Introduction

The Bible is replete with stories of God’s divine closeness in which God reveals the divine presence to humanity, calling and liberating people from distress and suffering (Exodus 3; 1 Samuel 3:1–10; Amos; Jeremiah 1; Isaiah 6). However, the scriptures also witness the lamentations of those who feel abandoned and distant from God. Psalm 22, for instance, offers the poignant prayer of a person struggling with feelings of abandonment, pleading with God to answer his cries for salvation: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from my cries of anguish?” (NIV). Even Jesus, in his moment of deepest despair on the cross, cries out to God with these words (Mark 15:34).

We inevitably experience emotional “highs and lows” throughout our lives, particularly in our spiritual journeys. Those who embark on a serious quest to unravel the mysteries of God and cultivate a deeper relationship with the divine face periods of spiritual dryness. As the theologian Wilmer (2018) notes, the experience of the total absence of God is an essential component of the spiritual journey, and no one can achieve spiritual depth without confronting this existential void.

The Spanish mystic John of the Cross (1542–1591) coined the term “dark night of the soul.” His concept of “night” describes this experience of spiritual desolation. He conceived of this night as a religious-spiritual darkening that precedes a period of purification and maturation, during which God withdraws from human recognition of God’s presence. It is a paradoxical darkness only made possible by the “light of God,” which illuminates and guides the individual toward ultimate unity with the divine (Benker, 1999; Körner, 2005; Plattig, 2017).

Mother Teresa of Calcutta (Agnes Gonxhe Bojaxhiu; 1910–1997) is a notable example of an individual who experienced spiritual darkness. She documented her profound inner abandonment and disconnection from God in her personal records, diary notes, and letters, published posthumously. Despite her immense impact on the world as a Nobel Peace Prize laureate and canonized saint, Mother Teresa lived and prayed in complete spiritual darkness for several decades. Yearning for divine presence and comfort, she described her feeling of emptiness and coldness within (Mother Teresa, 2007).

The experience of spiritual dryness and of the night of the soul are crucial components of the path towards spiritual transformation, a process of ‘transformation’ that reshapes the individual through divine intervention (Bäumer & Plattig, 2008, p. 115). However, such experiences can also have a profound impact on one’s well-being (Büssing et al., 2013; Exline & Rose, 2013; Exline et al., 2015; Stauner et al., 2016), as exemplified by the struggles faced by religious individuals who feel distant from God and abandoned by their faith, which leads to spiritual “dryness” and “emptiness” (Büssing et al., 2013, 2016, 2017a, b, c, 2019, 2020a, b, c, d).

In a qualitative study of 30 religious sisters and brothers, the authors identified five primary categories of triggers for experiencing spiritual dryness: (1) loss of relationship with God, (2) loss of direction, (3) loss of depth, (4) difficulties with the religious community, and (5) intrinsic factors: overload, insecurity, depression (Büssing et al., 2020a, b, c, d). These five themes can be further categorized as extrinsic (God is not responding, others cause difficulties) and intrinsic (loss of orientation and depth, uncertainty, and depressive state) causes. A thorough discernment of the underlying “spirits” (the triggers) is essential to help and support people during these phases (Büssing et al., 2020a, b, c, d).

Effective coping strategies for navigating these challenging phases involve a combination of (1) internal, reflective resources, (2) internal, spiritual resources, (3) external, social resources, and (4) other external resources, with the efficacy of these strategies depending on the individual’s flexibility and ability to apply them appropriately (Gerundt & Büssing, 2020, 2021; Gerundt et al., 2022). Empirical studies have shown that those who successfully overcome spiritual dryness may experience greater spiritual clarity, spiritual depth, and motivation to help others, suggesting the experience of spiritual transformation (Büssing et al., 2013, 2016, 2017a, b, c, 2020a, b, c, d; Stauner et al., 2016).

To further investigate the nature and outcomes of such transformation processes, we conducted a qualitative study among 30 religious brothers and sisters. We used content analysis to identify their coping strategies and the perceived changes they experienced following their (successful) navigation of spiritual dryness. Our study sheds light on the effects of spiritual dryness and the profound reactions and transformations that can result from overcoming it.

