Overcoming Spiritual Dryness: Trusting God When We Feel Distant

At some point in our journey of faith, we all face moments of spiritual dryness—those seasons when God feels distant, our prayers seem to fall on deaf ears, and we wonder if He’s displeased with us. We can feel lost, trapped in doubt, and even fall into depression, questioning our worth and our place in His love. But these moments, painful as they are, have been experienced by the saints and can ultimately bring us closer to God, if we persevere.

The Reality of Spiritual Dryness

Spiritual dryness can feel like a desert—empty, lonely, and desolate. We go through the motions of prayer, but our hearts feel numb. The joy we once experienced in God's presence seems far away, and we’re left questioning, “Where is God?”

King David captured this feeling in Psalm 13:1-2, where he cries, “How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?” It’s a familiar lament. We wonder if God is angry with us, or if He has abandoned us because of our sinfulness. But as David shows us in the very next verse, even in the midst of despair, trust remains: “But I trust in your unfailing love” (Psalm 13:5).

Spiritual dryness doesn’t mean God has turned His back on us. In fact, it is often a call to deeper faith—a test of whether we can love Him even when we don’t feel His nearness.

God’s Silence is Not His Absence

The Bible reminds us again and again that God never abandons us, even when we feel forgotten. In Isaiah 49:14-15, Israel cried out, “The Lord has forsaken me,” but God reassures them, “Can a mother forget her nursing child? Even if she could, I will not forget you!”

In those moments of dryness, God hasn’t left. He’s often closer than ever, working within us in ways we can’t yet see. His silence may be an invitation to grow deeper in trust, to love Him not for what He gives but for who He is.

St. Paul echoes this truth in 2 Corinthians 12:9, when God tells him, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Sometimes, God allows our struggles and spiritual barrenness to teach us to rely on His strength rather than our own.

The Saints Who Walked Through Darkness

The saints we admire most often walked through the deepest spiritual deserts. Their faithfulness in the face of dryness teaches us how to endure.

• St. Thérèse of Lisieux, the “Little Flower,” experienced a prolonged period of spiritual emptiness, writing about feeling as though there was a wall between her and God. Yet, she chose to trust, calling it her “little way.” She teaches us that faith is not about feeling God but trusting in Him when all feelings are gone.

  
  

• St. Teresa of Calcutta (Mother Teresa) spent almost 50 years in spiritual darkness, often feeling completely abandoned by God. In her letters, she wrote of feeling “rejected” by Him, but despite the agonizing silence, she remained committed to her mission. She found God not in consolations, but in the faces of the poor she served.

  
  

• St. John of the Cross spoke of the “Dark Night of the Soul,” a profound period of spiritual dryness where we feel completely detached from God’s presence. Yet, he understood this darkness as a necessary purification, allowing us to love God more purely. He taught that, though it feels painful, the dark night strips away our need for signs and feelings, teaching us to trust in God alone.

  
  

How Do We Persevere?

1. Pray Anyway

   It may feel like your prayers are bouncing off the ceiling, but pray anyway. Jesus told us in Luke 18:1, “always pray and not give up.” When St. John of the Cross was in his dark night, he encouraged us to keep praying, even when we can’t feel God’s presence. In these moments, our prayers are acts of pure faith, which are incredibly pleasing to God.

   
   

2. Stay Close to the Sacraments

   The sacraments are channels of grace, whether we feel them or not. Regular Confession and receiving the Eucharist are lifelines during times of dryness. St. Teresa of Avila once said, “We must have a determined determination to never give up prayer, and even though we may have dryness and difficulty, this prayer is very pleasing to the Lord.”

   
   

3. Hold Fast to Scripture

   God’s Word is our anchor in the storm. When our emotions fail us, scripture reminds us of the truth. In Psalm 34:18, we are assured, “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” Even when we can’t feel God, His Word reminds us He is near.

   
   

4. Serve Others

   Like Mother Teresa, when we feel God is distant, sometimes the best thing we can do is turn outward and serve others. It can be in those small acts of love that we encounter Him once again. Serving others reminds us that God’s love isn’t always a feeling—it’s an action.

   
   

5. Trust in God’s Plan

   Finally, spiritual dryness isn’t a sign that God is angry with us or that He has left. It is an invitation to deeper trust. As He tells us in Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans I have for you…plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Even when we can’t see the way, God is leading us toward something greater.

Spiritual dryness feels like a desert, but just as God led the Israelites through the wilderness to the Promised Land, He is leading us through this dry season to something greater. The saints remind us that the dark night is not the absence of God, but the refinement of our souls.

So, when you find yourself wandering in the desert of spiritual dryness, take heart. Keep praying, even when it’s hard. Cling to the Word of God. Trust that He is working in you, even when you don’t feel Him. And remember, God will never abandon you, even in the silence.

– With love and faith,

Monica