115 | Feeling Spiritually Dry? What To Do When You Can’t Feel God with You

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Ever feel spiritually dry? This episode is for you—we’re opening a gentle, practical journey through spiritual dryness that will transform that empty feeling into a renewed sense of presence. We will name the ache honestly, then walk step by step into trust that doesn’t depend on emotions, using Scripture, stories, and embodied practices to soften the soil of the heart.

We explore why wilderness seasons aren’t proof of God’s absence but invitations into deeper reliance, drawing from biblical journeys. Along the way, we make spirituality tangible: how to anchor attention with simple sensory cues to create a short, consistent rhythm that fits life again. You’ll hear how frankincense and other calming aromas can serve as memory markers for prayer, why silence can become a sanctuary instead of a threat, and how awe and gratitude reawaken wonder in ordinary moments.

From folding laundry to driving to work, we show how practicing the presence turns daily tasks into quiet altars. Expect clear takeaways: choose presence over perfection, prioritize consistency over intensity, and trust promises over passing moods. Dry seasons don’t last forever; rains return, and growth after drought runs deeper and stronger. If your heart is tired and your mind is noisy, this conversation offers grounded hope, biblical encouragement, and a simple plan to reconnect with God’s nearness.

If this resonated, follow the show, share it with a friend who needs encouragement, and leave a review. Want more guided help? Come hang out with us in our Facebook group at DevotionDrops.com and grab the free Awaken to Aroma guide—then tell us: what small rhythm will you start today?

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Episode Transcript

Paula Behrens (00:00):
Have you ever opened your Bible, stared at the
page, and felt nothing?
You know the verses.
You've underlined them before,maybe even taught them to
others.
But this time, the words justlie there flat, lifeless, like
ink on paper instead of theLiving Truth that they are.
That's what spiritual drynessfeels like.

(00:22):
Prayer feels mechanical.
Worship songs don't move you.
Even your favorite devotionalssound hollow.
And somewhere deep inside youwhisper, Lord, where are you?
Today we'll explore whyspiritual dryness happens, how
God uses it, and how torediscover his presence again.
Not just in theory, but in away that your heart can feel

(00:46):
again.
Stay tuned until the endbecause I have something very
special I want to share withyou.
But first, funny story.
When I first began my seminarywork while serving two church
congregations full-time,everyone assumed I had my daily
devotional time perfectlyorganized.
But truth be told, there weremornings I could barely find
five minutes to catch my breath,let alone dive into deep

(01:10):
reflection.
One day, as I rushed out thedoor with mismatched shoes, I
realized that even in my chaos,there was a lesson.
Embracing God's grace andself-forgiveness, I realized
that true success in mydevotional life requires
prioritizing my spiritualpractices.
Are you finding it challengingto maintain your spiritual

(01:32):
practices or yearning for a morepeaceful, God-aligned day?
I'm Paula and I've been theretoo.
Balancing spiritual habits witha busy life can be difficult.
I longed for a deeperconnection with God but
struggled with consistency.
Then I found the perfectapproach.
If you seek simple ways todeepen your connection with God,
this podcast is for you.

(01:54):
Please take a moment to followthe show, leave a review, and
share with your friends who needa little biblical encouragement
today.
Hey friend, I know what it'slike to feel far from God, even
when you're doing all the rightthings.
You're showing up, you'repraying, you're reading your
Bible, but inside somethingfeels disconnected.
You wonder if you're doingenough, if God is even

(02:16):
listening.
You feel a little ashamed thatyour quiet time isn't what it
used to be or what you hoped itwould be.
I want you to know you're notalone and you're not failing.
God isn't asking for yourperfection.
He's just asking for yourpresence.
That's what the aroma ofChrist's coaching hour is all
about.
No pressure, no performance,just God's presence.

(02:37):
And as a special touch, you'llreceive a free essential oil
sampler ahead of time so you canexperience how these simple
tools can enhance our timetogether, creating an
environment where peace andclarity can flourish.
Let me walk with you into aslower spirit-led rhythm that
will help you reconnect with theOne who's been waiting to
refresh your soul all along.

(02:57):
Say yes to peace, say yes topresence.
Book your Aroma of Christcoaching hour now at
PaulaBehrens.com/coaching.
That's Paula Behrens, B E H R EN S .com/coaching (no spaces).
All right, it's time to getstarted.
Grab your Bible, dust off yourjournal, and cozy up to your

(03:18):
favorite beverage.
And let's dive in.
If you've ever lived through aTexas drought, you know what
it's like to see the soil crackunder the heat.
The grass turns brown, thecreeks dry up, swarms of
grasshoppers eat everythingthat's green, and the air hums
with thirst.
That's what spiritual drynessfeels like inside.
You know the promises.

(03:39):
He restores my soul.
Rivers of living water willflow from within.
But lately it feels like thefaucet is broken.
You might even find yourselfsearching for Bible verses about
feeling spiritually dry, hopingone will suddenly click and
turn the flow back on.
But let's slow down and look atwhat might be happening beneath
the surface.

