Spiritual "Dry-spell"

Do you often find yourselves in a spiritual "dry" spell. I have. No rhyme or reason to it, just something that happens to us all. Some of us call it "depression," others of us just are tired and uninspired.

It may seems like you're crawling alone through the desert under a hot sun, nothing to drink or eat, not even knowing at times what it is we need. We struggled to find satisfaction. We just know that we need SOMEthing.

When we're at an all-time low, instead of praying to God to soothe our soul, we dwell on the thought of "How are we to mend ourselves?", or we are too discouraged to pray, and often run to the world for remedy (which is no remedy at all!) but TAKE HEART! The "desert experience" is actually a POSITIVE thing! Believe me, it's definitely worth the trip!

God is watching me closely, even while you may be in the desert, feeling spiritually dead:

Deuteronomy 32:10 — "He found him in a desert land, And in the howling waste of a wilderness; He encircled him, He cared for him, He guarded him as the pupil of His eye."

When I am in that "desert place" and nearly defenseless, God is protecting me, ready to do battle with anyone or anything that may do me harm. Joshua 8:14 — It came about when the king of Ai saw it, that the men of the city hurried and rose up early and went out to meet Israel in battle, he and all his people at the appointed place before the desert plain. But he did not know that {there was} an ambush against him behind the city.

The Devil is always PRIMED AND READY when I hit these times in my life:

I need to be extra vigilant and keep God close at hand, using the tools He has given me, such as the Bible, close friends, worship, and prayer. This is the point where we fail as soldiers of Christ when we're not vigilant during the weak/weakest times of life. Luke 4:1-2 — Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led around by the Spirit in the wilderness for forty days, being tempted by the devil. And He ate nothing during those days, and when they had ended, He became hungry. Though, the devil placed his aim on Jesus but Jesus knew who he was and will NOT give in.

During our "DESERT STORMS", we can praise God.

Often, we crouch in the closet of darkness, hide in our home, flee to worldly desires and mull over what is happening to us.
Instead of smiling to these storms, we frown.
Instead of shouting with joy, we shout with anger.
Instead of sharing with our friends what God has done to you as you fight through your trials (giving God the glory), we tell our friends what the problems are doing to us and have been overcome!

Only God can make your "walk in this life" a smooth one by allowing God a way to pass through our desert. We do this by:

Resting in Him!
Knowing that God is in control and believe He does!
Knowing He has our best interests at heart!

We can also "make smooth path" by correcting any wrongs that we may have done, through confession or by forgiveness. Isaiah 40:3 — A voice is calling, "Clear the way for the LORD in the wilderness; Make smooth in the desert a highway for our God.

When you sing, "This is the day, this is the day, this is the day that the Lord has made. I will rejoice, I will rejoice, I will rejoice and be glad in it (be glad, regardless of the circumstances!) then all will be made new, alive and fresh every morning with God! In other words, tremendous spiritual growth can happen in the midst of our dry desert. Do I hear an, "Amen!" Many Christians don't realize this important message Jesus had already taught, "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." John 16:33 See, Jesus said, "..In this world you will have trouble." It is no surprise to Him. He knows you and I will suffer. He knows you and I will have pain when we lose our love ones, when we suffer ourselves, when we're burdened. I have found this to be especially true for me, really!. But in Isaiah 43:19 — "Behold, I will do something new, Now it will spring forth; Will you not be aware of it? I will even make a roadway in the wilderness, Rivers in the desert. You don't know the blessings is just right next door. God is waiting for the right time to give it to you. You and I will have to seek Him in prayer.

There will be periods of EXTREME JOY and SPIRITUAL RICHES only if we rest ourselves in the knowledge of God and that "this too shall pass!" God is with us. Isaiah 51:3 — "The LORD will surely comfort Zion and will look with compassion on all her ruins; he will make her deserts like Eden, her wastelands like the garden of the LORD. Joy and gladness will be found in her, thanksgiving and the sound of singing."

So there you have it. We can praise God in our "desert storms"! "Amen!?" I hope you mean it. I want you to be aware that we are not alone, we are protected, we are to be vigilant, forever, vigliant, we prepare (even for the worst), we are be reborn, and we REJOICE!

And when others wonder about the sparkle in our eyes and the spring in our step, we are more than happy to give God the glory! Again, much more than happy to give God the glory through the example of your perseverance, your perseverance, your perseverance through your trials!

"But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have." (1 Peter 3:15)