Methods

Study design and participants

This study aimed to investigate the experience of and coping methods employed by religious brothers and sisters in response to phases of spiritual dryness. We conducted semistructured interviews with 16 religious brothers and 14 religious sisters, as described in Büssing et al., (2020a, b, c, d). We recruited participants via email, either directly or through their communities, with the consent of superiors in the case of religious brothers. Those who experienced phases of spiritual dryness were invited to contact us to participate. Inclusion criteria were being a religious brother or sister, willingness to be anonymously interviewed, and informed consent. In order to ensure a diverse sample, religious brothers and sisters from various congregations, age groups, and community sizes were sought out.

The study was conducted in two phases, with religious brothers (14 Capuchins, 2 Franciscans) and religious sisters (6 Franciscan sisters, 1 Sister of Poor Clare, 3 Steyler Missionaries, 2 missionary Sisters of the Holy Heart of Jesus, 2 Dominican sisters). The mean age of the 16 religious brothers was 64.7 (range 35–87) years; the average duration of their membership in their respective communities was 40.4 (range 7–67) years. The mean age of the 14 religious sisters was 65.3 (range 40–82) years, and their average length of 4 (range 11–61) years.

Semistructured interviews

We used semistructured interviews, as described in Büssing et al. (2020a, b, c, d). The interviews were conducted in German an then translated into English. Here, we focused specifically on the effects and reactions experienced by individuals after overcoming phases of spiritual dryness. To ensure the participants’ comfort and familiarity, we held all interviews in a quiet room in their respective communities. The interviews lasted an average of 55 min and were audio-recorded and transcribed professionally. To protect the anonymity of the participants, identifying details were removed from the transcripts.

Data analysis

A team of four scientists from diverse academic backgrounds in health sciences / medicine, cultural studies, and theology conducted a rigorous analysis of the German-language text material using qualitative content analysis techniques following Mayring’s (2008) framework. The primary analysis commenced with the interviews of the religious brothers (phase 1), wherein the first interview was identified as P1 and given its initial codes, and in this phase we meticulously examined the interviews in depth. Subsequently, the interviews were analyzed sequentially, focusing on significant text segments. Moreover, the code list was expanded based on emerging content. These codes were then condensed and grouped into main and sub-codes based on their underlying motives. With this preliminary list, we analyzed all interviews and refined the code list to incorporate the new findings. The interviews with religious sisters (phase 2) were analyzed using the same rigorous approach, and the codes from these interviews were linked to the religious brothers’ code list when possible. The sisters were identified as S1, etc. Any new codes that emerged during the analysis were incorporated appropriately. Finally, the interviews from phase 1 were reanalyzed based on the refined code list. We used representative text passages as “anchor quotes” or their corresponding codes, which we subsequently categorized into themes or “categories.”

Results

In this study, we invited religious sisters and brothers to share their personal experiences regarding the significance of overcoming phases of spiritual dryness, its impact on their life trajectories, and the development of new life perspectives. Specifically, we asked participants to reflect on their post-dryness feelings, any perceived changes within themselves, and the effects and reactions observed in hindsight, such as an increased drive to serve others, a deepening of their spiritual faith or a heightened sense of spiritual clarity and depth as found in empirical studies (Büssing et al., 2013, 2016, 2017a, b, c, 2020a, b, c, d).

The identified categories were carefully analyzed and structured inductively, identifying four primary themes (Fig. 1). We further subdivided these four main categories into relevant subcategories (Fig. 2), which are described in this section.

Fig. 1
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Four Categories of the Effects of Spiritual Dryness

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Fig. 2
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Main and Subcategories of Reported Reactions After Overcoming Spiritual Dryness

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Deepened spiritual connection to God

The first category encompasses the changes observed in the relationship between the participants and God. It includes three subcategories: a deepened spiritual connection to God (1), a change in the view of God (2), and a more attentive listening to God and openness to God (3).

