When You Feel Spiritually Drained - Your Nightly Prayer - February 19th

When You Feel Spiritually Drained
Your Nightly Prayer
By Angie Grant

TONIGHT'S SCRIPTURE

"God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice, for they will be satisfied." - Matthew 5:6

SOMETHING TO PONDER

A season spent in the wilderness is marked by scarcity, the unknown, and a longing for more. Oh, how I've been there. Spiritually, you feel as if your prayers are hitting a brick wall, unheard and unanswered. There is a lack of clarity about areas of your life you long for, and God just seems distant. Matthew 5:6 reminds us that it is not 'Blessed are those who are full,' but those who are hungry. God confirms here that our blessing comes not from arriving but from desiring Him. This truth is both encouraging and hopeful, confirming that God is not disappointed by our unmet longings or by what is not yet seen. 

In these seasons of dryness, we must long for more of God's presence. You may not feel strong, but you press on pursuing Him. Answers may be elusive, but still, you long for truth. You may not feel full, but you continue moving toward your heavenly Father, your source. Let me remind you of the promise later in our verse... 'they (you!) shall be filled.' What a beautiful assurance. 

Recently, a pastor shared the story of a huge field of flowers, vibrant and full of life, that gradually turned brown and dormant, losing its beauty. He noted how this reflects the seasons we experience. Yet, if we desire our lives to flourish again, seeking the Lord through every turn, He can transform our pain and dryness into a source of new life. Though the season of dryness may not be welcome, and our circumstances often lead us there, it's in these times that we must be attentive to God's messages and faint whispers. Our wilderness seasons can gain new meaning as God shapes them into something beautiful. 

It is crucial to hold on to God's Word and promises, believing that if we seek Him, we will be filled. And as He fills us gradually, internally, through a daily walk with Him, we will be sustained. If you find yourself in a place reflecting the wilderness, where all you can offer is a hunger for God, Jesus says you are blessed. He sees your thirst and the awareness of your need for His intervention. More than anything, this season of emptiness isn't the end of your story. There is so much more on the other side. Trust Him in that. 

Begin today by coming to Him, letting Him know how much you desire Him. Open His Word; let it become water to your soul. Pour out your heart and let Him fill you with His love. Then, phone a friend, a sojourner in Christ, and ask them to pray for you- both in this moment and in the days ahead. We must not journey alone; the enemy loves isolation. Let’s not give the devil a foothold in this season. So, take heart, weary one, the wilderness is not where God abandons you; it’s often where He meets you most intimately. Keep showing up, keep seeking. Keep trusting the one who was meant to fill every empty place. God isn’t finished with you yet. He is faithful and will fill you afresh and anew.

YOUR NIGHTLY PRAYER

Lord,
As I find myself in a season of dryness and uncertainty, help me to lean into the beautiful gift of hungering and thirsting after righteousness- because you tell me, I will be filled. I so long to be filled by your presence, to be guided by your presence, and led by your love. May I not grow weary in the wilderness, yet let me find the treasures of what you might be teaching me in this time.
In Jesus’ name I pray,
Amen. 

THREE THINGS TO MEDITATE UPON

1. Am I hungering and thirsting after Him in this season of dryness? How am I doing that? How can I start?

2. Take some time to reflect on what He might be teaching you in this season.

3. Remember the times He has met you before and journal how He met you. And then remind yourself that this time is no different- He will meet you again and again.

Reflect on tonight’s prayer and share how God met you there. Join the Your Nightly Prayer discussion on the Crosswalk Forum.

Photo Credit: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/Drazen Zigic

Angie Grant is passionate about helping others become the best versions of themselves—whether in family life, ministry leadership, or in supporting schools and educators. She’s all in! Her greatest joys—besides Jesus and her husband, Stan—are the four who call her “Mom” (three biological and one through the gift of adoption). An even sweeter title? “Lolli” to her five grandkids.

Angie holds a degree in Child and Family Studies and currently serves on the staff at Cloverhill Church, where she and her husband have been leading for over 25 years. She is the Executive Director of Cloverhill Christian Academy, located in Midlothian, Virginia. Angie is a dedicated advocate for foster children and families, and also serves as a Trust-Based Relational Intervention Practitioner, offering support in her community and beyond. In addition to her roles in church and education, Angie contributes her insight and leadership as a board member for Families First and the Chesterfield-Colonial Heights Department of Social Services.

How does she do it all? With purpose and passion—as a coach in family life, ministry, and schools, Angie brings experience, empathy, and a heart for helping others thrive.

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