Life Unstuck: Overcoming A Spiritual Dry Spell
Are you ready for a gut-honest friend to friend post?
I actually hope this blog post FINDS a few friends. This is my first post in many, many moons 🙂 I am praying I haven’t lost you completely. If not–I hope you will connect with some heart to heart sharing I have for my “come back” post. My hope and prayer is that maybe you can relate. Maybe you need to say this out loud along with me. Maybe we can UNSTICK some hope together.
Honey and I started a journey in JANUARY moving from Tampa to Atlanta. Sometimes it seems we will NEVER actually get THROUGH this particular life transition. We just last week moved into an apartment here in Atlanta. I shared more about all that in my August A Refreshing Pause so I won’t wax on and on about it here! (sign up on my home page for my next newsletter)
This is what is on my heart this morning and has been for a good while now.
Spiritual dry spells–seasons lived in the deserts of life–wandering–waiting. Seasons when life circumstances seem to OWN the days!
The thing for me is, the “season” I have been trudging through has lasted for 7 months now. I know for some that even seems like a SHORT time, right?!
It very often feels foreign.
It very often feels lonely.
It almost always feels confusing.
It downright feels weird.
Since the very day I surrendered my life to Jesus I have NEVER felt quite like this. Don’t get me wrong. I have had seasons of very tough life stuff. Losses. Challenges. Disappointment.
This is different. This is not simply circumstantial, this is deeper. This feels STUCK!
In my book Life Unstuck, I have an entire Chapter (21) dedicated to Unstuck Emotions.
Dale Carnegie says “85% of our success is determined by our attitude”. I know it is true!
So, this is my question.
Have you ever felt SPIRITUALLY STUCK? You know it’s NOT TRUE but sometimes it seems like God has moved away from you? Although we KNOW in our head, and through His Word, He has not, our emotions tell us He has. No matter how you dig into scripture; journal your prayers; share with friends; worship; cry out and wait? You just can’t seem to hear from Him?
My guess is yes.
Honestly, that is how I have felt (keyword) more often than not, during this season. Just a bit LOST. Just a bit separated from God’s presence. Just a bit alone. Just a bit spiritually STUCK!
I am grateful to have found a bit of a “settled” place here in Atlanta but FAR MORE grateful to have found my personal UNSTUCK PLACE with Jesus again.
If you have a few minutes to reply below, I would love to hear==
HOW DO YOU handle spiritual “dry spells”?
How do you find your way out?
Do your circumstances have to change?
What helps you through such a SPIRITUALLY STUCK dry spell?
Pat
(Email from a reader)
I’m sorry to hear your struggle, but I can certainly relate. There have been times when I’ve felt stuck spiritually. Many times it happens in the midst of longer-term difficult situations. Those times used to make me crazy – “What am I doing wrong?” But lately, in the middle of another of those phases, I’ve been realizing that part of my journey is to learn how to rest, even when things aren’t moving along how I want them. And that rest means physical and mental as well as spiritual. I have learned that being nurturing to myself in those moments often calms and settles me. Then prayer and scripture reading become more meaningful, and even if I’m not feeling God’s presence, I remember truths about Him that I can lean into. I don’t do this perfectly, for sure. But when I do, there is a peace that takes hold, whether I’m getting a direct word from Him or not.
Thanks for sharing with us.
(email from a reader)
Hi Pat,
Thank you for sharing your heart! As for me, when I feel the way you’re describing which I’m actually experiencing a bit right now, I’ve learned to worship Him all the more and look for and acknowledge His blessings! Then even though my circumstances might not change, I no longer feel lonely! I hope this helps!
Abundant love and blessings,
(email from a reader)
When I am STUCK, I find my prayer group girls prod me out of it. What would I do without them! God so often provides me with quiet counsel, but these friends help push me through!