Sometimes—and I know I am not unusual in this—I just don't feel or sense God's presence. My spiritual life seems empty or numb. I pray, but feel as if my prayers go no further than the edges of my lips. I worship, but as if only going through the motions. God's love simply doesn't feel real or alive.

Such times can leave me anxious, tempt me to jadedness or leave me bored. At their worst, such times can threaten faith to its core.

So how are we to respond to such dry periods?