Dry Bones

Have you ever felt like you were running on empty—like life was dry, lifeless, and just plain exhausting? Maybe your spirit feels like a desert, and you’re wondering if things will ever change. Well, today, we’re talking about ‘dry bones’—not just literally, but spiritually.

Ezekiel 37:5 (NLT) – “This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Look! I am going to put breath into you and make you live again!”

God is in the business of breathing life into things that seem dead. Whether it’s hope, faith, dreams, or even your energy levels on a Monday morning—He can revive what feels lost.

Let’s talk about how God restores the dry places in our lives!

Recognizing Spiritual Dryness

What Are Dry Bones?

Dry bones represent hopelessness, exhaustion, or feeling disconnected from God. Even faithful people go through seasons where they feel spiritually dry. So, if you’ve ever felt that way, know that you’re not alone. We all have those times when we’re just going day to day, doing what we can.

I once watered a plant for weeks, only to realize… it was fake. Just kidding! But have you ever tried reviving something that wasn’t meant to come back?

Spiritually, we are always being molded and pruned for new growth. Sometimes, we put effort into things that are no longer needed. Staying in communication with God helps ensure our efforts align with His plans for us.

Where are you feeling spiritually dry? Let’s take a step together and ask the Lord to help us through.

Dear God, today I pray for Your strength. We are all facing different stages in life, and as we seek You, we ask for Your guidance, wisdom, and help to keep our focus on You. Be with us, Lord, and remind us that You are near. Amen.

When we try to fix things ourselves, we often cause more harm than good. I’m pretty independent, and when I face personal struggles, my own quick fixes usually make things worse. Learning to turn to the Lord first has really changed how I do life.

I’ve tried fixing things my own way—like one time, I tried ‘power-napping’ instead of actually resting. Spoiler alert: it didn’t work! I was even more tired. Through that, I learned it’s better to intentionally take time to rest rather than looking for a quick fix.

When we try to fill the dryness with distractions, busyness, entertainment, or even comfort food, we’re doing ourselves a disservice. Only God can breathe true life into our weary souls. When we seek anything but the Lord, we’ll struggle because our fulfillment comes from Him alone.

Have you ever tried to ‘fix’ your spiritual dryness without seeking God first?

Remember that there is a promise of renewal.

Ezekiel saw a valley of bones, and God brought them to life. That’s found in Ezekiel 37. We already know that no situation is too far gone for God’s restoration, but reading that God brought bones—dry bones, ones that had been there a while—back to life is amazing!

So, listen: if God can restore dry bones into an army, imagine what He can do in your life! You are alive and well, my friend, and God is moving and working.

What’s one thing you need God to breathe life into today?

Dry seasons happen, but they don’t have to last forever. God specializes in turning deserts into gardens!

If you’ve ever felt stuck in a season where you’re just going through the motions, you’re not alone. We’ve all had those moments where we feel disconnected, wondering if God even sees what we’re going through or hears our prayers.

The good news? God doesn’t leave us there. He specializes in bringing life back to what feels lifeless. So, if you’ve been feeling spiritually drained, I want to remind you—God is working.

And hey, sometimes all it takes is a shift in focus. Think about it—when you’re in a dry place, the more you focus on the ‘dryness,’ the worse it feels. Imagine working outside in the heat of summer, feeling parched, but pushing through without taking a break. The longer you wait for water, the worse you feel. But when you finally stop and drink, you’re refreshed and energized.

When you start speaking God’s Word, even before you feel a change, that’s when life starts coming back.

Our key scripture for today is Ezekiel 37:5 (NLT) – “This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Look! I am going to put breath into you and make you live again!”

Can you think of a time when God revived something in your life?

Steps Toward Renewal

Speak God’s Word over dry areas—His promises bring life. Worship shifts our focus from problems to God’s power.

