Living On Purpose In Christ | Biblical Encouragement, Aromatherapy, Devotions, Essential Oils, Daily Prayer, Journal Prompts

115 | Feeling Spiritually Dry? What To Do When You Can’t Feel God with You

• Paula Behrens | Christian Coach, Pastor, Certified Essential Oil Practitioner • Season 2

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Ever feel spiritually dry? This episode is for you—we’re opening a gentle, practical journey through spiritual dryness that will transform that empty feeling into a renewed sense of presence. We will name the ache honestly, then walk step by step into trust that doesn’t depend on emotions, using Scripture, stories, and embodied practices to soften the soil of the heart.

We explore why wilderness seasons aren’t proof of God’s absence but invitations into deeper reliance, drawing from biblical journeys. Along the way, we make spirituality tangible: how to anchor attention with simple sensory cues to create a short, consistent rhythm that fits life again. You’ll hear how frankincense and other calming aromas can serve as memory markers for prayer, why silence can become a sanctuary instead of a threat, and how awe and gratitude reawaken wonder in ordinary moments.

From folding laundry to driving to work, we show how practicing the presence turns daily tasks into quiet altars. Expect clear takeaways: choose presence over perfection, prioritize consistency over intensity, and trust promises over passing moods. Dry seasons don’t last forever; rains return, and growth after drought runs deeper and stronger. If your heart is tired and your mind is noisy, this conversation offers grounded hope, biblical encouragement, and a simple plan to reconnect with God’s nearness.

If this resonated, follow the show, share it with a friend who needs encouragement, and leave a review. Want more guided help? Come hang out with us in our Facebook group at DevotionDrops.com and grab the free Awaken to Aroma guide—then tell us: what small rhythm will you start today?

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Paula Behrens:

Have you ever opened your Bible, stared at the page, and felt nothing? You know the verses. You've underlined them before, maybe even taught them to others. But this time, the words just lie there flat, lifeless, like ink on paper instead of the Living Truth that they are. That's what spiritual dryness feels like. Prayer feels mechanical. Worship songs don't move you. Even your favorite devotionals sound hollow. And somewhere deep inside you whisper, Lord, where are you? Today we'll explore why spiritual dryness happens, how God uses it, and how to rediscover his presence again. Not just in theory, but in a way that your heart can feel again. Stay tuned until the end because I have something very special I want to share with you. But first, funny story.

Paula Behrens:

When I first began my seminary work while serving two church congregations full-time, everyone assumed I had my daily devotional time perfectly organized. But truth be told, there were mornings I could barely find five minutes to catch my breath, let alone dive into deep reflection. One day, as I rushed out the door with mismatched shoes, I realized that even in my chaos, there was a lesson. Embracing God's grace and self-forgiveness, I realized that true success in my devotional life requires prioritizing my spiritual practices. Are you finding it challenging to maintain your spiritual practices or yearning for a more peaceful, God-aligned day? I'm Paula and I've been there too. Balancing spiritual habits with a busy life can be difficult. I longed for a deeper connection with God but struggled with consistency. Then I found the perfect approach. If you seek simple ways to deepen your connection with God, this podcast is for you. Please take a moment to follow the show, leave a review, and share with your friends who need a little biblical encouragement today.

Paula Behrens:

Hey friend, I know what it's like to feel far from God, even when you're doing all the right things. You're showing up, you're praying, you're reading your Bible, but inside something feels disconnected. You wonder if you're doing enough, if God is even listening. You feel a little ashamed that your quiet time isn't what it used to be or what you hoped it would be. I want you to know you're not alone and you're not failing. God isn't asking for your perfection. He's just asking for your presence. That's what the aroma of Christ's coaching hour is all about. No pressure, no performance, just God's presence. And as a special touch, you'll receive a free essential oil sampler ahead of time so you can experience how these simple tools can enhance our time together, creating an environment where peace and clarity can flourish. Let me walk with you into a slower spirit-led rhythm that will help you reconnect with the One who's been waiting to refresh your soul all along. Say yes to peace, say yes to presence. Book your Aroma of Christ coaching hour now at PaulaBehrens.com/coaching. That's Paula Behrens, B E H R E N S .com/coaching (no spaces). All right, it's time to get started. Grab your Bible, dust off your journal, and cozy up to your favorite beverage. And let's dive in.

