Embracing Spiritual Drought: Growth Through Dry Seasons

Summary

Seasons of life are not always lush and green; sometimes, we find ourselves in dry spells—spiritually, emotionally, or relationally. These dry seasons can feel uncomfortable, even discouraging, but they are a normal part of the human experience and the Christian journey. Just as the land experiences drought, our souls sometimes go through periods where God feels distant, our spiritual practices feel stale, or we simply feel worn out by the demands of life. Yet, these times are not without purpose. In fact, God often uses them to prune, refine, and deepen us.

Dry spells can reveal what we’ve been taking for granted, both in our relationship with God and with others. When life is abundant, it’s easy to neglect the Source of our abundance. But in scarcity, we become acutely aware of our need for God. Like a marriage that drifts into routine until a crisis brings the couple back together, our relationship with God sometimes needs intentional effort to reconnect and restore intimacy.

There is a biblical pattern of God’s people experiencing wilderness and drought—Abraham, Moses, David, the nation of Israel, and even Jesus himself. These seasons are not always a result of sin or failure; sometimes, they are for growth, repositioning, or simply a mystery. In the wilderness, unnecessary things die off—bad habits, unhealthy relationships, even good things whose season has ended. This “forced pruning” can be painful, but it makes room for new growth and deeper roots.

Jesus’ own time in the wilderness shows us that dry spells are not a sign of God’s displeasure. He was led by the Spirit into the desert, faced temptation, and emerged with greater clarity and strength. In our own dry times, we are invited to press into God, to ask what he wants to teach us, and to trust that he is present even when we don’t feel him. God’s presence is constant; it is we who wander. The invitation is to reorient ourselves, deepen our roots, and trust that a new season will come. The rain will return, and with it, new life.

Key Takeaways

- Dry spells are a normal and necessary part of spiritual life. They are not always a sign of failure or punishment, but can be seasons where God prunes away what is unhealthy or no longer fruitful, making space for new growth and deeper dependence on him. [48:20]

- In times of drought, both weeds and even beautiful blooms may die. While it’s easy to let go of obvious sins or bad habits, sometimes God asks us to release even good things whose season has ended. This can be painful, but it is often the only way to make room for what God wants to do next. [55:42]

- Dry seasons heighten our awareness of our need for God. When abundance is lacking, we are reminded that he is our true source of life and refreshment. These times can deepen our trust and intimacy with God, as we learn to send our roots deeper into his presence. [57:48]

- Jesus himself experienced the wilderness, not as punishment, but as preparation. He knows what it is to be lonely, tempted, and vulnerable. Because of this, we can approach him with honesty and find compassion, knowing he understands our struggles and invites us to rely on God’s truth rather than our own strength. [01:03:22]

- God’s presence is constant, even when we feel distant. He does not abandon us in the desert, nor does he leave us there forever. The invitation is to press into him, ask what he is doing in our lives, and trust that the dry season will end, bringing new growth and a deeper relationship with him. [01:07:56]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:45] - Operations Update: Air Conditioning
[02:30] - Introduction to the Press Pause Series
[04:10] - Wrestling with Dry Spells
[06:00] - The Metaphor of Drought and Spiritual Dryness
[08:00] - Taking God for Granted in Abundance
[10:00] - Relationships and Neglect: Marriage as a Metaphor
[12:00] - Ecclesiastes 3: Seasons of Life
[14:00] - Purpose in Uncomfortable Seasons
[16:00] - The Benefits of Drought: Forced Pruning
[18:00] - What Dies in a Drought: Weeds, Pests, and Blooms
[22:00] - Letting Go of Good Things
[24:00] - Drought as a Wake-Up Call to Dependence
[26:00] - Biblical Examples of Wilderness
[28:00] - Jesus in the Wilderness: Lessons for Us
[32:00] - Pressing Into God in Dry Seasons
[34:00] - Prayer and Closing Encouragement

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide: “Dry Spells and the Seasons of Life”

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### Bible Reading

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 (ESV)
> For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:
> a time to be born, and a time to die;
> a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
> a time to kill, and a time to heal;
> a time to break down, and a time to build up;
> a time to weep, and a time to laugh;
> a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
> a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
> a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
> a time to seek, and a time to lose;
> a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
> a time to tear, and a time to sew;
> a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
> a time to love, and a time to hate;
> a time for war, and a time for peace.

Jeremiah 17:7-8 (ESV)
> “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord.
> He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream,
> and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green,
> and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.”

