I’ve been stuck in a dry season spiritually as of late. Can’t seem to find my way forward with the Lord. He feels so distant, so mysteriously closemouthed in pert near every area of my life. This isn’t the first in my years walking with Him that a season suddenly changed on me. Seems there’s no avoiding them. For everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven.[i] And although God always manages to make something beautiful out of them (and me) in His time, it still unnerves me when I happen upon a particularly dry one.
I realize He is super busy at present, shouting up quite a storm through nature and world events in an attempt to turn wayward hearts heavenward, and is wreaking havoc among His adversaries, making His name known to all.[ii] Nevertheless, it bewilders me when He’s so reticently removed when I’m trying to listen for His direction in crucial times.
What makes these dry seasons even more painful, is the enemy breathing down my neck with his hurtful slurs regarding my predicament. “So, where is your God now when you need him?” he asks. That tempter would like nothing better than to make me jump to wrong conclusions about myself and about the Lord’s good heart toward me.[iii] If I pay him any mind, it will leave my faith weak-kneed with doubts. If I give way to the voice of my lonely soul not yet perfected in love, I could end up on the pitiless road of introspection that insists some unknown sin is blocking my ability to hear.
Those in the know say the best strategy to staying encouraged is to look to the last book of the wondrous story God is telling. And I agree; I must set my gaze on better times ahead of us, where our enemy is once-and-for-all defeated, and Jesus is the ultimate, undisputed King. Present dangers are long forgotten because God has wiped away all tears from our eyes, and death is no more, neither sorrow, nor crying, nor any more pain. Former things are passed away, and we live and reign forever with Him in His kingdom.[iv] But be that as it may, when the way forward is in limbo because I can’t hear God, and I can feel the enemy’s breath on my neck, that last book of the story God is telling has a tendency to fade in and out of view like a beautiful mirage on the horizon of my desert.
My greatest solace, and a must for me in these dry seasons, has been God’s Word. It has a way of shoring up my droopy faith. So then faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.[v] To keep communication lines open, I head to where David and his psalmists provide fitting language to express to the Lord the woeful laments of my heart. Why are You so far from helping me, and from the words of my groaning?[vi] Will the Lord cast off forever? Has His mercy and lovingkindness ceased forever? Are His promises ended for all time? Has God deliberately forgotten His graciousness? Has He in anger shut up His compassion?[vii]
Self-talks—kick-in-the-pants self-talks—are also a must in these seasons when the Lord is nowhere to be found. I say a must because sometimes I just need a good talking to. Again, the psalmists incite me (to incite myself) to stay in the game. Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God (I mean it, Debbie—snap out of it!); for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.[viii] All I need do is look back and remind myself that I shall again praise Him because we have history together. He’s shown Himself before. He will show Himself again.
In Psalm 77, the Psalmist Asaph was so troubled he couldn’t even speak. So, he looked back in remembrance; . . . I considered the days of old . . . I call to remembrance . . . I will remember . . . I will remember . . . I will remember . . . I will meditate.[ix]
Seriously, looking back at all God has done for us and in us in our lifetimes sets things in their proper perspective. He’s gotten us through some serious jams, you and me. We’ve had so many near misses, made it through so many trials and heartaches. Remember the crises we thought we’d never survive? The enemy told us we were done for. He was wrong. Here we are down life’s road, still standing, still loving the Lord—and all because God’s faithfulness kept us through it.
Think back to that day when God’s Spirit first bore witness with your spirit that you were a child of God. Suddenly, Jesus was more than a swear word or a name in the Bible. He was very real. Very personal. When He died on that cross, He bore your darkest sins. He carried your deepest sorrows, shared in your griefs. He too suffered the agonizing pain of separation and loneliness because heaven went silent on Him. And He really did come into your heart when you asked Him to.
What about happier days in times past when God prospered your soul? I will recall the years of the right hand of the Most High [in loving-kindness extended toward us].[x] You were rich in faith then, confident that He would move that mountain, save the lost, heal that sick one! He did those impossible things because He could. And because you asked Him to.
Do you remember your songs in the night? [xi] Those times when He felt close enough to touch? Fellowship with Him was sweet then. Your heart overflowed with so much love and gratitude. You couldn’t help but sing His praises and thank Him for His bountiful blessings that you were sure would never dry up.
Look back even further to when God demonstrated His awesome power to the patriarchs . . . I [earnestly] remember the wonders [You performed for our fathers] of old.[xii] With His mighty arm He redeemed His people from Egypt’s bondage.[xiii] The cloud of His Presence led them forth by day, and by night His pillar of fire protected.[xiv] His people knew no lack then. In the wilderness they all ate the same spiritual bread (Christ) and drank from the same spiritual Rock (Christ)—which the Scriptures testified would come into this world generations later to build His Church of which you and I belong.[xv]
Remember when all seemed lost because God went silent on them at the shores of the Red Sea? Their way forward was blocked by water. An Egyptian army closed in from behind. From out of nowhere their seemingly MIA God showed. Was it not you . . . who made a road in the depths of the sea for the redeemed to cross over?[xvi] He carved a road no one knew existed in those deep waters and led them through it, though His footsteps were not seen.[xvii]
So, in these dry seasons when the way forward is in limbo because we can’t hear God, and we feel the enemy’s breath on our necks, it helps to look back. He came through for us before. He will most assuredly come through again.
[i] Ecclesiastes 3:1-11
[ii] Isaiah 64:1–3; Romans 1:20; Psalm 19:1–4
[iii] Psalm 42:1–3; Genesis 3:1 ; Matthew 4:3
[iv] Revelation; 1 Corinthians 15:55–57; Proverbs 4:25; 2 Timothy 2:11–13
[v] Romans 10:17
[vi] Psalm 22:1; Psalm 88:14
[vii] Psalm 77:5–9
[viii] Psalm 42:5, 11; Psalm 43:5
[ix] Psalm 77:3,5,6,10,11,12
[x] Psalm 77:5,10
[xi] Psalm 77:6
[xii] Psalm 77:11 – 14;
[xiii] Psalm 105:37 – 43
[xiv] Exodus 13:21
[xv] 1 Corinthians 10:1–4; Psalm 105:40; Exodus 16:12–15; John 6:31–33; Ephesians 2:13–22; John 5:39
[xvi] Isaiah 51:10;
[xvii] Psalm 77:19