Dry Periods and Perseverance
Faithfulness When Prayer Feels Empty
Spiritual dryness refers to periods when prayer feels flat, empty, or even meaningless—when the consolations that once accompanied prayer disappear, and we find ourselves going through the motions without apparent fruit. Every serious pray-er encounters these seasons. They are not signs of failure but often signals of deepening, invitations to purify our motives and love God for God's own sake.
A Universal Experience
If you have prayed seriously for any length of time, you know dryness. The early fervor fades. The sense of presence that once came easily now seems distant. Scripture that once moved you reads as mere words. You sit in prayer and feel nothing—no warmth, no insight, no connection.
The great contemplatives were remarkably honest about this. Teresa of Ávila endured nearly twenty years of difficulty before her prayer deepened. John of the Cross mapped the landscape of spiritual aridity with painful precision. The Desert Fathers catalogued every form of spiritual listlessness.
“I cannot pray. I am in spiritual darkness. I am lost.”— Mother Teresa, revealing her inner experience during her decades of hidden service
The revelation of Mother Teresa's prolonged “darkness” shocked many who assumed such a holy woman must have lived in constant spiritual light. Her example reminds us: dryness is not the exception but the norm for those who persist in prayer.
Dryness vs. The Dark Night
It is important to distinguish ordinary spiritual dryness from the Dark Night of the Soul as described by John of the Cross. While related, they are not identical.
Ordinary Dryness
- Prayer feels flat or boring
- Distractions increase
- Motivation wanes
- Consolations absent
- May have identifiable causes
- Usually temporary
- Often responds to adjustments
The Dark Night
- Deep spiritual purification
- Painful longing for God
- Cannot find satisfaction in anything
- Old prayer methods fail
- Divinely initiated transition
- Extended duration
- Requires patient surrender
John of the Cross provided three signs that indicate the transition from ordinary dryness to the Dark Night of the Senses:
Three Signs of the Dark Night
- No satisfaction in creatures or prayer. Neither worldly pleasures nor spiritual consolations provide fulfillment.
- Anxious care about serving God. A painful concern that one is not serving God well, combined with inability to find one's usual way.
- Inability to meditate. Previous methods of discursive prayer (imagination, reflection) no longer work, despite sincere effort.
Most dryness is not the Dark Night. But all prayer journeys include some dryness, and some souls are called through the more intense purification John describes.
Common Causes of Dryness
Before assuming dryness has deep spiritual significance, it is wise to consider ordinary causes:
Physical Causes
- Fatigue, sleep deprivation
- Illness, chronic pain
- Hormonal changes
- Seasonal changes (winter, low light)
- Poor diet, dehydration
- Medication effects
Psychological Causes
- Depression, anxiety
- Grief, loss
- Major life stress
- Burnout, exhaustion
- Unprocessed emotions
- Relational conflict
Spiritual-Practical Causes
- Inconsistent practice
- Prayer time too short or wrong time of day
- Method no longer suits current state
- Unconfessed sin creating distance
- Neglect of sacraments or community
- Over-reliance on feelings as measure
Divine Causes
- God withdrawing consolation to deepen love
- Transition between prayer stages
- Purification of attachment to spiritual pleasure
- Preparation for deeper union
- Testing and strengthening of faith
A wise approach: first rule out physical and psychological causes, adjust practical factors, examine conscience for obvious sin, and only then consider whether the dryness may have deeper spiritual purpose.
What the Masters Teach
The great contemplative teachers offer remarkably consistent wisdom about dryness:
Teresa of Ávila
“Anyone who has not begun to pray, I beg for the love of the Lord not to go without so great a blessing. There is nothing here to fear but only to desire.”
Teresa emphasizes that dryness is not punishment. She counsels persistence and assures us that faithfulness in dryness is worth more than the sweetest consolations. She spent eighteen years in difficult prayer before breakthrough.
John of the Cross
“The soul in this state resembles one who has been imprisoned in a dark dungeon, bound hand and foot, able neither to move nor see nor feel any favor from heaven or earth.”
John understood the darkness intimately. He teaches that God withdraws sensible consolation precisely to wean us from spiritual gluttony and teach us to love God for God, not for what we get from prayer.
The Desert Fathers
“Stay in your cell and your cell will teach you everything.”
The monks fought acedia (spiritual listlessness) through stability. Their counsel: do not flee. Remain faithful. The very experience of staying when everything in you wants to leave becomes the lesson.
Ignatius of Loyola
“In time of desolation never make a change, but be firm and constant.”
Ignatius distinguishes consolation from desolation and warns against making major decisions during desolation. The dryness distorts our perspective. Wait it out.
