wow.

“…is there any view on dryness in prayer in your church traditions?”

Martha, I didn’t know and was totally unprepared when it happened to me. When I first came to Christ, I experienced months of genuine closeness, comfort and joy. When I took walks the presence of God’s Spirit was so strong that I sometimes glanced sideways because I was not walking alone.

Then it was suddenly gone. At first I was absolutely terrified. What had I done wrong? Was this closeness gone forever? Had I messed up somehow?

My sister encouraged me to read Teresa of Avila. Reading Interior Castle helped me to understand. Then reading Oswald Chambers gave me encouragement to continue on no matter what I felt or didn’t feel in prayer. He says not to live longing to relive what we have already experienced.

A parent with a new baby holds him close. Then as he grows you let him run and explore. If he gets into trouble or needs comfort, then you hold him. But the child won’t grow normally if the parent continually holds him. It would be unhealthy for the child if, instead of playing and exploring he sat thinking, why won’t my parent hold me? It felt so safe and secure?

I went through this time of feeling abandoned and then one day I was preparing for something very unpleasant. Beforehand I sat on my bed praying and I felt enveloped in peace. After that, it wasn’t as thought I went back to feeling things as I did during those first months, but I knew that God was with me. I know it more deeply because I know it without feeling held. Perhaps this is necessary so that faith can grow.