Closer to God

The first subcategory pertains to the renewed or fortified relationship with God following the experience of spiritual dryness. Such descriptions were found exclusively in the interviews with religious brothers.

One brother reported having drawn closer to God during a difficult phase of illness and gaining greater depth in his relationship with God. He felt that God had taken him out of the crisis and perceived a new quality and depth in their relationship: “Through this difficult phase that I went through, I once came closer to this God, to where I felt more and more how he looks. You have not made it alone, but he has taken you out again” (P2, lines 267-268). The participant believed he could not have overcome the crisis without God’s intervention, emphasizing God’s role as the active agent.

Another participant noted the association between periods of imbalance, spiritual dryness, and a lack of the perceived presence of God. After overcoming his spiritual dryness, he experienced a return to a state of rest in God and within himself: “I rest more in God and myself and can also act more from such a rest” (P7, 150–151). The participant observed a connection between a more straightforward relationship with God and a reduced preoccupation with himself. As a reaction to this, he developed the desire to cultivate a relationship with God, make space for God, and turn to God: “When I am there, God is also there. So, it is a question of me coming to him and giving him space” (P7, 158–159).

Change in the View of God

We added this subcategory in the second phase of interview evaluations. Only the religious sisters spoke clearly of a change in their view of God or their relationship with God. “If dryness means a change in my relationship with God, then I can also say yes, there is change because I am changing. I do not believe that God changes; my conception of God has changed over time” (S5, 200–207). One religious sister described her struggle with her “image” of God and her ideas about God. She realized that human standards could not grasp the unattainable God: “In any case, it suddenly became so clear to me that a God that can be thought of does not exist, that he is not a God” (S9, 137–142). In some interviews, the participant showed a stronger connection with one of the three divine persons. For some, the Holy Spirit became more important. One sister emphasized: “And yes, with the Holy Spirit, who is the third person. Then it is about the drought—‘Drought, pour life in’—or about the dryness. It occurred to me then that he—in the moment when there is nothing left for me—that he can revive me again” (S6, 292–295). She ascribes to the Holy Spirit the power to revitalize her, to give her a new orientation so that she can turn to people again.

For others, a deeper connection with Jesus Christ became evident after they had overcome spiritual dryness: “And then there is another theme: connection with Jesus. That is more important to me than anything else. That also brings me joy” (P12, 272–273). One religious sister experienced a change in her relationship with God due to external circumstances and new impulses. The ability to pray returned, she felt alive and joyful again, and she even forgot her sadness at times: “But then I suddenly noticed, oh, there is liveliness and joy coming back to me, and that there were times when I forgot how sad I was at the moment, and then prayer slowly returned, and since then the image of God has also changed to Holy Spirit. I felt he had poured warm rain, and now something is slowly coming out” (S3, 233–236). In all these statements, the element of transformation, essential for John of the Cross, is prominent. First, the relationship with God changes and a different view of life is possible. Participants used terms such as “new orientation,” “strengthening,” and “liveliness and joy” to describe that their faith life was moving forward again.

Listening to God / Openness to God

As a result of experiencing spiritual dryness, one religious brother resolved to listen more to God’s will; he mentioned “the support to say, ‘Okay, to listen more to what God wants’ or to keep it open, more open.” (P8, 487–488). Another brother spoke of the need to awaken a willingness for God and the importance of an attitude of expectant openness to God: “What is decisive, one could also say, is that the organ for God is awakened, which can be awakened” (P11, 490-491). A religious sister focused on a stronger inward turning in conversation with God: “I think it is more about going inward again. So, seeking that conversation with God” (S12, 457–459).

Profound inner and outer changes

In the category of inner changes, various manifestations of changes were mentioned that affect both attitude and behavior. Subcategories such as self-awareness, gratitude, maturation process, gaining inner peace, liberation / (inner) freedom, healing experience, “acceptance of what is yet to come,” and “life goes on: the sky is still up there” describe changes in attitude, while the subcategories “self-care” and “role model / authentic living” focus more on the dimension of action.

The interviewed individuals often recognized the positive effects of a crisis only in retrospect, reflecting a process of realization that might not have been possible without these “dark” experiences that led into a transformational process.