How to Respond to Dryness
Practical Responses
- Continue to pray. Show up. Sit in the silence even when nothing seems to happen. Faithfulness in dryness is itself prayer.
- Simplify. Let go of complex methods. Sometimes a single word, a repeated phrase, or just silent presence is all you can manage. That is enough.
- Don't chase feelings. Stop evaluating prayer by whether you felt something. The absence of feeling is not the absence of God.
- Examine causes. Check the practical factors. Are you sleeping enough? Is something else going on? Make adjustments where possible.
- Talk to someone. A spiritual director can help discern what the dryness means and how to respond.
- Wait patiently. Seasons change. This too shall pass. Your only job is to remain faithful.
What NOT to Do
- Don't stop praying. This is the one response that guarantees no progress.
- Don't multiply activities. Adding more spiritual practices rarely helps and can create exhaustion.
- Don't assume you've done something wrong. Dryness is not necessarily punishment.
- Don't make major decisions. Follow Ignatius: wait until the dryness passes before discerning significant changes.
- Don't compare yourself to others. Their journey is not yours. Their timeline is not yours.
The Value of Fidelity in Aridity
There is a strange gift hidden in dryness: it purifies our motives. When prayer is delightful, we might pray for the delight. When prayer is dry, we can only pray for God—or we stop praying altogether.
“We serve God for nothing when we serve Him in dryness.”— Adapted from Francis de Sales
This “serving for nothing” is actually serving for everything—for love alone, not for reward. It is the purest form of devotion.
What Perseverance Develops
- Pure intention. We learn to love God, not spiritual experiences.
- Faith over feeling. Faith becomes deeper than emotion.
- Humility. We cannot manufacture grace. We receive or we go without.
- Patience. We learn to wait on God's timing, not demand our own.
- Stability. We become less reactive to spiritual “weather.”
- Compassion. Having known dryness, we understand others who suffer it.
The Desert Fathers said that the monk who perseveres through dryness gains more than the one who always experiences consolation. The struggle itself is formative.
When Dryness Points Elsewhere
Sometimes dryness is not just a season to endure but a signal that something needs attention:
Time for a New Method?
Prayer methods that once worked may no longer suit your current stage. The transition from meditation to contemplation often feels like dryness at first. What has died may be a method, not your prayer life.
Something to Address?
Persistent dryness sometimes signals unconfessed sin, unresolved conflict, or avoidance of something God is asking. The Examen can help identify if something needs attention.
Physical/Psychological Issue?
If dryness accompanies depression, persistent anxiety, or other symptoms, seek appropriate help. Spiritual and psychological struggles can interweave. See our article on Prayer and Psychology.
Life Circumstances?
Major life changes—new baby, job loss, illness, bereavement—naturally affect prayer. Adjust expectations. What counts as faithfulness looks different in crisis than in stability.
A Word of Encouragement
If you are in a season of dryness right now, know this: you are in good company. Every saint who prayed seriously knew these deserts. Your faithfulness matters more than your feelings. God is at work even when—especially when—you cannot perceive it.
The fact that you still care, still show up, still struggle with dryness rather than simply abandoning prayer—this is itself a form of grace at work. The lukewarm don't worry about dryness; they simply drift away.
Keep going. The dawn comes after the night. And even in the darkness, you are held.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long can dryness last?
There is no standard duration. Ordinary dryness may last days or weeks. Longer periods—months or years—may indicate the Dark Night or may simply be your current season. Mother Teresa experienced spiritual darkness for decades while serving the poorest of the poor. Duration alone does not determine meaning.
Should I pray longer when prayer is dry?
Not necessarily. Maintaining your regular practice is usually better than heroic efforts that prove unsustainable. Quality of presence matters more than duration. It is better to pray fifteen faithful minutes than to sit miserably for an hour out of guilt.
Is it okay to take a break from prayer?
Short breaks for genuine rest (illness, crisis, retreat) are legitimate. But “taking a break” as a response to dryness usually makes things worse. The solution to dryness is not less prayer but faithful, simplified prayer. Stay in your cell.
How do I know if I should change my prayer practice?
Generally, make changes in times of consolation, not desolation (Ignatius' advice). If dryness persists for an extended period despite addressing practical causes, consult a spiritual director. They can help discern whether your method needs adjustment or you are simply passing through a desert.
Related Articles
- The Dark Night of the Soul — When dryness becomes profound purification.
- Consolation and Desolation — Ignatian wisdom on spiritual movements.
- Working with Distractions — Dryness often increases distraction.
- Spiritual Direction — Getting guidance through difficult seasons.
- Building a Rule of Life — Structure that sustains through dryness.