As I was walking through a healing season, I got to a point where all the devotional reading and stuff I was doing became dry. I knew God was using it, but at the same time, I felt empty. Have you ever felt that way? Like no matter what you do, you’re just here doing stuff, but it feels like you aren’t doing much of anything.

Once I changed up my approach and thought process, God used that time to restore my joy and purpose. It was like all the pieces of the puzzle came together. Keep going, my friends—God has a purpose.

Even when you don’t ‘feel’ it, stay in God’s presence. He’s working!

What’s a Bible verse that helps you refocus on God? Mine will always be Isaiah 40:31. Share yours with me at rachel@kjic.org.

Trusting God’s Timing

Renewal doesn’t always happen overnight—sometimes, it’s a process. We know that, but living it is different. We want the right now, and we can become impatient, forgetting the beauty in the process.

God’s breath revives, but we have to stay connected to Him. That means seeking Him out every day, knowing He will answer, carry, and guide us.

Stay close to the source of life—the one who gives the life-giving water. Dry bones don’t just need rain; they need God’s breath.

How can you stay connected to God daily?

It’s one thing to feel refreshed for a moment, but another to actually walk in revival every day. That’s what I want for all of us—to not just get a ‘spiritual recharge’ here and there, but to actually stay connected to the source of life.

Think about it like your phone battery. If you only charge it once a week, it’s going to die on you fast. But if you keep it connected regularly, it stays full. The same is true for our faith! Let’s look at some practical ways to stay revived in our daily walk.

When God revives something, it’s not just for us—it’s so we can help bring life to others.

Sometimes, we’re called to encourage others who feel spiritually dry.

Our words can be life-giving—choose to speak hope.

Who can you encourage today? Maybe a simple text or call could be the breath of fresh air someone needs.

Living with Fresh Faith

Keep your spirit refreshed through prayer, worship, and community.

Spring is coming, and when I think about that, I love going outside to enjoy the warmth and sunshine. There’s a refreshing that comes with it. Then summer comes, and we seek reprieve from the heat, craving coolness and water. Spiritually, it’s the same—no matter the season, we need refreshment and renewal.

What a blessing to know that God’s mercies are new every morning. In that, there’s always hope.

Don’t wait for a crisis to seek God—stay filled so you can pour out to others.

What’s one habit you can develop to keep your faith fresh?

Dry bones don’t stay dry when God speaks!

I was reading this article and wanted to share a portion of it with you that speaks about seasons of weariness. It says this:

“Recently I was thinking of the pressures and stresses that affect so many people’s lives.  People live their lives in their cars as they spend endless hours on expressways each day. They take their kids back and forth to school and to sports events; they go to church functions, to the grocery store, and back and forth to work. This constant movement puts a lot of stress on the mind and body. Yet there seems to be no option but to constantly try to keep up with the hectic pace!

Then when you finally get home in the evening, you can’t really rest. After all, the bills must be paid; the house must be maintained; the yard needs mowing; dishes need washing; dinner needs to be cooked; groceries have to be put away; the children need special attention and discipline. Walking through the door of the house at the end of the workday does not mean your work is finished. 

One of Satan’s greatest weapons is discouragement, and he knows exactly when to use it. He waits until you are tired, weak, and susceptible to his lies. Then he hits you hard in your emotions, trying to tell you that you are accomplishing nothing valuable in life.”

We can call connect with this and if we don’t take time to rest and refresh, we will feel dry and weary, so we need to keep listening for Gods voice in all we do and trust in His power. In this way time and our schedule won't feel heavy and our life will seems to flow more easily.

This week, ask God to breathe fresh life into your faith, your day-to-day, your dreams, and your heart.

Remember, we’ve all had dry seasons, but they don’t define us. With God, there’s always a fresh start.

Don’t be discouraged by dry places—God is at work even when you don’t see it or feel it.

Remember our main scripture for today - Ezekiel 37:5 (NLT) – “This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Look! I am going to put breath into you and make you live again!”

Let’s choose to stay connected to the source of life, trust in His timing, and be open to the new things He’s doing!