What to Do in a Season of Spiritual Dryness: 3 Hope-Filled Steps to Draw Near to God
In complete honesty, I’m walking through a season of spiritual dryness. It’s the kind of season that leaves you emotionally and spiritually depleted — where God feels distant, discipline feels hard, and your soul feels stuck.
With such a busy ministry season — constantly pouring out while feeling like I have very little to give — I’ve found lies creeping into my heart like:
I can’t feel God, so He must not be with me.
He feels too far to reach.
If you’ve had similar thoughts or are currently in a spiritually dry season, I want to encourage you: you are not alone, and you don’t have to stay stuck.
When God Feels Distant, His Truth Still Stands
Spiritual dryness can be disorienting, especially when you’re faithfully walking with God. But Scripture reminds us of something powerful:
“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” — Joshua 1:9
“The Lord is near to all who call on Him, to all who call on Him in truth.” — Psalm 145:18
No matter how you feel, God’s presence is not dictated by your emotions. His nearness isn’t based on your performance. He is faithful even when your heart feels numb.
The Woman at the Well: A Story for the Weary
Even after following Christ for many years, I often return to the story of the woman at the well in John 4. Her story reminds me that Jesus meets us in our dryness — not with judgment, but with compassion.
“Everyone who drinks from this water will get thirsty again. But whoever drinks from the water that I will give him will never get thirsty again... it will become a well of water springing up in him for eternal life.” — John 4:13-14
Jesus offered her more than temporary relief. He offered lasting satisfaction.
Many of us try to quench our spiritual thirst with distractions, striving, or worldly comforts — but they will always leave us empty. Only Jesus satisfies the deepest parts of our soul.
3 Small Steps for When You're Spiritually Dry
If you’re in a dry season, here are three small but meaningful ways I’m learning to reconnect with the Lord:
1. Be Honest with God
Tell Him exactly how you feel. He’s not intimidated by your weariness or questions. In fact, He invites you to pour out your heart to Him.
“Trust in Him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us.” — Psalm 62:8
2. Make Space for Stillness
In the chaos of life, choose quiet. Turn off the noise, sit in His presence, and simply be with God — no agenda, no checklists. Just you and Him.
3. Return to What Once Stirred Your Soul
Go back to the simple rhythms that once brought you closer to Him. Revisit favorite Scriptures. Sit in nature. Play a worship song. Write your prayers. Let God meet you in the ordinary again.
He Still Meets Us at the Well
Spiritual dryness is not the end of your story. It’s an invitation to return — to be met by Jesus once more, to be refreshed by His living water.
So if you’re tired, distant, or discouraged today, take heart:
He’s still near. He still satisfies. And He still meets people at the well.
Meet the Author
Alex Hanson
Alexandra (Alex) Hanson is loved by a King. She lives in good ‘ole Iowa with her husband of almost 2 years, Blake, and their two fur-babies, Violet and Ringo. She grew up reading books of fairytales and love overcoming all. While she hasn’t found herself living in a castle, she has discovered that Love did conquer all. Alex works in vocational ministry at Sunnybrook Community Church in Sioux City, Iowa. She does many things there, but her favorite part is leading people in worship through singing and writing.
Alex is a homebody at heart. She spends her free time mostly at home, reading books and watching movies with her husband. But, she also loves the outdoors. When it isn’t freezing or scorching hot in Iowa, you can find her exploring God’s Creation. On the side, she loves cooking and is in a local cover band. She believes that it’s important to break the stigma that following Jesus is a boring, mundane existence. Instead, she has found that a life being loved by and loving a King is one of adventure and joy. It’s the ultimate fairytale, because as we know, fairytales always have a happy ending.
