People who walk close with God, at some point of time in life, would have gone through this state called ‘spiritual dryness’, an empty feeling or lack of God’s presence. 
During such moments, never think God has forsaken you or left you alone; for He is faithful enough to keep His promise. Here, in this post I would like to share few spiritual exercises which can help you get restored from the so called spiritual dryness.
It is your ‘sins’ which have hidden His face from you
This is the fundamental reason behind your spiritual dryness. Whenever you are feeling a spiritual emptiness, it’s a reminder that you need to examine your life, to find out the ‘sin’ which caused that dryness.
Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear. Isaiah 59:1,2
This is how it works. God is holy. So He cannot tolerate sin. Therefore, the moment you sin, you fall short of God’s presence.
We know the story of David. When David sinned, he lost the joy of the Holy Spirit. That is why He prayed to God like this:
Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. Psalms 51:11,12
Examine your life
It may be a ‘sin’ in your words, thoughts, intentions or actions, which has separated you from God’s presence. With all diligence find out those sins. Then, it would be easy for you to come back to that joy of the Holy Spirit. What you can do is to set apart a private time with God, in a quiet place to do a self-examination. Here are few steps
- Find a place and time where there is less distraction
- Start with a word of prayer
- Take a piece of paper or a diary
- Remember all the sins which you can recollect
- Scribble it in the paper one by one
- Spend some more time asking God to reveal all the sins which you have done
Find out the Hidden Sins, Secret Sins
Secret sins are the sins we have done in secret, which only you and God knows. This is a prayer of Moses, the man of God.
You have set our iniquities before you, our secret sins in the light of your presence. Psalms 90:1
Hidden sins are the sins which we have done, but we are not aware about it. Only God can help us find the hidden sins.
But who can discern their own errors? Forgive my hidden faults. Psalms 19:12 [NIV]
Repent and Confess
Sin is like a wound. You need to take it to the doctor for medication. Similarly once you find out all the sins (including secret sins and hidden sins), the next step is to take it to Jesus and seek His help to deal with it.
Yes, for that, you need to repent for your sins (feel sorry for what you have done and decide not to repeat it again) and confess it.
But to whom?
The sins which you have done to God, you should confess to God; and the sins you have done against people, you have to confess to people and God as well.
Here are few references.
Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. James 5:16 [NIV]
The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ Luke 15:21 [NIV] (The prayer of repentance of the son who left his father’s house)
Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight. Psalms 51:1 [NIV] (David’s prayer of repentance)
If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness I John 1:8,9
Will God forgive me?
God is ever loving and ever merciful. If you are willing to repent, God is willing to forgive. This is what the Bible says:
He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him Psalms 103: 10-13
Also, once God forgives your sins, He will never remember it again. What a loving God we have! So merciful.
For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more. Hebrew 8:12
Will God come close to me?
When you take a step to grow closer to God, God helps you and comes more close to you.
Come near to God and he will come near to you. James 4:8
Be washed with the blood of Jesus
What does this mean? Read the below verse.
But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. I John 1:7
It is the Blood of Jesus which cleanses us from all sins and makes us clean. Jesus died on the cross for our sins. The blood of Jesus which was shed on the cross is spiritually available for us, and it does a cleansing in our spirit, body and mind. So each time, when you confess, pray like this,
Father, I repent of my sins. Please forgive me and wash me with the blood of Jesus.
When you pray this prayer sincerely, the Blood of Jesus, literally washes you and make you clean in the eyes of God. When you apply the Blood of Jesus, you are reminding yourself that it was for your sins also, that Jesus has died on the cross.
Next, you need to get cleansed with the Word of God
What does this mean? Read the below verse.
You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. John 15:3
It means, the more we read God’s word, it makes our lives clean. Yes, you need to read the Word of God regularly to keep yourselves clean. That is why it is written:
Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You.
When you do the above, you will definitely receive that joy of the Holy Spirit. Holy Spirit will help you with the above process.
Let us pray.
Father, in Jesus’ Name, I come to you. Please help me to identify all the sins in my life and to become pure in your sight. I repent of my sins. I confess my sins. Wash me with the Blood of Jesus Christ. Make me clean and pure. Help me to understand your Word and obey your Word. Thank You Jesus. Amen.
