What to Do When You Feel Spiritually Dry or Disconnected from God – Episode 380

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Episode Summary:

Have you ever sat down to pray and felt like your words were hitting the ceiling? Opened your Bible and felt nothing stir in your heart? Or gone through your day knowing all the “right” spiritual things to do, yet feeling strangely distant from God? If so, let me say this clearly right from the start: you are not alone, and you are not failing God.

Spiritual dryness is far more common than we talk about, especially among believers who genuinely love the Lord and want to walk closely with Him. And yet, when it happens, many of us quietly wonder, What’s wrong with me? Why do I feel so disconnected?

On this episode of Your Hope-Filled Perspective, Rev. Jessica Van Roekel and I are having an honest, hope-filled conversation about what to do when you feel spiritually dry or distant from God, and how to walk through those seasons without shame, panic, or self-condemnation.

Quotables from the episode:

  • Psalm 42 begins with these words: “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for You, my God.” But what happens when your soul doesn’t feel like it’s panting? What happens when the longing feels dull, prayer feels empty, worship feels mechanical, and God feels far away? For many believers, spiritual dryness is deeply unsettling. We love God, we trust Him, and yet our hearts feel strangely disconnected. And often, instead of talking about it, we hide it.
  • Today on Your Hope-Filled Perspective, we’re pulling this struggle into the light. We’re talking about why spiritual dryness happens, what it does not mean about your faith, and how God often meets us in these quiet, uncomfortable seasons in ways we don’t expect. Today we’re going to be talking about What to Do When You Feel Spiritually Dry or Disconnected from God.
  • Let’s begin by naming something that often goes unspoken: spiritual dryness does not mean spiritual failure.
  • There are seasons when people don’t feel far from God because they’ve stopped believing. They feel far from God because belief has stopped feeling like anything.
  • Prayer still happens, but it feels thin. Scripture is read, but it doesn’t land. Worship is present, but connection feels muted. And what makes this especially disorienting is that nothing obvious is wrong. Life may even look stable from the outside. Yet internally, something feels quiet in a way that’s unsettling.
  • Today, we’re talking about spiritual dryness, not as a spiritual failure, not as a crisis of faith, and not as something to panic over, but as a developmental moment in the life of a believer.
  • This episode isn’t about quick fixes. It’s about understanding what’s actually happening, spiritually and neurologically, when God feels distant, and how to respond without either forcing emotion or withdrawing in silence.
  • As a Christian clinical neuropsychologist, I’ve worked with thousands of believers who love God deeply yet go through seasons when they feel spiritually numb or disconnected at times. Pastors, ministry leaders, prayer warriors, long-time believers. No one is exempt.
  • That’s so important, because many people assume that if they’re feeling distant from God, it must mean they’re doing something wrong. But Scripture tells a very different story. We see spiritual dryness throughout the Bible. David cried out, “Why, my soul, are you downcast?” Elijah collapsed under despair. Even Job, righteous and faithful, felt abandoned. Spiritual dryness is often a season, not a verdict.
  • Here’s something critical to understand: feelings are not the same as faith. God’s presence does not fluctuate based on our emotional experience.
  • Spiritual dryness feels threatening because many Christians have learned, often unintentionally, to measure spiritual health by felt closeness. When closeness fades, fear steps in. Almost like, “If I don’t feel it, something must be wrong.”
  • And that fear doesn’t come from theology. It comes from wiring. The human brain is designed to associate meaning with emotional feedback. When something once produced warmth, peace, or reassurance and suddenly doesn’t, the brain interprets that as loss, even if nothing has actually been taken away. This is why spiritual dryness doesn’t just feel neutral — it feels alarming. But here’s an important distinction: absence of emotional response is not absence of relationship.
  • In fact, if we’re being honest every mature relationship eventually moves beyond constant emotional reinforcement. So, before we talk about what to do when you feel spiritually dry or disconnected from God, let’s talk about common causes of spiritual dryness. Why does spiritual dryness happen?

