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When You Feel Spiritually Dry: A 15-Minute Quiet Time for Hard Seasons

 There are seasons when prayer feels like shouting into an empty room. Scripture feels dry. Worship feels mechanical. And the phrase "quiet time with God" feels more like an obligation than a refuge.


If you are in one of those seasons right now, you are not alone. And you are not broken. Spiritual dryness is a real and surprisingly common part of the Christian journey.


This post offers a gentle 15-minute quiet time structure designed specifically for when your soul feels parched. If you are new to the 15-minute quiet time framework, you can find the foundational structure in our first post: 15-Minute Quiet Time Workflow with ScriptureSide.


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### Why Psalm 42-43 for spiritual dryness?


Psalm 42 and 43 are honest, raw prayers from someone who is spiritually thirsty. The psalmist does not pretend to be fine. He does not offer tidy answers. Instead, he brings his dry soul directly to God.


Key themes in these psalms:

- Deep longing for God: "As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God" (Psalm 42:1)

- Honest struggle: "Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me?" (Psalm 42:5)

- Choosing hope even when you do not feel it: "Hope in God; for I shall again praise him" (Psalm 42:5)


These psalms give you permission to be honest about your dryness while still turning your heart toward God.


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### A 15-minute quiet time for spiritual dryness


Here is a simple structure to help you sit with God even when it feels hard.


#### Minutes 1–3: Acknowledge where you are


Do not try to manufacture feelings you do not have. Instead, start with honesty.


Sit quietly for a moment, then pray something like:


"Lord, I feel dry right now. I do not feel close to You. I am here anyway. Meet me in this place."


That is enough. You do not need to fix your spiritual dryness in the first three minutes. You just need to show up.


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#### Minutes 4–7: Read Psalm 42:1-5 slowly


Open Psalm 42 and read verses 1-5. Read them slowly, even if they do not immediately resonate.


As you read, notice:

- The psalmist's thirst for God (v. 1-2)

- His tears and discouragement (v. 3-4)

- His choice to preach hope to his own soul (v. 5)


You do not need to feel what the psalmist felt. Just let the words sit with you.


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#### Minutes 8–11: Ask a few honest questions


Now reflect on these questions. Write down brief, honest answers.


- When was the last time I felt spiritually alive? What was happening then?

- What is one small, concrete thing that might help me take a step toward God today, even if it feels mechanical?

- The psalmist asks, "Why are you cast down, O my soul?" If I asked my soul that question, what would it say?

- Even if I do not feel it right now, what is one truth about God I know to be true?


Do not pressure yourself to have profound answers. Just be honest.


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#### Minutes 12–15: Pray a simple prayer of showing up


Finish with a short, honest prayer:


"Lord, I do not feel close to You right now, but I choose to believe You are close to me. I do not feel hopeful, but I choose to hope in You anyway. Help me take one small step toward You today. Amen."


Then write down one tiny action you can take today. Not something big. Just something small:

- "I will read one verse before bed tonight."

- "I will go for a walk and say one sentence of thanks to God."

- "I will listen to one worship song, even if I do not feel like it."


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### How ScriptureSide helps in dry seasons


When you feel spiritually dry, the last thing you need is more guilt about not doing enough. ScriptureSide is designed to meet you where you are:


- Open Psalm 42-43 in a distraction-free space

- Use the note area to write down your honest, unfiltered thoughts without judgment

- Track your small steps over time so you can see that you are still showing up, even when it feels empty

- Over weeks, you may look back and realize: God was there all along, even when you could not feel Him


You can start a quiet time for dry seasons today at: https://www.scriptureside.app


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### A word of encouragement


Spiritual dryness does not mean God has left you. It does not mean you are doing something wrong. It is often a season where faith deepens in ways you cannot see yet.


The most faithful thing you can do in a dry season is not to manufacture feelings, but to keep showing up. Fifteen minutes. Honest prayers. Small steps.


That is enough.


If you are in a dry season right now, I would love to hear: What is one small step you are taking to stay connected to God, even when it feels hard? Share in the comments below.

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