(04:00):
Dryness isn't because God hasleft us, it's because he's
drawing us deeper.
Think about this.
When the Israelites wanderedthrough the wilderness for forty
years, God was still with them.
A cloud by day, fire by night,manna from heaven, water from a
rock, but they often couldn'tfeel his nearness because they

(04:21):
wanted the promised land morethan his presence.
Sound familiar?
The truth is, spiritual drynesscan actually be sacred ground.
It's where faith stops beingabout feelings and starts
becoming about trust.
If you're in a dry season, Godisn't punishing you, he's making

(04:42):
space for something fresh,letting your spiritual soil rest
before new growth begins.
Spiritual dryness has a way ofrevealing what we depend on.
It strips away the noise, thehabits, even the emotional high
of spiritual activity, and showsus what we really hunger for.
In Psalm 63, David writes, Mysoul thirsts for you, my whole

(05:07):
body longs for you in a dry andweary land where there is no
water.
David wasn't saying that hemissed his blessings.
He was expressing a deepyearning for God's presence even
when it felt distant.
There's beauty in that honesty.
When you can look up and say,Lord, I don't feel you right
now, but I still believe you'rehere.

(05:29):
That is pure faith.
That's spiritual maturity inits rawest form.
It's easy to worship when youfeel close to God.
It's holy to worship when youdon't.
Here's where I want to inviteyou into something both
practical and sacred.
You see, our spiritual lifeisn't just a mental exercise,

(05:49):
it's deeply embodied.
God designed our senses, sight,sound, touch, taste, and smell
as gateways to his presence.
That's why frankincense in theBible is so powerful.
It was used in the temple as asymbol of prayers rising to
heaven.
The very act of smelling thatsacred fragrance reminded the

(06:10):
people, God is near.
In your quiet time, tryinviting your senses back into
worship.
Diffuse or inhale directly froma drop in your hands a calming
essential oil like frankincense,myrrh, or cedar wood, each
associated with prayer,reflection, and holiness.
As you breathe in, let thescent become a cue to slow down.

(06:33):
When you inhale deeply, sayquietly, Lord, fill me with your
peace.
When you exhale, whisper, Irelease all that distracts me.
Our brains connect what we smellwith memories.
That's why one whiff of afragrance can bring back a flood
of emotions.

(06:54):
Imagine linking that samesensory power with scripture,
prayer, and worship.
Over time, your brain begins toassociate the aroma of those
oils with the peace of God'spresence.
It's not about the oil itself,it's about creating sacred
rhythm, a spiritual anchor for awandering mind.

(07:14):
The goal isn't to escape yourdryness, it's to invite God into
it, to make your devotionaltime a full body experience of
his peace.
When God feels silent, we oftenassume he's not there, he's
absent.
But what if silence is actuallyhis way of drawing you closer?

(07:36):
Think about Elijah in 1 Kingschapter 19.
The prophet was exhausted,hiding in a cave, feeling
utterly alone.
He had seen fire fall fromheaven, he had confronted the
false prophets, but now he wasburnt out, spiritually dry, and
emotionally depleted.
God told Elijah to stand on themountain, for his presence

(08:01):
would pass by.
Then came a powerful wind, butGod wasn't in the wind.
Then an earthquake, but Godwasn't there either.
Then a fire, but still Godwasn't in the fire.
And then a gentle whisper.
That whisper was God'spresence.

(08:22):
Dryness teaches us to tune ourhearts to that whisper.
It's in the stillness, not thespectacular, that we rediscover
God.
Maybe you've been waiting for abreakthrough, a big aha moment,
yet all you encounter issilence.
Well, remember, God promises usthat He will never leave us nor

(08:42):
forsake us.
God's presence is already therein the quiet, in the silence.
God isn't punishing you.
Instead, he's preparing you.
When God is silent, he's stillspeaking, just in a softer tone.
So don't rush the quiet, sit init, breathe in peace.

(09:04):
Let the stillness become sacredinstead of uncomfortable.
That's where transformationhappens.
Sometimes what we need most ina dry season isn't to do more,
but to rest more deeply.
Busyness can be the enemy ofspiritual intimacy.
When your day is filled withappointments, notifications,

(09:27):
family obligations, and endlessto-do lists, your soul gets
drowned out in the noise.
But God's voice isn't in thenoise, it's in the whisper.
So what does it look like toreturn to a fulfilling rhythm?
Well, it's not aboutperfection, it's about presence.
Maybe your quiet time doesn'thave to be an hour long.

(09:50):
Maybe it can be ten minutes offull attention, diffusing a
calming scent in your space,opening your Bible and saying,
God, I'm here.
Consistency matters more thanduration.
Small daily moments ofconnection build spiritual
muscle.
You could start with one verseand one breath.

(10:10):
For example, pair Philippians4.7, which says, The peace of
God which surpasses allunderstanding will guard your
hearts and minds in ChristJesus.
Pair that with a calming oillike lavender or bergamot.
Let your breath and the wordbecome your prayer.
When you reconnect to thatrhythm, dryness begins to fade,

(10:32):
not overnight, but little bylittle the soil softens again.
Do you remember when you firstfell in love with Jesus?
How every song, every verse,every prayer felt like a
discovery?
Spiritual dryness often creepsin when we stop noticing wonder.
You don't have to chase bigrevelations.
Start by rediscovering awe insmall things.