 

    1. Emotional or Physical Exhaustion
      When we are depleted mentally, emotionally, or physically, our spiritual sensitivity often follows. Elijah’s breakthrough didn’t come through a sermon—it came through sleep and food. Sometimes the most spiritual thing you can do is rest.
    2. Chronic Stress or Trauma
      Ongoing stress keeps the brain in survival mode. When your nervous system is overloaded, stillness with God can feel inaccessible. And when we are still, we’re looking for comfort.
    3. Grief and Loss
      Grief often numbs emotions—including spiritual emotions. That numbness is protective, not sinful. But the good thing is that Scripture reminds us that Jesus is acquainted with our grief. So even in grief and loss, we aren’t alone even when we feel disconnected.
    4. Unprocessed Disappointment with God
      Sometimes we don’t feel distant from God, we feel hurt, but we don’t know how to say that out loud. God can handle your honesty. The Psalms are full of raw, unfiltered prayers.
    5. Performance-Based Faith
      If our relationship with God subtly shifts from connection to checklist, intimacy often fades.

 

  • But let’s also talk about what’s happening beneath the surface. What’s happening in our brains during those times we feel disconnected from God?
  • When people are under prolonged stress, grief, caregiving strain, decision fatigue, or emotional overload, so many of the topics we’ve talked about in recent podcast episodes, the brain prioritizes function over feeling. This isn’t pathology. It’s protection. Higher-order emotional integration becomes quieter. Not gone. Quieter. In essence, spiritual practices that once felt rich may now feel effortful, not because they’re ineffective, but because the brain is conserving resources.
  • So, what you’re saying is that the dryness isn’t necessarily a spiritual message — it’s a nervous system signal.
  • Often, yes. And when we misinterpret that signal spiritually, we add shame to exhaustion. This is where people start striving — more prayer, more discipline, more intensity — which ironically deepens the sense of distance. Because forced intimacy rarely restores connection.
  • Let us be very clear about what spiritual dryness does not mean. It does not mean:
    • God has left you
    • Your faith is weak
    • You are being punished
    • You are disqualified
    • You’ve lost your salvation
    • That’s such a relief for people to hear. I’m reminded of the promise of Hebrews 13:5, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Never doesn’t come with exceptions for emotional numbness.
  • Sometimes God feels silent not because He’s absent, but because He’s inviting us into a deeper, quieter trust.
  • Here’s the uncomfortable truth most believers aren’t taught: God does not sustain our faith by keeping us emotionally rewarded.
  • There comes a point when faith matures beyond sensation. This doesn’t mean feelings are bad. It means feelings are no longer the foundation.
  • Scripture actually prepares us for this, though we often read past it. “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” That verse isn’t about doubt. It’s about trust without reinforcement. Spiritual dryness often exposes where faith has quietly become dependent on experience. And that exposure is not condemnation. It’s invitation.
  • We’ve all gone through dry seasons, and usually, we want those spells to end as fast as possible. But I’ve learned that there are three common responses that prolong those seasons of spiritual dryness.

 