Self-Awareness

The interviewed religious brothers and sisters reported positive changes after overcoming crises. One religious brother felt “free and accepted” (P11, 581), while a religious sister noticed that she had gained greater freedom. In response, she thought that God had given humans the task to develop and to work on themselves: “I was surprised that it worked out this way. And I was just freer and more myself. So, I believe that this is a great task that God has given us, that we become whom he has envisioned us to be” (S6, 550–552). Another sister realized she could not have overcome crisis experiences without breaking down and not giving up: “So, in retrospect, I think it is beautiful, and that is also the experience of the years to say, ‘Yes, you can endure that’” (S12, 448–452). She realized that this strength may be limited, but it seemed sufficient to endure and overcome the darkness. Another sister emphasized the importance of caring for oneself and staying in touch with oneself to be there for others. In monastic / congregational life, she experienced many tensions caused by a lack of engagement with herself: “And I mean, you often have that in community, that there is a lot of jealousy, envy, you name it, not because it has something to do with someone else, but probably because you are not in good contact with yourself. I think I am in good contact with myself. [laughing] So, at the latest after that, yes” (S14, 383–386). This quote reflects a growth process—the realization that self-care is essential, along with being true to oneself and maintaining a healthy and ‘true’ relationship with God.

Maturation Processes

Many interviewees mentioned they had observed a change of attitude and (internal) maturation processes. Most quotes could be assigned to this subcategory. Some of our interviewees observed changes in their behavior after overcoming spiritual dryness. We present this aspect in detail to show the different facets more clearly.

Feeling lonely and abandoned, a brother experienced spiritual dryness, which had a lasting impact on him. He speculated that he developed a more profound perspective on life through these phases: “Maybe that is why I have become a bit more serious” (P5, 150–151). It might be that he realized that his ‘serious’ way of facing the world was either the consequence of these experiences or that he had learned to accept this personal trait.

Some of the religious people described more significant serenity, balance, and inner peace after overcoming spiritual dryness. One man said that he rested more in God and himself and could react more distantly instead of being emotionally involved: “Maybe I do not take myself so seriously or turn so much around myself when I have the spiritual dimension stronger again” (P7, 150–152). The more precise his relationship with God was, the more he focused on himself. A religious sister developed inner serenity through the encouragement of her fellow sisters, which still helped her. She was at peace with herself and saw her future path with equanimity: “... so that today I simply have a certain serenity and I keep saying that if someone asks me, I would still leave today if I found out that it is not my path or I can no longer believe, or it is all just a phrase, or whatever, then I would still leave today” (S4, 250–258). Both experienced an equanimous inner peace and serenity that helped them on their life and faith journey.

In conversations with religious sisters, the experience of a maturation process after overcoming spiritual dryness emerged. One sister described times of spiritual dryness as a learning process that led to deep-rootedness and a more conscious life of faith. She said: “‘What you cannot change, may want to change you.’ Moreover, that is true, where I would say in retrospect: much of what has emerged from such times has also moved me forward, maybe made me more mature, let me grow and take root” (S6, 425–429). Here, the realization that God changes us and cannot change us according to our wishes and that this process of being ‘open’ and engaging with God has led to a more conscious and mature life of faith. This is in line with the underlying processes described by John of the Cross.

Another religious sister gained greater inner strength, more openness, and a greater sense of security: “Well, and I do believe that, for example, what I have gained through it is a much greater openness, so also things, a spaciousness and somehow also an inner strength, so I can look at other things very well” (S14, 361–364).

Another religious sister emerged strengthened by overcoming her spiritual dryness. She gained self-efficacy and confidence in her strength and God’s help: “So, looking back now, I think it is nice, and that is the experience over the years to say, ‘Yes, you can handle that,’ and many problems were... A lot about what problems could arise if this or that happens. Do not worry so much [laughs], live the day and, yes” (S12, 448–452).

These maturation processes initially focus on the individual. Only then do their behavior and experiences change towards God and others.

