Beyond Desolation: What to Do When You Have Nothing LeftSample

You’re tired and worn out. Your soul feels dried up.

To the outside world, you still appear strong and steady, but there’s a weariness you can’t put into words, a pain you can’t numb. It’s even getting hard to “keep the faith.”

You’ll be okay. You are okay.

You can let down here. Relax your clenched jaw, tense shoulders, and pressured mind. Let yourself exhale the weight you’re secretly holding. Let the few moments of this daily study be a safe, honest place for you to bring forward the true condition of your soul.

Truths you need to hear are buried under your exhaustion. That’s partly why doubt and discouragement have set in. Your inner light has grown dim and finding your way back feels daunting.

There’s a word that captures this: desolation.

When desolate, we feel utterly depleted, burned out, and pretty hopeless. Our soul seems empty, with nothing to offer others, ourselves, or even God. Yet, we know we are a temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19,20). This creates an inner tension that makes even prayer feel challenging.

Daniel understood desolation. When the actual temple lay in ruins, he prayed for God to restore what was no longer:

"Now, our God, hear the prayers and petitions of your servant. For your sake, Lord, look with favor on your desolate sanctuary." (Daniel 9:17 NIV)

Does “desolate sanctuary” describe you? If so, let yourself, without guilt, honor both truths. You are desolate AND you are a sanctuary of the Holy Spirit– AND that is okay.

God has a history of rebuilding ruins (Isaiah 58:12).

Over the next few days, we’ll explore what often creates desolation and meet a few others in the Bible who found their way back to fullness. Take courage. Your Redeemer, is going before you in this study and is with you now.

Let’s end today, praying a similar prayer of Daniel.

God, hear my prayer. My soul is tired. My faith is weak. I feel empty and depleted. Transform my doubt into faith, my discouragement into hope, my despair into deeper trust. Uphold your reputation of being a compassionate and merciful God. Pour your favor on me, your desolate sanctuary. In your capable name, Amen.

**Tomorrow: Discover the most common cause of desolation.