Walking Through the Valley
In the valley, the spiritual practices that normally feel life-giving often go dry. Prayer feels hollow. Scripture feels distant. Worship feels performative.
Practices for the Dark Season In the valley, the spiritual practices that normally feel life-giving often go dry. Prayer feels hollow. Scripture feels distant. Worship feels performative. This does not mean the practices have stopped working. It means your capacity to experience them has been temporarily affected by the depression you are in. Keep the minimum practices — even if they feel like nothing. A brief, honest prayer. A few verses of Scripture. A simple act of worship, even if it is just lying on the floor and telling God you have nothing left. The practices create the container for healing even when the experience of them is dry. And give yourself extraordinary grace for the season you are in. You are carrying more than most people see. You are doing more than most people know. The dark season does not require heroic performance. It requires survival — and survival is enough. "He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds." — Psalm 147:3 In the valley, the minimum is enough. Stay. Breathe. Pray even when it feels empty. You are more faithful than you know.
Get Essays in Your Inbox
Subscribe to receive new essays on faith, culture, and Christian leadership delivered directly to you.
Related Articles
Grief and the Gospel: What Christians Believe About Loss, Death, and the Hope That Holds
What Every Christian Should Know About Theology: An Accessible Introduction to the Core Doctrines of the Faith
How to Preach on Difficult Topics Without Losing Your Congregation: A Guide for Pastors With Prophetic Courage
James Bell
Lead Teaching Pastor at First Baptist Church in Fenton, Michigan, and founder of the Pastors Connection Network. For over 15 years, James has served in full-time ministry—planting churches, leading revitalization efforts, and consulting with pastors and ministry leaders across the country. Out of his own seasons of burnout and isolation, he founded the Pastors Connection Network, a growing community of leaders committed to gospel-centered relationships and long-term faithfulness in ministry.