Periods of Dryness - Chapter 5

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Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. Psalm 46:10


Mother Theresa Story taken from a devotional…

CBS anchor, Dan Rather, found himself unprepared for a Television interview with Mother Theresa.
Ron Mehl described the encounter this way: “All of Dan’s standard approaches were inadequate. And the little nun from Calcutta didn’t seem inclined to make his task easier.

“When you pray,” asked Dan, “What do you say to God?”

“I don’t say anything,” she replied. “I listen”

Dan tried another tack. “Well okay… when God speaks to you, then, what does He say?”

“He doesn’t say anything. He listens.”

Dan looked bewildered. For an instant, he didn’t know what to say.

“And if you don’t understand that” Mother Theresa added,

I can’t explain it to you.”



QUIET TIME MEANS JUST THAT... QUIET... TIME!

It is in the place of silence that the Holy Spirit boils the truth we receive from scripture, down into its essence, reveals specific insights that are pertinent, and then applies them to our most perplexing problems and our most stubborn misconceptions.

As He transforms our heart to beat in sync with His, our decisions begin to accomplish His will and we begin to reflect His character. Go Ahead, try it. Open up the word of God in a peaceful place and sit in quietness before Him. In time, the Holy Spirit will illuminate a passage and it will come to life in your mind. Before you know it the knotty situation that drove you to distraction will unravel. As you learn to “be still” in God’s presence, your greatest problems will suddenly become more manageable. He will reveal Himself to you. He will calm your emotions and relieve your mind. You will discover new direction, freedom from worry, and a fresh sense of peace.

Say hello to God and then, be still...

.... and know


Chapter Five “Periods of Dryness”
Experiencing the Depths of Jesus Christ - Madam Jeanne Guyon
In chapter four we touched on the subject of spiritual “dry spells.” If you set forth for spiritual lands that have been described in the first chapters, you must realize that times of dryness await you. It would be wise of us then, to continue this subject for just a little while longer.

Dear reader, you must realize that God has only one desire. Certainly you can never understand a dry spell unless you understand what His desire is. His desire is to give himself, to the soul that really loves Him and to the soul which earnestly seeks Him!

Now why would God do that? Dear saint of God, you must learn the ways of your Lord. Yours is a God who often hides Himself. He hides Himself for a purpose. Why? His purpose is to rouse you from spiritual laziness. His purpose in removing Himself from you is to cause you to pursue Him.

The Lord Jesus is looking about everywhere for that Christian who will remain faithful and loving even when He has withdrawn Himself. If the Lord finds such a faithful soul, when He does return, He rewards the faithfulness of His child. He pours out upon that faithful one goodness and tender caresses of love.

Here, then is something you must understand.

You will have times of spiritual dryness. It is part of the Lord‘s way.

But the fact you will have spiritual dry spells is not the issue. The important question is what you will do in a time of spiritual dryness? At this point you must learn something about your natural tendencies. It will be the natural thing for you, during a dry season, to try to prove your love to the Lord. During a spiritual dry season you will find that you will try to prove to the Lord your faithfulness to Him; you will do this by exerting your strength. Unconsciously you will be hoping by such effort to persuade Him to return more quickly.

No, dear Christian, believe me, this is not the way to respond to your Lord in seasons of dryness.

What then shall you do?

You must await the return of your Beloved with patient love. Join with that love self denial and humiliation! Even though the Lord has hidden Himself, remain constantly before Him. There before Him, pour out your love upon Him passionately and yet, I would add always peacefully.

Spend time with Him in worship and in respectful silence.

By waiting on the Lord in this way, you will demonstrate to Him that, it is He alone whom you are seeking. You see, you will be demonstrating that it is not the selfish enjoyment which you receive from being in His presence that causes you to love Him. You will be showing that it is not the pleasure which you experience, but your love that motivates you.

There is a quote from the Apocrypha that speaks of such seasons:

“Do not be impatient in times of dryness and darkness; allow the removals and delays of the consolations of God; draw near to Him and await upon Him patiently that your life may be increased and renewed.”

So dear children of the Lord, be patient in your prayer during those seasons of dryness.

Let me ask you a question. What if the Lord called upon you to spend your whole lifetime waiting for His return to you? How would you conduct yourself if this were the lot the Lord should mete out to you for all the rest of your life? What would you do?

Do this.

Wait upon Him in a spirit of humility, in a spirit of abandonment, with the contentment and resignation. Spend your time in that wonderful kind of prayer which I have mentioned in chapter 4. Come before Him quietly and peacefully, recalling your mind to His presence even though His presence may evade you.

As you do these things, accompany them all with pleas of sorrowful, plaintive love and expressions of yearnings for your lover’s return.

I wish to assure you that if you will conduct yourself this way, it will please the heart of God greatly. Such an attitude will compel Him to return much more quickly than any other.

Experiencing the Depths of Jesus Christ by Madame Jeanne Guyon
Other resources on Periods of Spiritual Dryness :
Imitation of Christ by Thomas a Kempis...Please feel free to share this with a friend by sending them a link. Why not e-mail me with your comments.