Paula Behrens:

If you've ever lived through a Texas drought, you know what it's like to see the soil crack under the heat. The grass turns brown, the creeks dry up, swarms of grasshoppers eat everything that's green, and the air hums with thirst. That's what spiritual dryness feels like inside. You know the promises. He restores my soul. Rivers of living water will flow from within. But lately it feels like the faucet is broken. You might even find yourself searching for Bible verses about feeling spiritually dry, hoping one will suddenly click and turn the flow back on. But let's slow down and look at what might be happening beneath the surface.

Paula Behrens:

Dryness isn't because God has left us, it's because he's drawing us deeper. Think about this. When the Israelites wandered through the wilderness for forty years, God was still with them. A cloud by day, fire by night, manna from heaven, water from a rock, but they often couldn't feel his nearness because they wanted the promised land more than his presence. Sound familiar? The truth is, spiritual dryness can actually be sacred ground. It's where faith stops being about feelings and starts becoming about trust. If you're in a dry season, God isn't punishing you, he's making space for something fresh, letting your spiritual soil rest before new growth begins. Spiritual dryness has a way of revealing what we depend on. It strips away the noise, the habits, even the emotional high of spiritual activity, and shows us what we really hunger for. In Psalm 63, David writes, My soul thirsts for you, my whole body longs for you in a dry and weary land where there is no water. David wasn't saying that he missed his blessings. He was expressing a deep yearning for God's presence even when it felt distant. There's beauty in that honesty. When you can look up and say, Lord, I don't feel you right now, but I still believe you're here. That is pure faith. That's spiritual maturity in its rawest form.

Paula Behrens:

It's easy to worship when you feel close to God. It's holy to worship when you don't. Here's where I want to invite you into something both practical and sacred. You see, our spiritual life isn't just a mental exercise, it's deeply embodied. God designed our senses, sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell as gateways to his presence. That's why frankincense in the Bible is so powerful. It was used in the temple as a symbol of prayers rising to heaven. The very act of smelling that sacred fragrance reminded the people, God is near. In your quiet time, try inviting your senses back into worship. Diffuse or inhale directly from a drop in your hands a calming essential oil like frankincense, myrrh, or cedar wood, each associated with prayer, reflection, and holiness. As you breathe in, let the scent become a cue to slow down. When you inhale deeply, say quietly, Lord, fill me with your peace. When you exhale, whisper, I release all that distracts me.

Paula Behrens:

Our brains connect what we smell with memories. That's why one whiff of a fragrance can bring back a flood of emotions. Imagine linking that same sensory power with scripture, prayer, and worship. Over time, your brain begins to associate the aroma of those oils with the peace of God's presence. It's not about the oil itself, it's about creating sacred rhythm, a spiritual anchor for a wandering mind. The goal isn't to escape your dryness, it's to invite God into it, to make your devotional time a full body experience of his peace. When God feels silent, we often assume he's not there, he's absent. But what if silence is actually his way of drawing you closer? Think about Elijah in 1 Kings chapter 19. The prophet was exhausted, hiding in a cave, feeling utterly alone. He had seen fire fall from heaven, he had confronted the false prophets, but now he was burnt out, spiritually dry, and emotionally depleted. God told Elijah to stand on the mountain, for his presence would pass by. Then came a powerful wind, but God wasn't in the wind. Then an earthquake, but God wasn't there either. Then a fire, but still God wasn't in the fire. And then a gentle whisper. That whisper was God's presence.

Paula Behrens:

Dryness teaches us to tune our hearts to that whisper. It's in the stillness, not the spectacular, that we rediscover God. Maybe you've been waiting for a breakthrough, a big aha moment, yet all you encounter is silence. Well, remember, God promises us that He will never leave us nor forsake us. God's presence is already there in the quiet, in the silence. God isn't punishing you. Instead, he's preparing you. When God is silent, he's still speaking, just in a softer tone. So don't rush the quiet, sit in it, breathe in peace. Let the stillness become sacred instead of uncomfortable. That's where transformation happens. Sometimes what we need most in a dry season isn't to do more, but to rest more deeply. Busyness can be the enemy of spiritual intimacy. When your day is filled with appointments, notifications, family obligations, and endless to-do lists, your soul gets drowned out in the noise. But God's voice isn't in the noise, it's in the whisper.

Paula Behrens:

So what does it look like to return to a fulfilling rhythm? Well, it's not about perfection, it's about presence. Maybe your quiet time doesn't have to be an hour long. Maybe it can be ten minutes of full attention, diffusing a calming scent in your space, opening your Bible and saying, God, I'm here. Consistency matters more than duration. Small daily moments of connection build spiritual muscle. You could start with one verse and one breath. For example, pair Philippians 4.7, which says, The peace of God which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Pair that with a calming oil like lavender or bergamot. Let your breath and the word become your prayer. When you reconnect to that rhythm, dryness begins to fade, not overnight, but little by little the soil softens again.

