How to Survive When You are in a Spiritual Desert

In July, we had multiple weeks when we had no rain. It was in the upper 90’s and even 100 degrees a few days with 1000% humidity but not an inch of rain. None. It was so hot and so dry. Our grass started to die, but oddly enough, the weeds began to flourish.

As I watched a handful of weeds in our flower bed multiply over those few weeks, I thought about how in a similar way, when we are going through our spiritually driest seasons, it’s often the weeds in our hearts that grow the fastest.

Do you feel like you’re in a spiritually dry desert right now, friend? Exhausted, drained, wandering around what feels like aimlessly?

I walked through a season in the desert a few years ago during the second year of my infertility journey, and it was one of the toughest seasons of my life. At the time, I just wanted to get out of the desert. Please, God. Just get me out. I didn’t want to be stuck wandering around like the Israelites did before they entered the Promised Land.

I needed God more than I ever had before. I needed his closeness and his presence. I cried out to him in desperation. I clung to him, afraid that if I let go, I may lose all hope.

During that time of navigating an unknown and unwanted season in the desert, some weeds began to grow in my heart. Perhaps you, too, have noticed these weeds growing in your heart:

The weed of bitterness.

The weed of despair.

The weed of sorrow.

The weed of comparison.

The weed of feeling unloved.

The weed of feeling alone.

Those weeds and many more grow quickly in the desert. Just like the crazy weeds in my flower bed in July, they thrive when our soul feels dry.

So how do you survive if you’re in a desert right now? Where do you turn to get the water that your soul needs? How do you stop the weeds from consuming you?

Psalm 63, a psalm written by David when he was in a literal wilderness, provided so much comfort to me in that dark season a few years ago. My hope is that it will comfort you, too, if you find yourself in a desert right now:

“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.”
(Psalm 63:1 ESV)

David says that his soul thirsts for God and his flesh faints for him. He seeks God  because there is no other water or food for his soul that will satisfy him. He must have God. He must turn to him.

Then read what David does to help him survive in the desert:

So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary,
beholding your power and glory.
Because your steadfast love is better than life,
my lips will praise you.
So I will bless you as long as I live;
in your name I will lift up my hands.
My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food,
and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips,
when I remember you upon my bed,
and meditate on you in the watches of the night;
for you have been my help,
and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy.
My soul clings to you;
your right hand upholds me.
(Psalm 63:2-8, ESV)

His words are so beautiful to me. Friend, if you are in the desert right now, I encourage you to do as David did:

Instead of turning away from God, look toward him, his power, and his glory
Instead of being silent in your prayers, talk to him and praise him.
Instead of cursing his name, bless his name.
Instead of turning to any number of things to satisfy you, turn to God and be satisfied in him alone.
Instead of forgetting God, sing for joy for how he has helped you.
Instead of feeling all alone, remember that you are resting in the shadow of his wings.
Instead of falling into despair, rejoice in the hope of God’s presence and love for you.
Instead of clinging to the weeds growing in your heart, cling to God.

Our Enemy, Satan, desires for the weeds of our hearts to grow and thrive when we are in a spiritual desert. However, we have the Lord on our side, and he can help us grow closer to him in even the driest seasons.

If you feel stuck in a desert right, would you please let me know how I can be praying for you? I know the Lord used my desert to grow me closer to him, and I’m incredibly grateful for my community who prayed for me during that time. Please let me know if I can pray for you, friend.

Pressing on in faith, Jennifer