When You're Dry, Press On

Dear Friend who is feeling dry,

I want to tell you a story.  Because I've been right where you are.

Once upon a time, one of my mentors shared an analogy from a movie called Big Hero 6 (a very cute movie, by the way).  The main character, Hiro, meets this big, marshmallow-like robot named Baymax.  At first, Hiro is not impressed.  It takes him a while to even want to converse with Baymax, much less see him as anything more than a weird creation.

But the story goes on.  Twists, dangers, adventures.  And in the end, Hiro sees things from a totally different perspective.  (spoiler alert)

Baymax ends up having to sacrifice his life for Hiro.  In a dramatic moment, they are face to face as Hiro is forced to give up his robot friend.  All in that handful of seconds, Hiro realizes how much Baymax means to him.  And Hiro is shattered because he can't say the words to let Baymax leave.

The relationship went from ground zero to this touching, heart-felt moment that makes me want to cry.

And after the mentor shared the movie clips, I did cry.  I cried because I wanted what Hiro found - I wanted to love Jesus that much.  I wanted to have that close, personal relationship with Him.  Jesus sacrificed Himself for me, and I wanted to just have Him tight against my heart, never letting go, never saying the words to let Him leave me.

And now, several years later, I still savor those memories.  I'm not the person I used to be though.  In some ways, I'm like Hiro.  I cried and begged to be closer to Jesus.  And I am.

There are still times of dryness.  Sometimes I struggle because He feels distant.  But all the time I know that I. have. Jesus.  And I just can't let Him go, because He is so precious to me.

But those times of dryness come.  They hurt.  We become desperate.

The Bible tells us what to do.

Ho! Everyone who thirsts,

Come to the waters;

And you who have no money,

Come, buy and eat...

Incline your ear, and come to Me.

Hear, and your soul shall live;

And I will make an everlasting covenant with you...

Seek the Lord while He may be found,

Call upon Him while He is near.

- Isaiah 55: 1, 3, 6

Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.  And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.  I will be found by you, says the Lord.

- Jeremiah 29:12-14

Did you find it?  When we want Jesus so desperately, the answer is there:  seek.

Even if you don't feel the emotions.  Even if love feels like some action you do without the warmth and joy.

Keep going.  Keep loving.  Keep reading your Bible, worshiping, praying.  Dedicate every day to find Him and worship Him with your life.

Just keep seeking.  He will be found.

And remember - the Christian life isn't about gaining anything.  It's about giving ourselves to Jesus, letting Him rule our lives, giving Him the pen of our future because He loves us that much.  The Gospel isn't us gaining salvation.  It's Him giving it.

But when you're struggling and feel distant, He still hears us.  He still loves us.  And if we push aside distractions and seek Him solely, He promises to be found.

It reminds me of a favorite verse,

The wilderness and the wasteland shall be glad for them,

And the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose.

- Isaiah 35:1

It later says that there will be springs in the desert, and the parched ground will become a pool.  It's a picture of this dry, barren land that bursts into a lush, beautiful oasis.

It's us.  Christ can turn our dryness into a pool if we release our hold and let Him write the story of our lives.

It might not be the pool we're expecting.  They'll be hardships, trials, struggles.  But Christ is faithful.

So friend, don't ever give up.  Sometimes we're in the desert, but Jesus can turn our dry, blistered land into an oasis of hope and life.  Open your heart to Him and seek Him with all.

Maybe, like the movie Big Hero 6, you'll find that all the twists in life only drew you closer into Jesus' arms.  And I pray you, like Hiro, come to realize the priceless treasure you have in Jesus and Him alone.

And the ransomed of the Lord shall return,

And come to Zion with singing,

With everlasting joy on their heads.

They shall obtain joy and gladness,

And sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

- Isaiah 35:10

~♥~