Paula Behrens:

Do you remember when you first fell in love with Jesus? How every song, every verse, every prayer felt like a discovery? Spiritual dryness often creeps in when we stop noticing wonder. You don't have to chase big revelations. Start by rediscovering awe in small things. The sunrise that paints the sky, the laughter of a child, the warmth of your morning coffee, the fragrance of your diffuser filling your space as you open scripture. God is in those small but awe-inspiring moments. Psalm 34.8 says, Taste and see that the Lord is good. Notice that it doesn't say understand and analyze. It says taste and see and experience, the senses again. God invites you not just to study his word, but to enjoy being with him. Try walking outside with the scent of your essential oil still surrounding you, inhaling the aroma from your hands, perhaps something earthy like frankincense or refreshing like orange. And as you breathe in, thank God for life. The more you practice gratitude, the more your spiritual senses will wake up again.

Paula Behrens:

Wonder is worship. Gratitude is revival. Here's a truth worth holding on to. Feelings are beautiful companions, but terrible masters. You may not feel close to God, but that doesn't change the reality of his nearness. The cross and resurrection prove his love, not your emotions on any given day. In Isaiah 43, God says, When you pass through the waters I will be with you, and through the rivers they shall not overwhelm you. When you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. Notice he didn't say if, he said when. There will be dry seasons, stormy seasons, wilderness seasons, but he is still there. Your faith isn't measured by how inspired you feel. It's measured by your willingness to trust in the unseen. So if you're in a spiritually dry place today, hold on to hope. Because spiritual dryness doesn't mean spiritual death. It means your soul is thirsty. You just need to drink.

Paula Behrens:

One of the greatest lies of spiritual dryness is that God only shows up in extraordinary moments. But the truth is he is just as present in the ordinary ones. He's there when you fold laundry, when you drive to work, when you stir a pot of soup, when you answer another text message. The Holy Spirit doesn't need grand cathedrals or choirs to move. He just needs your attention. Brother Lawrence, a humble monk from centuries ago, called it practicing the presence of God. He discovered that he could feel as close to God while washing dishes as when praying in the chapel. Because the secret isn't where you are, it's who you're with. So even when you feel spiritually dry, keep showing up. Whisper prayers as you move through your day. Keep your diffuser running with a scent that reminds you of God's peace. Let the aroma rising up from your living room or from your office become a hymn, an invisible offering. You don't need to feel inspired to be faithful. Just keep inviting God in.

Paula Behrens:

You know, there's something beautiful about how God restores us. Dry seasons don't last forever. The rain does come. And when it does, the growth that follows is stronger, deeper, and more fruitful. You start noticing that scripture comes alive again. Worship feels like connection again. Prayer flows naturally again. You realize that the dryness didn't destroy you, it developed you. Isaiah 58.11 says, The Lord will guide you continually, he will satisfy your soul in drought and strengthen your bones. You shall be like a watered garden and like a spring whose waters do not fail. That's God's promise to you. Even in the driest places, He can make beauty bloom. So if you're walking through a dry valley right now, don't despair. Dig your roots deeper, keep showing up, keep breathing, keep believing, because the living water is still flowing even underground. And when the rain finally falls, and it will, you'll lift your hands, inhale the sweet fragrance of renewal, and know that every moment of thirst was worth it.

Paula Behrens:

If you're longing to feel God's presence again to quiet the noise and refresh your soul, I want to invite you to visit devotiondrops.com and join our Facebook community, Biblical Encouragement and Devotional Rhythms with Essential Oils. It's a beautiful space where listeners just like you are learning to create sacred moments of peace and presence in the middle of busy days. And don't forget to grab this month's free download, Awaken to Aroma: Scent, Scripture, and Brain Health. This simple guide helps you understand how your sense of smell can awaken your spirit while engaging your memory, focus, and brain cognition for a deeper, more meaningful spiritual journey. Let's keep walking this faith journey together. One breath, one verse, one moment at a time.

Paula Behrens:

Thank you for tuning in today. And remember, just like setting biblical boundaries, it's okay to say no to things that don't serve you well, like that third piece of cake at the church potluck. If you were blessed by this episode, be sure to share it with a friend and leave a review so that we can reach even more listeners like you. Check the show notes for all the links. Join us next week as we continue to discover how to live purpose in Christ. Until then, keep leaning into Him and walking in His wisdom. See you next time.

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Paula Behrens

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