March 2nd, 2026
by Pastor Darren Colwell
by Pastor Darren Colwell
In Song of Songs 3:1-5 we find the Bride longing for the One whom her soul loves. He’s absent. It’s night. She’s distressed because he’s not present with her. She’s been united to him (2:16 - My Beloved is mine and I am his) but she lacks the experience of that union. She lacks communion with him. So she seeks him but doesn’t find him. She seeks him in the city (the church) and still doesn’t find him. Finally the watchmen find her and she asks them where she can find him. She still doesn’t find him immediately but very soon after she leaves them she finds her Beloved, holds him fast, and takes him into her home. The soul that seeks by faith will find sweet satisfaction in Christ, our true reward
A good question I was asked after the sermon yesterday was what are some of the practical things we can do if we find ourselves in that spiritually dry, distant, discouraged, or depressed season? I’ll answer in the same order as the Bride’s experience: personally, corporately, and then the watchmen.
Personally, we cannot value fervent prayer highly enough. Jesus calls us to pray importunately. Be aggressively annoying in our prayers to the Lord in this manner. He gives the example of a woman who’s been wronged aggressively pursuing justice from an unjust judge. He eventually relents due to her importunity. How much more ought we to pursue God’s blessing given that he is the Just Judge? Perhaps we’ve cried out to the Lord and the darkness still persists, the rains haven’t broken upon our drought-stricken hearts. Keep crying out! The Lord’s perceived distance is to drive us to keep praying, not to give up. He will be found! Further, give yourself to the Word. But perhaps you might need to change how you read it. Seek Christ, first and foremost, as you read. If you’re in an OT book and it’s hard to see Jesus consider spending time in Luke or John so your view becomes a bit clearer. One of the factors that often leads to my dry seasons is a lack of meditation upon what I’ve read. When we open the Bible we’re hearing God’s words to his people. Take time with it. Whatever time you’re given, whether 5 minutes or 2 hours. Read, think about what you read, consider how it points you to Jesus, consider what commands it might be calling you to obey or sins you need to kill. Pray over it and ask the Spirit for help. It can often be helpful to write notes. It doesn’t have to be a commentary. It can be a simple thought the Lord is driving home. Consider reading good books by other godly Christians who have gone before you and experienced these things. A few to consider would be Spiritual Depression by Martin Lloyd-Jones, The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment by Jeremiah Burroughs, and Precious Remedies Against Satan’s Devices by Thomas Brooks.
Second, pursue Christ corporately. This means attending to the means of grace. Often neglect of these means leads to the dry seasons in our lives. And, believe it or not, we can even neglect these while we attend church. How? By not seeking Christ in them, by not beholding him and his grace, by not taking in what we’ve heard and applying it to our hearts, by not remembering or meditating on what we’ve heard, etc. If we come to the gathering expecting others to do all the work for us and we can merely consume then we will often miss what the Lord would have for us. Listen to your brothers & sisters sing. Does it draw you to love them more? Actively hear the Word preached. Your God is speaking to you! Are our hearts ready to listen? Am I ready to rejoice in the gospel and obey the law? Jesus serves us a spiritual feast at the Supper. Have we brought our sin to the Lord? Have we rejoiced in his forgiveness? Do we think about the unity of the body that partakes together? Does your church know how you’re doing? Ask for prayer from your fellow believers. Be like Naomi and express even the bitterness of your soul to the body. They love you and will seek your good.
Thirdly, let the watchmen find you. Your pastors keep watch over your souls, but if you don’t let them know how your soul is doing they can’t minister to it well. Tell us how you’re doing. Tell us how we can pray for you. Seek godly counsel on how to move forward. Know that your pastors are praying for you, care for you, and are ready to give you grace! Jesus isn’t ashamed of you and neither are his under shepherds.
Lastly, remember who your Beloved is. The Bride sought him so earnestly because he is the One whom her soul loves! Remember the One who bought you with his own blood, who knows all your sin and loves you anyway. He forgives you and redeems you. He isn’t found by external ritual but by the desires of the heart, by faith. Seek Christ personally in all your prayer and reading. Seek Christ corporately by seeing him in all parts of the gathered worship. Seek him in his watchmen. Ask how they can help you find Jesus! Jesus is our true reward and he loves to give himself to those who seek him by faith. He will satisfy your soul, no matter how long the night, and his presence will make every trial worth it.
