The one whose wrongdoing is forgiven, whose sin is covered over, is truly happy! The one the LORD doesn’t consider guilty— in whose spirit there is no dishonesty— that one is truly happy! When I kept quiet, my bones wore out; I was groaning all day long— every day, every night!— because your hand was heavy upon me. My energy was sapped as if in a summer drought. So I admitted my sin to you; I didn’t conceal my guilt. “I’ll confess my sins to the LORD,” is what I said. Then you removed the guilt of my sin. That’s why all the faithful should pray to you during troubled times. ~Psalms 32:1-6a (CEB)
“Sometimes we experience a terrible dryness in our spiritual life. We feel no desire to pray, don’t experience God’s presence, get bored with worship services, and even think that everything we ever believed about God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit is little more than a childhood fairy tale.
Then it is important to realize that most of these feelings and thoughts are just feelings and thoughts, and that the Spirit of God dwells beyond our feelings and thoughts. It is a great grace to be able to experience God’s presence in our feelings and thoughts, but when we don’t, it does not mean that God is absent. It often means that God is calling us to a greater faithfulness. It is precisely in times of spiritual dryness that we must hold on to our spiritual discipline so that we can grow into new intimacy with God.” ~From Bread for the Journey by Henri Nouwen
It is good to know Almighty Father, that despite my feelings and thoughts, Your Presence is still with me. The way I feel is not a true reflections of reality. I is good to remember this day that my spiritual disciplines will bring me through the terrible dry spells when they come. Despite my feelings… I am still a beloved child of God. Amen.
