Persevere in the Dry Times

1 Corinthians 1:9, "God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord."

Remember the newness and excitement you felt when you first came to Christ and tasted closeness with Him? The things of the Spirit, which were once foreign, are now treasured and sought after. The spiritual mind maintains a conversation with God as we see with Enoch, "Enoch walked with God," Genesis 5:22. In Enoch, we see the spiritual mind interacting with God.

Once we have tasted the goodness of God, walked with Him, fellowshipped, and communed with Him, other things pale in significance. However, we have all known a time, a season, or a situation when we find communion with the Lord distant, and walking with Him is done with difficulty. It seems that in these difficult times, we must press on and look to the Lord to restore our dull hearts. There may be times when you feel isolated from God. Nothing is lonelier than knowing that sweet fellowship with Him and then spending time thinking you’re taking that long hike around the spiritual desert.  

I suspect that it is during these times that we must be most aware of temptation. We are never to let our guard down, but when we are in a weaker spiritual state, we must be ever more vigilant against temptation. One thing we can do, even when we are struggling, is seek out the fellowship of other believers. Fellowship refreshes the soul.

A good way to jump start our prayer lives is to take prayer walks. This gets us out of the house and away from the distractions that naturally come with being home. Reading the Bible is my go-to reading but in the heaviest of spiritual oppression, there have been times when I would read a while, then not have a clue what I just read.

I know from past experience that is the time I must get outside myself and problems and work for the Lord…somehow, some way, some activity (like the prayer walk) or doing for others in His name. We tell Him we give Him our life; that includes our hands, feet, time and energy. There is nothing like a little physical effort for others in His service to wipe away anything clouding our spiritual line of communication.

1 Corinthians 15:58 (NIV) Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.