How sweet the name of Jesus sounds
In a believer’s ear
It soothes our sorrows, heals our wounds
And drives away our fear
It makes the wounded spirit whole
And calms the troubled breast
Tis manna to the hungry soul
And to the weary, rest
- John Newton
A good question I was asked after the sermon yesterday was what are some of the practical things we can do if we find ourselves in that spiritually dry, distant, discouraged, or depressed season? I’ll answer in the same order as the Bride’s experience: personally, corporately, and then the watchmen.
Personally, we cannot value fervent prayer highly enough. Jesus calls us to pray importunately. Be aggressively annoying in our prayers to the Lord in this manner. He gives the example of a woman who’s been wronged aggressively pursuing justice from an unjust judge. He eventually relents due to her importunity. How much more ought we to pursue God’s blessing given that he is the Just Judge? Perhaps we’ve cried out to the Lord and the darkness still persists, the rains haven’t broken upon our drought-stricken hearts. Keep crying out! The Lord’s perceived distance is to drive us to keep praying, not to give up. He will be found! Further, give yourself to the Word. But perhaps you might need to change how you read it. Seek Christ, first and foremost, as you read. If you’re in an OT book and it’s hard to see Jesus consider spending time in Luke or John so your view becomes a bit clearer. One of the factors that often leads to my dry seasons is a lack of meditation upon what I’ve read. When we open the Bible we’re hearing God’s words to his people. Take time with it. Whatever time you’re given, whether 5 minutes or 2 hours. Read, think about what you read, consider how it points you to Jesus, consider what commands it might be calling you to obey or sins you need to kill. Pray over it and ask the Spirit for help. It can often be helpful to write notes. It doesn’t have to be a commentary. It can be a simple thought the Lord is driving home. Consider reading good books by other godly Christians who have gone before you and experienced these things. A few to consider would be Spiritual Depression by Martin Lloyd-Jones, The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment by Jeremiah Burroughs, and Precious Remedies Against Satan’s Devices by Thomas Brooks.
Second, pursue Christ corporately. This means attending to the means of grace. Often neglect of these means leads to the dry seasons in our lives. And, believe it or not, we can even neglect these while we attend church. How? By not seeking Christ in them, by not beholding him and his grace, by not taking in what we’ve heard and applying it to our hearts, by not remembering or meditating on what we’ve heard, etc. If we come to the gathering expecting others to do all the work for us and we can merely consume then we will often miss what the Lord would have for us. Listen to your brothers & sisters sing. Does it draw you to love them more? Actively hear the Word preached. Your God is speaking to you! Are our hearts ready to listen? Am I ready to rejoice in the gospel and obey the law? Jesus serves us a spiritual feast at the Supper. Have we brought our sin to the Lord? Have we rejoiced in his forgiveness? Do we think about the unity of the body that partakes together? Does your church know how you’re doing? Ask for prayer from your fellow believers. Be like Naomi and express even the bitterness of your soul to the body. They love you and will seek your good.
Thirdly, let the watchmen find you. Your pastors keep watch over your souls, but if you don’t let them know how your soul is doing they can’t minister to it well. Tell us how you’re doing. Tell us how we can pray for you. Seek godly counsel on how to move forward. Know that your pastors are praying for you, care for you, and are ready to give you grace! Jesus isn’t ashamed of you and neither are his under shepherds.
Lastly, remember who your Beloved is. The Bride sought him so earnestly because he is the One whom her soul loves! Remember the One who bought you with his own blood, who knows all your sin and loves you anyway. He forgives you and redeems you. He isn’t found by external ritual but by the desires of the heart, by faith. Seek Christ personally in all your prayer and reading. Seek Christ corporately by seeing him in all parts of the gathered worship. Seek him in his watchmen. Ask how they can help you find Jesus! Jesus is our true reward and he loves to give himself to those who seek him by faith. He will satisfy your soul, no matter how long the night, and his presence will make every trial worth it.
How sweet the name of Jesus sounds
In a believer’s ear
It soothes our sorrows, heals our wounds
And drives away our fear
It makes the wounded spirit whole
And calms the troubled breast
Tis manna to the hungry soul
And to the weary, rest
- John Newton
Posted in Bible, Church, Gospel, Grace, Practical Religion, Sunday, Worship
Posted in Worship, Prayer, Bible Reading
Posted in Worship, Prayer, Bible Reading
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