More Conscious Attention to Others

The experience of a deeper connection to God can positively affect interpersonal relationships. Religious sisters and brothers who had overcome spiritual dryness reported more conscious and profound attention to others. They observed they could encounter others with greater openness and understanding and were motivated to share their experiences to help others.

One religious brother commented, “This difficult phase that I went through brought me closer to God. And not only to God but also to people.... And where I encountered people much closer, much deeper than before” (P2, 269–271). A few moments later in the interview, he reaffirmed this observation and stated: “And then this deeper involvement with people I had to deal with here. And especially the sick. If you have been through an illness yourself, you can present it much more convincingly to the sick here” (P2, 277–280).

This aspect is also found in our conversations with religious sisters. One sister felt empowered to encourage others: “But crises or such dryness, I think, are helpful for that. So that I can have understanding and maybe even encourage that things will continue” (S3, 309–311). Another sister experienced greater tolerance towards the heterogeneity of people and their life views as a change: “What has come to light more is that I can cope quite well with the range of people, ideas, and life designs, and I do not know what else there is” (S14, 366–367).

Gratitude

Some religious brothers and sisters became more grateful after having mastered the journey. Looking back on his life, one religious brother expressed deep gratitude for having taken action himself and thus receiving the necessary help from external sources: “Especially in the last years, I have felt a change, in retrospect saying, ‘I am glad I am here,’ for example, or ‘I am grateful that I have managed this path’” (P5, 107-108).

Another religious brother felt his fundamental attitude of perseverance was confirmed, and a feeling of gratitude arose. The constant effort and struggle for spiritual fulfillment was ultimately rewarded by the perceived action of a force: “And that is very beautiful and very liberating, where I then notice, ‘Yes, this effort has paid off,’ to endure such dry spells, to persevere, is worth it” (P8, 508-511).

In both cases, an active element came into play. The brothers described having acted independently, made decisions, persevered, or sought help. However, their perceived gratitude had no direction or explicit target. It was about the value of the experience, which enriched the experience—and precisely because of this experience, gratitude arose.

A slightly different context becomes apparent in the following statement in which a religious sister felt grateful that she could again perceive prayer as something precious and bringing relief after overcoming her crises. She also mentioned the gaining of new contacts and new people: “Somehow, that the questions of gain or more life or even more preciousness, that I enjoyed more, being glad to be able to pray. More like that. Or also having gained people” (S3, 319–322).

Inner peace

Two religious sisters reported experiencing “inner peace” after overcoming spiritual dryness. The experience of spiritual dryness was described as a painful phase accompanied by despair and struggles—only after a more extended period of dryness did the feeling of more significant serenity and harmony return: “... so November, December when an experience of peace came in, and some kind of calmness came into the whole thing” (S14, 269–271).

Another conversation also gives the impression that after overcoming her dryness, the sister could calm down again and (re)engage in meditation and prayer: “Inner peace, calmness, I can hold my meditation again in peace, I somehow feel a connection. I do not need words, he is there, I am there, and yes, it is already a beautiful experience” (S9, 174–176). As a result, the relationship improved when she was able to accept things as they were and accept God as who God is and that nothing more or extraordinary was needed.

Liberation / (Inner) Freedom

Only religious sisters explicitly reported feelings of liberation, freedom, and grace after overcoming spiritual dryness. One religious sister said: “Liberated.... Onward. Real. And also me—I can let go more” (S2, 272). She summed up by saying that the central thing about experiencing spiritual dryness is overcoming it to be able to experience inner freedom: “That is it, to get through it, to be free. Yes. Inwardly too” (S2, 340).

Another sister discussed an “inner transformation” and an act of grace. Something changed in her without her being able to grasp precisely what it was. This religious sister described it as a message from God: “I am present.” This promise reassured her and radiated harmony. She felt accessible and enthusiastic again: “Yes, although I felt the grace from within then. I felt something transforming inside. Either a message, so to speak, ‘I am there after all,’ and suddenly there is calmness and peace inside, something dissolves, and then there is joy. That was never from the outside. I could be stimulated from the outside by people who then seduced me to joy or to dare new relationships. However, that—I had the feeling that inside, something was rising again and dissolving” (S3, 254–260).