    1. Forcing Emotion
      Trying to “get back” to a feeling usually keeps us focused on ourselves rather than God.
    2. Withdrawing Spiritually
      Silence can feel safer than disappointment, but isolation rarely brings clarity. (MB example of walking away)
    3. Interpreting Dryness as Disqualification
      Many believers assume dryness means they’re spiritually stuck, immature, or doing something wrong. None of those interpretations are required. Dryness does not mean regression.
      Often, it signals reorganization. God may be preparing us for something new.
  • Now, that we’ve discussed 3 things we have learned NOT TO DO, let’s consider how we can respond to spiritual dryness or disconnection from God in a more appropriate manner.
    1. Stop Forcing Feelings – God is not waiting for you to manufacture passion. Show up honestly.
    2. Shift from Quantity to Quality – A single honest sentence like, “God, I feel far from You” can be more powerful than an hour of forced prayer.
    3. Anchor in Truth, Not Emotion – Even when you don’t feel close, speak truth aloud. Recite His promises and let the truth of those promises rule over your emotions.
    4. Invite God into the Dryness – Instead of praying your way out of dryness, try praying through it. Dry seasons often deepen roots in ways emotional seasons cannot.
    5. Tend to Your Nervous System –Sleep, gentle movement, deep breathing, time in nature all help regulate the brain and create space for spiritual connection and increase our receptiveness to hearing from God.
  • Some of the deepest spiritual maturity is formed in seasons where God feels quiet. I challenge you instead of wishing away this dry season, to look at it as a gift.
  • Dryness strips away:
    • Performance-based faith
    • Emotional dependency
    • Shallow theolog
  • And it replaces them with:
    • Perseverance
    • Trust
    • Anchored hope
  • It’s like roots growing underground where no one sees.
  • And just because you can’t see growth doesn’t mean God isn’t working. Some of the strongest believers I’ve known didn’t grow because God felt close. They grew because they learned to trust God when He felt quiet. It requires that we keep showing up.
  • If God feels distant right now, resist the urge to diagnose yourself. Instead, consider this: What if this season isn’t about fixing your faith, but strengthening its foundation? Faith that endures silence is not weaker faith. It’s anchored faith!
  • If you’re feeling spiritually dry today, hear this: God is not disappointed in you. He is near.
  • Isaiah 41:10 says, “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God.”
  • Lord, for every listener who feels weary, numb, or distant, would You gently remind them that You are still present. Meet them not in pressure, but in peace. Restore their souls in Your timing and in Your way. Amen.

Scripture References:

  • Psalm 42 “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for You, my God.”
  • Hebrews 13:5 “I will never leave you norforsake you.”
  • Isaiah 41:10  “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God.”

Recommended Resources: (If there are affiliate links in this post, meaning, if you click through and make a purchase, I may receive a commission (at no extra cost to you)).

 

Have you ever felt spiritually dry or disconnected from God? You're not alone. Discover why these seasons happen and how to walk through them with hope. Listen Now! Share on X God feels quiet. Does that mean He's far away? Discover why spiritual dryness isn't spiritual failure and how to keep trusting God through every season. Listen Now! Share on X

 

Social Media Links for Host and Co-Host:

Connect with Co-Host Reverend Jessica Van Roekel:

Website / Instagram / Facebook

 

For more hope, stay connected with Dr. Bengtson at:

Order Book Sacred Scars / Order book The Hem of His Garment / Order book Today is Going to be a Good Day / Order Book Breaking Anxiety’s Grip / Order Book Hope Prevails  / Order Book Hope Prevails Bible Study /  Website  /  Blog  /  Facebook / Twitter (@DrMBengtson)  /  LinkedIn  /  Instagram / Pinterest / YouTube / Podcast on Apple

 

About Co-Host Rev. Jessica Van Roekel:

Jessica Van Roekel, authorJessica Van Roekel is a worship leader, speaker, and writer who believes that through Jesus, personal histories don’t need to define the present or determine the future. She inspires, encourages, and equips others to look at life through the lenses of hope, trust, and God’s transforming grace. Jessica lives in rural Iowa surrounded by wide open spaces which remind her of God’s expansive love. She loves fun earrings, good coffee, and connecting with others.

 

 

 

Hosted By: Dr. Michelle Bengtson
Audio Technical Support: Ashton Bengtson

 

When you feel spiritually dry or disconnected from God, it's easy to wonder if you've done something wrong. Learn why these seasons are more common than you think, discover biblical truth that brings hope, and find practical ways to stay rooted in your faith even when God feels quiet. Learn how to walk through spiritual dryness with confidence. SAVE this pin so you can come back to it whenever you need encouragement.

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