The Desert

We've all been there. That place of spiritual dryness. Where reading the Bible is like rubbing your eyes with sandpaper. Where we forget what we're saying in the middle of prayers. I have gone a year and a half rarely skipping quiet time, and the last week and a half I have tried, and failed, to have quiet time. Some days I flat out skipped, some days I tried to read and couldn't take anything in.

The truth is, we all get to this place. Some people call it "The Desert." It's a place we're not proud of, a place that feels wrong. We feel like we're not supposed to be there. We're not supposed to skip time with God. We're not supposed to give up on something that should be so easy. So many people are ashamed to admit that they haven't sat down and read their Bible in ____ number of years, but the truth is, it's normal!

I'm in the desert and I'm not ashamed to admit it. I'm not ashamed to admit that I sometimes struggle with connecting with God. I'm not ashamed to admit that I can't always focus during my prayers. I get lost when reading Scripture. Sleeping in sounds more appealing than opening up a book that just a few weeks ago I was in love with.

Guys, I've got a news flash for you. Nowhere in Scripture does it say, "To be a good Christian you must read the Bible every day," or "To be a good Christian you must spend ____ amount of time in prayer." Jesus died so we can live free. Jesus died so we don't have to get trapped in the lie that by spiritual disciplines we can earn our way to Heaven. My wonderful, Godly, Christian friends, I have to tell you that we don't get kicked out of Heaven for skipping quiet time or church, for closing our Bibles because we can't understand what we're reading. Don't be ashamed to admit that you struggle with these things.

It's important that I now make a very necessary point. Spiritual disciplines are important to the Christian walk. They're not vital, but they're important. Reading God's Word and praying daily build a personal relationship with God that cannot be replicated. Jesus speaks of the Church as the Bride of Christ and it's important that we fellowship with one another weekly, but skipping a week here or there won't negate your salvation.

Think of your spirituality as muscles. The more time you spend exercising your muscles, the stronger they will become. The larger your variety of exercises, the wider your range of strengths. Skipping a workout here or there doesn't negate a workout. Taking a week off to give your body a break doesn't even negate everything you've done. However, the more time you spend away from that workout, the weaker you will become. Eventually if you become lazy enough to stop working out all together, easy things may be difficult. Your muscles never completely go away, but they're not as strong as they could be.

There are many reasons why reading the Scripture is important. John 8:32 says that the truth sets us free. I would like to suggest that, while reading Scripture is important, there are other ways we can glorify God. When we're experiencing spiritual dryness, we can change up our workout routine and strengthen a muscle we normally ignore. It's okay to be in a place where Scripture isn't appealing, but it's not okay to sit back and do nothing. If you're experiencing spiritual dryness, try focusing on something else that glorifies God instead. It may provide you with exactly what you need to get back on track.

Ways to Glorify God:
- Through your marriage (Eph. 5:21-33)
- Parenting (3 John verse 4)
- Generosity (Acts 20:35)
- Serving (1 Peter 4:10)
- Praise (Ephesians 5:20)