Lillias Trotter stood at a crossroads.[1] The words of the renown nineteenth century art critic, John Ruskin, rang in her mind. “If you allow me to train you,” he had said. “You could become one of the greatest artists in the world.”[2] Trotter loved beauty. God had truly blessed her with artistic talent. Yet, Trotter knew that if she pursued this path, she would have to reduce her service to God. Trotter wrote, “I cannot give myself to painting in the way he [Ruskin] means and continue still to ‘seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness’ (Matthew 6:33).”[3] With this decision, Trotter prioritized her relationship with God and avoided the spiritual dryness that comes from resisting God’s will. You cannot run from God and feel close to Him.

Two Paths: God’s Will or My Will

So often, we refuse to make a clear choice to follow God. We want to fulfill our own ambitions and goals without submitting them to God’s direction. As we try to pursue our own way, we wonder why Jesus feels so far away. We are on different paths, going different directions and becoming further and further apart. Of course our relationship with God seems distant when we are walking away from Him.

Two Choices: Submit or Resist

We must submit to God if we want to genuinely draw close to Him. In the book of James, God connects submission to God and intimacy with God:

“Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded” (James 4:7-8).

We cannot draw near to God if we are unwilling to submit to him. Pursuing our own ends, we can turn God’s exhortation backwards and submit to the devil and draw near to the world. Yet, submission to God and intimacy with Him walk hand in hand. In such a relationship, God influences us to begin to want what He wants—for His will to become ours. Therein lies joy, unity, and fulfillment. However, we cannot draw near to God while resisting Him. When we try, we experience spiritual dryness.

One Focus: Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus

In the context of James 4, God reminds us that friendship with the world causes conflict in our relationship with Him. God calls trying to get close to Him while currying favor with this world being double-minded. We must choose who has priority in our lives.

After decades of missionary service in Algeria, Lillias Trotter wrote of the importance of single vision in our spiritual lives: “Turn full your soul’s vision to Jesus, and look and look at Him, and a strange dimness will come over all that is apart from Him.”[4] What is our “full soul’s vision” focused upon? Has dimness shadowed our walk with God because we have stared too long into the blinding glitter of the world?

Whatever turns my heart from God is destructive to my life.

Tips for Avoiding Spiritual Dryness Caused by Being Double-minded

  • Pray to God in repentance for walking away from Him toward the world and resisting Him instead of the devil.
  • Submit your will and future plans to Him.
  • Give priority to daily time with God over everything else—sleep, social media, video games, sports, academics, and even your occupation.
  • Evaluate life decisions based upon what pleases God and gives you more opportunities to serve Him faithfully.
  • Spend time with those who also desire to “call on the Lord out of a pure heart” (2 Timothy 2:22).

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”

Romans 12:1-2

[1] Read more about missionary Lillias Trotter in my upcoming missions devotional sequel, Daring Dependence. Find out more at www.mrconrad.net.

[2] This is not a direct quote but a summary of what John Ruskin told Lillias Trotter. Read the story of Trotter’s life in Miriam Huffman Rockness’ biography, A Passion for the Impossible: The Life of Lillias Trotter.

[3] Blanche A. F. Piggott, Lillias Trotter: Founder of the Algiers Mission Band (London: Marshall, Morgan, and Scott, 1930), 11.

[4] Lillias Trotter, Focused. This quote inspired Helen Howarth Lemmel to compose the hymn, “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus.”

Spiritual dryness can occur for many different reasons. This article is part of a series in Rooted Thinking. Read more about other factors in the related posts: #1 Introduction, #2 Quietness, #3 Misplaced Hunger, #4 Double-Mindedness, and #5 Narcissism.

Photo credit: Pablo Garcia Saldana on unsplash