Matthew 4:1-11 (ESV)
(The temptation of Jesus in the wilderness)

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### Observation Questions

1. According to Ecclesiastes 3, what are some of the different “seasons” of life that people experience? ([46:48])
2. In Jeremiah 17:7-8, what is the promise for the person who trusts in the Lord, especially during times of drought? ([57:48])
3. In the story of Jesus’ temptation in Matthew 4, who led Jesus into the wilderness, and what does this suggest about the purpose of his time there? ([01:02:07])
4. The sermon mentions that in a drought, not only weeds but also beautiful blooms may die. What does this mean in the context of our lives? ([55:42])

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### Interpretation Questions

1. The preacher said that dry spells are a normal part of the Christian life and not always a sign of failure or punishment. How does this understanding change the way someone might view their own spiritual “dry” seasons? ([48:20])
2. The metaphor of “forced pruning” was used to describe what happens in a drought. What kinds of things might God be pruning from someone’s life during a dry season, and why might this be necessary? ([50:55])
3. Jesus’ time in the wilderness was not a punishment but preparation. How might someone’s own “wilderness” experiences prepare them for what God wants to do next? ([01:02:07])
4. The sermon talked about letting go of even good things whose season has ended. Why might it be difficult to release these things, and what could be the benefit of doing so? ([55:42])

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### Application Questions

1. The sermon compared spiritual dry spells to times in a marriage when the relationship drifts into routine. Is there an area in your relationship with God that has become routine or neglected? What is one intentional step you could take this week to reconnect? ([45:24])
2. Think about a time when you realized you were taking God’s presence or blessings for granted. What changed your perspective, and how did you respond? ([44:27])
3. Are there any “weeds” (bad habits or sins) or “pests” (unhealthy relationships or patterns) in your life that you sense God might be asking you to let die during a dry season? What would it look like to cooperate with God in this pruning process? ([53:05])
4. The preacher mentioned that sometimes even good things—like a ministry, a friendship, or a role—may need to be released if their season is over. Is there something good in your life that you sense God might be asking you to let go of? How do you feel about that? ([55:42])
5. When you feel spiritually dry, what are some practical ways you can “send your roots deeper” into God’s presence, as described in Jeremiah 17? ([57:48])
6. Jesus faced temptation and loneliness in the wilderness, yet he relied on God’s truth. When you are in a dry or difficult season, what lies are you tempted to believe, and what truths from Scripture can you hold onto instead? ([01:03:22])
7. The sermon ended with the reminder that God’s presence is constant, even when we feel distant. What is one way you can remind yourself of God’s nearness this week, especially if you feel like you’re in a dry spell? ([01:07:56])

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Closing Prayer Suggestion:
Invite the group to pray for one another, especially for those who feel like they are in a dry season. Ask God to reveal what he is doing in each person’s life and to help everyone trust him for new growth and deeper roots.

Devotional

Day 1: Embracing the Seasons of Life

Life and spirituality have their seasons—times of abundance and times of drought. Just as the natural world cycles through periods of growth and dryness, so too do our souls. It is easy to long for the lush, green times and resist the uncomfortable, dry spells, but every season has its purpose. Even in the midst of weeping, mourning, or feeling spiritually dry, God is at work, shaping us and inviting us to grow. Rather than resisting or feeling shame for these seasons, we are called to ask God what He wants to teach us through them, trusting that He can use even the uncomfortable times for our good and His glory. [46:48]

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 (ESV)
For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.

Reflection: What is one uncomfortable or “dry” area in your life right now, and how might God be inviting you to grow or learn through it rather than simply wishing it away?


Day 2: Letting Go—The Gift of Forced Pruning

Dry spells can feel harsh, but they often serve as a kind of forced pruning in our lives. In these seasons, things that are unhealthy—bad habits, sins, or even relationships that drain us—are brought to the surface and sometimes must die off so that what is truly rooted in God can thrive. While it is difficult to let go, especially of things that once seemed good or beautiful, God uses these times to clear away what hinders us, making room for new growth and deeper fruitfulness. Trusting God in the pruning process allows us to flourish in ways we could not if we clung to everything from the past. [51:58]

John 15:1-2 (ESV)
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.”

Reflection: Is there a habit, relationship, or pursuit in your life that God may be asking you to let go of in this season? What would it look like to surrender it to Him today?


Day 3: Trusting God in the Drought

When we find ourselves in a spiritual drought, it is easy to feel anxious or fearful. Yet, God promises that those who trust in Him are like trees planted by water—able to withstand heat and drought because their roots go deep into His presence. These dry times are not meant to destroy us but to deepen our dependence on God, reminding us that He is our true source of life. As we intentionally press into Him, our trust grows, and we find that He sustains us even when circumstances are hard. [57:48]

Jeremiah 17:7-8 (ESV)
“Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.”