(10:55):
The sunrise that paints thesky, the laughter of a child,
the warmth of your morningcoffee, the fragrance of your
diffuser filling your space asyou open scripture.
God is in those small butawe-inspiring moments.
Psalm 34.8 says, Taste and seethat the Lord is good.

(11:15):
Notice that it doesn't sayunderstand and analyze.
It says taste and see andexperience, the senses again.
God invites you not just tostudy his word, but to enjoy
being with him.
Try walking outside with thescent of your essential oil
still surrounding you, inhalingthe aroma from your hands,

(11:35):
perhaps something earthy likefrankincense or refreshing like
orange.
And as you breathe in, thankGod for life.
The more you practicegratitude, the more your
spiritual senses will wake upagain.
Wonder is worship.
Gratitude is revival.
Here's a truth worth holding onto.

(11:58):
Feelings are beautifulcompanions, but terrible
masters.
You may not feel close to God,but that doesn't change the
reality of his nearness.
The cross and resurrectionprove his love, not your
emotions on any given day.
In Isaiah 43, God says, Whenyou pass through the waters I

(12:19):
will be with you, and throughthe rivers they shall not
overwhelm you.
When you walk through fire youshall not be burned, and the
flame shall not consume you.
Notice he didn't say if, hesaid when.
There will be dry seasons,stormy seasons, wilderness
seasons, but he is still there.
Your faith isn't measured byhow inspired you feel.

(12:44):
It's measured by yourwillingness to trust in the
unseen.
So if you're in a spirituallydry place today, hold on to
hope.
Because spiritual drynessdoesn't mean spiritual death.
It means your soul is thirsty.
You just need to drink.
One of the greatest lies ofspiritual dryness is that God
only shows up in extraordinarymoments.

(13:06):
But the truth is he is just aspresent in the ordinary ones.
He's there when you foldlaundry, when you drive to work,
when you stir a pot of soup,when you answer another text
message.
The Holy Spirit doesn't needgrand cathedrals or choirs to
move.
He just needs your attention.
Brother Lawrence, a humble monkfrom centuries ago, called it

(13:28):
practicing the presence of God.
He discovered that he couldfeel as close to God while
washing dishes as when prayingin the chapel.
Because the secret isn't whereyou are, it's who you're with.
So even when you feelspiritually dry, keep showing
up.
Whisper prayers as you movethrough your day.
Keep your diffuser running witha scent that reminds you of

(13:52):
God's peace.
Let the aroma rising up fromyour living room or from your
office become a hymn, aninvisible offering.
You don't need to feel inspiredto be faithful.
Just keep inviting God in.
You know, there's somethingbeautiful about how God restores
us.
Dry seasons don't last forever.

(14:13):
The rain does come.
And when it does, the growththat follows is stronger,
deeper, and more fruitful.
You start noticing thatscripture comes alive again.
Worship feels like connectionagain.
Prayer flows naturally again.
You realize that the drynessdidn't destroy you, it developed
you.
Isaiah 58.11 says, The Lordwill guide you continually, he

(14:37):
will satisfy your soul indrought and strengthen your
bones.
You shall be like a wateredgarden and like a spring whose
waters do not fail.
That's God's promise to you.
Even in the driest places, Hecan make beauty bloom.
So if you're walking through adry valley right now, don't
despair.
Dig your roots deeper, keepshowing up, keep breathing, keep

(15:02):
believing, because the livingwater is still flowing even
underground.
And when the rain finallyfalls, and it will, you'll lift
your hands, inhale the sweetfragrance of renewal, and know
that every moment of thirst wasworth it.
If you're longing to feel God'spresence again to quiet the
noise and refresh your soul, Iwant to invite you to visit

(15:24):
devotiondrops.com and join ourFacebook community, Biblical
Encouragement and DevotionalRhythms with Essential Oils.
It's a beautiful space wherelisteners just like you are
learning to create sacredmoments of peace and presence in
the middle of busy days.
And don't forget to grab thismonth's free download, Awaken to

Aroma (15:45):
Scent, Scripture, and Brain Health.
This simple guide helps youunderstand how your sense of
smell can awaken your spiritwhile engaging your memory,
focus, and brain cognition for adeeper, more meaningful
spiritual journey.
Let's keep walking this faithjourney together.
One breath, one verse, onemoment at a time.

(16:06):
Thank you for tuning in today.
And remember, just like settingbiblical boundaries, it's okay
to say no to things that don'tserve you well, like that third
piece of cake at thechurch potluck.
If you were blessed by thisepisode, be sure to share it
with a friend and leave a reviewso that we can reach even more
listeners like you.
Check the show notes for allthe links.

(16:27):
Join us next week as wecontinue to discover how to live
purpose in Christ.
Until then, keepleaning into Him and walking in His wisdom.
See you next time.