EMBRACING THE DESERT SEASON | Jeanne Mayo

March 17th, 2026

If you’ve walked with Jesus for more than five minutes, you already know this: not every season feels like a spiritual mountaintop. Some seasons feel more like a spiritual wasteland—dry, barren, and lonely. These are the desert times. The times when God feels a billion miles away and your emotions feel like they’ve been run through a spiritual dehydrator.

And if you’ve served in ministry—you know exactly how depleting it can be. You’re constantly pouring out, cheering others on, leading, loving, and giving. But what happens when your own spiritual tank is flashing “EMPTY” and you still have to show up? What happens when you’re the one encouraging everyone else, but inside you feel like you’re running on fumes?

Some churches unintentionally reinforce the idea that if you’re not “feeling” something, you must be spiritually off. But that’s simply not biblical. There’s a massive difference between what your head knows and what your heart feels. And sometimes—brace yourself—when you’re walking closest to Jesus, you feel absolutely nothing.

The Desert Is Not a Mistake
Hosea 2:14 says, “Therefore I will allure her; I will lead her into the desert and speak tenderly to her.” Notice that: God leads us into the desert. Not to punish us. Not to shame us. But to speak to us in ways we can’t hear when life is loud, busy, and full of noise.

The desert often feels like:

A dry, emotionless walk with God
Pressure, heat, and exhaustion
Loneliness and isolation
A place where even small tasks feel huge
Monotony, where beauty hides unless you know how to look

Sometimes we create our own desert—through unconfessed sin, spiritual neglect, or refusing to spend time with God. Like the Dead Sea, we get spiritually stagnant when we only take in and never pour out.

But other times, the desert is God’s idea. It doesn’t mean you’re failing. It doesn’t mean you’re broken. It doesn’t mean you’re spiritually tone‑deaf. You may be fighting battles that don’t even exist.

As you mature in your faith, you stop obsessing over whether you’re in a “feeling” season. Just like in marriage—where early romance is full of fireworks—mature love becomes a choice rooted in commitment, not butterflies.

The enemy loves to whisper, “If you’re not feeling anything, something must be wrong.” And before you know it, you’re chasing feelings instead of chasing God.

But here’s the truth: Jesus was led into the desert by the Spirit, and He came out in the power of the Spirit. The devil didn’t lead Him there—though he certainly tried to talk to Him there. And he’ll try to talk to you too. Because the desert is a vulnerable place. If you don’t understand what God is doing, you’re more likely to make foolish decisions.

If you fear the barren, non‑feeling times and treat them like the enemy, you’ll never walk in the power of the Spirit. If feelings equaled closeness to God, then Jesus—while hanging on the cross doing the most God‑honoring act in history—was out of God’s will. And yet He cried, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” He felt nothing. But He was exactly where He was supposed to be.

God’s Purposes in the Desert
So why does God allow these seasons? What is He doing in the silence?

1. To Free You from the Idolatry of Feelings

We live in a culture that worships feelings. But feelings are fickle. They’re unreliable. They’re like middle schoolers—amazing one minute, dramatic the next.

Proverbs 23:7 says, “As a man thinks in his heart, so is he.” Your thoughts shape your emotions. If you want to feel differently, start thinking differently.

List your blessings. Focus on what’s going right. If your joy depends on circumstances or people, you’re in trouble. Deep love isn’t about warm fuzzies—it’s about commitment.

2. To Protect You from Spiritual Overwatering

Yes, overwatering is a thing. Plants can drown in too much water. And spiritually, so can we. Too much input without the capacity to absorb it leads to rot. Jesus knows how much you can handle. He gives you just enough to grow without overwhelming you.

3. To Deepen Your Root System

Trees planted right next to water don’t need deep roots. But when storms come, they’re the first to fall. Trees farther from water develop deep roots that anchor them. God uses the desert to force your roots deeper, so you can stand strong when life gets hard.

4. To Separate Religious Feelings from Spiritual Reality

The desert strips away the fluff. It creates a “naked dependency” on God’s Word. You learn to “fly by the instruments”—to trust what Scripture says over what you feel. That’s spiritual maturity. That’s walking by faith, not by sight. God wants sons and daughters who love Him for who He is—not for the emotional high He sometimes gives.

What to Do in the Desert
So how do you survive—and even thrive—in the desert?

1. Focus on God’s Character

Psalm 63:1–3, written by David in the desert, says: “O God, You are my God; I seek You earnestly… I gaze upon You in the sanctuary to see Your power and Your glory.”

When you feel nothing, focus on who God is. His power. His glory. His love. He is bigger than your emotions.

2. Choose to Praise

Psalm 63:6–7 says, “As I lie in bed I remember You… Because You are my help.”

Praise is a choice. Even when you don’t feel it. Especially when you don’t feel it.

3. Take “Him Time”

Spend time with God even when it feels like nothing is happening. Most of my alone time with God feels like… nothing. But it’s not about feelings. It’s about relationship.

If you don’t understand this, you’ll avoid time with God. But He is listening. And His Word is alive—even when you don’t feel it.

4. Guard Your Thought Life

Especially at night. The last thoughts you think shape your mindset in the morning. Choose gratitude. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 says, “In everything give thanks.” Gratitude shifts your perspective and opens your heart to joy.

5. Embrace the Shadow

Psalm 63:7 says, “In the shadow of Your wings I sing for joy.”

The shadow isn’t glamorous. It’s hidden. Quiet. But it’s safe. God wants to give you His perspective. When you rise above your situation, you see more clearly.

6. Cling to God

Psalm 63:8 says, “My soul clings to You; Your right hand upholds me.”

Even when you feel like you’re barely holding on, He’s holding you. And His grip is stronger than yours.

Relationship Over Experience
In your pursuit of God, seek relationship over experience. Don’t chase the high. Chase Him.

In the non‑feeling times, God whispers, “My right hand is holding you… I’m with you. I’ll teach you to trust Me.”

Isaiah 41:10 says, “I will uphold you with My victorious right hand.”

Don’t make your goal getting out of the desert. Make your goal growing through it. If you focus on growth, you may not even notice when the desert ends. Feelings come and go. But God doesn’t. He’s still speaking in the desert—you just have to learn to listen with different ears. Sometimes, the silence is the message.

And maybe—just maybe—the fact that He trusts you with a desert season is one of His greatest compliments. He’s teaching you how to be His child without all the bells and whistles.

Don’t confuse feelings with relationship. They have very little to do with each other. But if you embrace the desert—if you lean in and listen—you’ll come out stronger. Rooted. Anchored. Unshakable. And you’ll walk in the power of the Spirit.