Episode 98 -- Spiritual Combat c59.2 -- Reacting to Dryness and Spiritual Aridity

How should we react to experiences of sensible dryness and even spiritual darkness?

In this episode, as with the last episode, we continue to see that there are different causes of sensible devotion: the dispositions of our nature, the devil, and God. God gives us sensible devotion when he makes us eager to pray and practice our religion. Sensible devotion is a feeling of really wanting to do things for God and our advancement. We have great joy in doing it and can even taste how “sweet” it is to receive Communion. God gives these devotional feelings to lead us away from sin and attachment to the world.

But we are not to look too carefully at the causes of sensible devotion. Enjoy it. But try to attach yourself to God alone and His will.

God also is the cause, at times, of sensible dryness, or distaste, or aridity in spiritual things. When we lose our ability to meditate and pray as we used to do, when we lose our zest for serving God, when we do not feel anything anymore, we have to examine our conscience. Dryness can come from our negligence in denying ourselves things and being generous with God. But if there is not fault that we can discern, we have to humble ourselves before God. He gradually weans us away from emotional and imaginative consolations. He may even lead us into a deeper spiritual darkness in which we experience fear and a loss of awareness of where we are going in the spiritual life. God gradually removes all human consolations so that we will learn to lean on God’s power alone.

Let us not be discouraged. Let us not talk with others about this cross that we are experiencing, except with our spiritual director. We must receive Communion and pray in order to receive the strength to follow God’s will and carry our Cross.