that this reality doesn’t change my salvation or God’s love for me.

What are spiritual gifts?

The bible has a few go-to verses about the spiritual gifts.

You may turn to Romans 12:6-8 and see Prophecy, Serving, Teaching, Exhortation, Giving, Leadership, and Mercy listed.

1 Corinthians 12:8-10 lists Word of Wisdom, Word of Knowledge, Faith, Gifts of Healings, Miracles, Prophecy, Distinguishing between Spirits, Tongues, and Interpretation of Tongues

Now there is 1 Corinthians 12:28-30 which lists Apostle, Prophet, Teacher, Miracles, Kinds of Healings, Helps, Administration, and Tongues

While there is debate about some of these the point is that there are some pretty explicit places in the scriptures that God made a point to list spiritual gifts.

Why Do They Matter?

We are given these gifts for a purpose and for the edification of the church.

While there is debate on what constitutes some of these spiritual gifts as present in the church now and some include what appear to be roles in the church as gifts. However, there is no clear evidence in scripture that I have seen that gives reason to believe these gifts would be cut off or ended.

While it may be the experience of some believers that they do not witness or experience these gifts in practice that does not mean they have ended.

I do fear that the over emphasis of these gifts that has happened in the church is unnecessary. It’s important to keep in mind that obsessing over having received a spiritual gift does not determine ones salvation or faith by any stretch of the imagination.

They are given in grace as it says in Romans 12: 6-8 and they are given by the same spirit. So, exploring the spiritual gifts based on merit or evident talents is not a very biblical practice.

Spiritual Gift Assessments

While I’ve expressed caution with regards to obsessing over spiritual gifts, it’s excellent to desire to live in them and to be available to their presence in the life of a believer.

Keep in mind that it is at the heart of obedience and service to the Lord that we are to seek these gifts and not for personal gain or purpose. So, seeking the spiritual gifts from God is good and a healthy part of walking with the Spirit.

While talents are natural abilities we can hone over time, spiritual gifts come directly from God’s Spirit and are often specific to His calling for us. You might find, however, that your natural talents complement your spiritual gifts. For example, someone with a talent for public speaking might find they have the gift of teaching or encouragement.

Everything Starts with Prayer

Seek God’s wisdom first in your journey to understanding your spiritual gift. Ask God for clarity and wisdom in uncovering the gifts He’s placed within you. Pray openly, letting God know that you’re ready and willing to serve in whatever way He calls you. Keep in mind that God doesn’t answer prayer on our timetable. I’ve watched many believers give up or become frustrated in their prayer because God is not “answering” in the way in which they expect Him to. God’s timing is perfect in all things. Even this. So, live faithfully in the immediate things He has called you to.

Affirmations

Now in your prayer life ask for God to confirm the calling and gifts He gives to you. I encourage new believers to be careful in doing this by testing the spirits they encounter against the scripture and through the wisdom given to other believers wiser in their faith.

Seek Feedback
Affirmation may come through the encouragement and edification of the church. The opportunity to serve in certain ways that use your gifts or God presenting to you the moment in time to be obedient to use the gift He has given you.

Your gift doesn’t happen in a vacuum. Our spiritual family can often see our gifts before we do. Reach out to trusted friends, family members, or church leaders who know you well. Ask them where they see God’s unique calling on your life. Their feedback can offer confirmation and may even reveal strengths you haven’t recognized.

Serve and Observe
One of the best ways to discover your gifts is to serve in various areas and see what feels natural and fulfilling. Join a small group, volunteer in your church, or participate in community outreach. Over time, you’ll notice where you feel most effective and where others are most impacted by your service.

Final Thoughts

Discovering your spiritual gifts is a process, and it’s perfectly okay if it takes time. God’s purpose for your life will unfold in His timing. Be patient with yourself, stay open, and remember that every step brings you closer to understanding how God wants to use you.

As you discover and develop your gifts, you’ll experience deeper fulfillment and a greater sense of purpose in your walk with God. Embrace this journey, and trust that God will guide you exactly where you’re meant to serve.