Reflection: In what practical way can you “send your roots deeper” into God this week—perhaps through prayer, Scripture, or worship—so that you can be sustained even in a dry season?


Day 4: Jesus Understands Our Dry Spells

Jesus Himself experienced a dry, desert season when He was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted. His time in the wilderness was not a punishment, but a purposeful season where He faced hunger, loneliness, and temptation. Because Jesus has walked through the desert, He understands our struggles and meets us with compassion, not condemnation. He shows us that the way through temptation and dryness is to cling to God’s truth and presence, knowing that we are never alone and that He is always with us. [01:03:22]

Matthew 4:1-11 (ESV)
Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” But he answered, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written, ‘He will command his angels concerning you,’ and ‘On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.’” Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’” Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.’” Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and were ministering to him.

Reflection: When you feel spiritually dry or tempted, how does it change your perspective to remember that Jesus has been there too and offers you compassion and understanding?


Day 5: God’s Presence Is Constant—Press In and Find Rest

No matter how dry or distant you may feel, God’s presence is unchanging and constant. He does not abandon us in the desert, nor does He leave us there forever. Instead, He invites us to reorient ourselves toward Him, to press in, and to seek what He is doing in our lives. The dry season will not last forever; rain and renewal will come. In the meantime, God calls us to be curious, to repent where needed, to bring His truth into our situation, and to intentionally nurture our relationship with Him. As we do, we find rest, rejuvenation, and the promise of a new season ahead. [01:08:39]

Psalm 63:1 (ESV)
O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.

Reflection: What is one intentional step you can take today to reorient your heart toward God’s presence, trusting that He is with you even if you don’t feel it?

Quotes

When we're in these drought seasons, all these little plants that we let crop up in our lives are put to the test. So some of these plants are invasive, species and weeds, like bad habits and sins. And they're keeping us from thriving, and they should have never been there in the first place. And those need to die off. [00:51:42] (23 seconds)  #WeedOutWhatHinders Edit Clip

These droughts help us remember how dependent we are on the Lord. Our spiritual health depends on staying rooted and connected to him. He's our water. He's our source. As we weather through these dry seasons, our understanding of our need for God increases, our trust in him increases, and our relationship with him deepens. [00:57:37] (22 seconds)  #RootedInDependence Edit Clip

Those of us who are living our life for Jesus, we're planted by the water. We can trust him. Life will still bring heat and drought, but when we trust in him, when we lean into his presence, when we put effort into our relationship with him, we are sending our roots down deep to the stream, to the source. [00:58:35] (26 seconds)  #DeepRootsInFaith Edit Clip

We know that Jesus was without sin, that he's the only human to ever walk this earth who's perfect. And so we know that this desert time was not a punishment from God. This story serves as an example to us that our dry spells are not always about discipline. We don't need to be ashamed that we're in a dry spell. It's not necessarily that we did anything wrong. [01:02:12] (25 seconds)  #DrySpellsNotPunishment Edit Clip

It is such a gift that we can approach Jesus with full transparency, without fear of judgment, because Jesus isn't a scary Zeus-like God out there to just punish us for our shortcomings and tell us to do better and figure it out. Instead, Jesus is full of compassion for us because he knows firsthand what we are experiencing. [01:03:29] (24 seconds)  #CompassionOverJudgment Edit Clip

This story shows us that Jesus knows what it's like to be lonely, isolated, rejected, tempted, hungry, tired, all the things. And Jesus sees us and has compassion for us in the dry times. He knows what we're dealing with, he knows it's hard, and he gently invites us to follow his lead and live in the truth of God's word. [01:06:07] (26 seconds)  #JesusUnderstandsDryTimes Edit Clip

``God's truth is that we are never alone. Jesus promises that surely I am with you always to the very end of the age. Jesus says that it doesn't matter that the world rejects you because he says, I have chosen you. And when we are tired and overwhelmed, Jesus says, come to me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. [01:06:46] (26 seconds)  #NeverAloneInChrist Edit Clip

God's presence is constant, even in the dry spells. God's presence is like this podium. It doesn't move. I move. I wander. I go, God, where are you? I don't see you. I can't hear you. But he is constant. It is me who needs to reorient my life to him. It is me who needs to increase my sensitivity to him and come to him. [01:07:41] (23 seconds)  #GodIsConstantAnchor Edit Clip