Healing Experience

Statements from religious sisters described the experience of spiritual dryness as a healing experience and as an element of spiritual life. Among the religious brothers, there were no explicit statements on this topic. One religious sister narrates having considered giving up and pursuing a different activity. Upon reflection, she expressed satisfaction in the fact that her unwavering determination had yielded fruitful results, granting her the opportunity to encounter a genuinely remarkable and vibrant experience: “When that knot bursts, it just bubbled up, and because I was fulfilled, totally, yes, how should I say it, I was floating [laughs]” (S4, 243–250). This experience could also be assigned to the category of liberation / (inner) freedom.

It became evident to the religious sisters that after experiencing and going through spiritual dryness, ‘desert experiences’ are elementary components of spiritual life. Knowing that they could share their experience of loneliness with others was helpful to them on their journey to God and in their life as nuns or sisters. Moreover, the assurance of this ‘normality’ provided a kind of relief that enabled them to continue: “In the spiritual life, you have to experience this loneliness to some extent in order to get closer to God. This may sound strange, but this knowledge also helps me sometimes to walk this path” (S12, 437–440).

Acceptance (Of What Is Yet to Come)

Experiencing spiritual dryness is one of the “impositions” on the spiritual path and is not infrequently accompanied by the feeling of not wanting to endure it. Sometimes only an accepting attitude and an (intimate) trust in God help counter the desire for God’s availability, control, and self-optimization.

From the experience of spiritual dryness and the certainty of having already overcome their spiritual “emptiness” once, one of the interviewees drew strength and hope to cope with future challenges and experiences of spiritual dryness. God’s inner strength was a resource and foundation for him: “And when I look back, well, I cannot look ahead into the future either, that is always rather [sighs], yes, well, it will be the moment of emptiness, that, I think, I can already endure” (P8, 352–355). This quote represents not a fatalistic acceptance but rather a confident sense of being able to muster the necessary strength again.

After a crisis, another religious brother came to the realization that God acts independently of the needs of those who prayed like he did: “I also stopped praying—that is, to [emphasizes] something. That—I also stopped at some point. Because my experience is just that God does not act the way I would like it to be” (P10, 237–242). This sounds more like a resigned acceptance because God is unavailable.

Another religious brother resolved under challenging times to listen more to God’s will and to accept obstacles as part of the way: “Or that if something goes wrong, not to take it as a disturbance, but to say, ‘Okay, that is just a factor, I have to reckon with that too’” (P8, 488–490). One religious sister described her conviction—despite all her negative experiences of doubt and struggling as well—of having taken the right path in life and being able to accept hard times: “It is hard, it is tough, and it hurts like hell, but it is the right path, and it is my path with God” (S6, 603–605). Here, individuals associate acceptance with the certainty that they are on the right path despite all obstacles.

It Goes On: Heaven Is Still to Come

In this category, the focus is on the response of confidence mixed with an eschatological dimension. The evangelist James emphasizes that trials or crisis phases include the opportunity to grow in faith: the one who persists in trials will receive eternal life (James 1:12). The apostle Paul also speaks of the positive effects of temptation—as paradoxical as this may sound at first. Once overcome, it creates all the more profound hope (Romans 5:3–4). The biblical authors are concerned with emphasizing the positive effects that can arise from a crisis.

In retrospect, one religious brother noted that difficulties and crises had not deterred him from continuing in the order and being on a good path: “But in the end, I have to say, well, I am, [pff], from some crisis—it did not knock me out, rather on it—I am on a good path, let us put it that way. I hope. Today at least” (P1, 451–452).

A similar assessment comes across in another interview. Going through these phases strengthened and confirmed for one religious brother that it was worthwhile for him to continue his faith journey: “It was just a piece of confirmation and reinforcement: yes, it is worthwhile. It was a piece of encouragement: You go on your way, what you long for is yet to come” (P14, 399–401). In this realization, God’s presence is manifested, promising the ability to endure the dark night of the soul. The belief in something valuable, in the homeland and the hereafter, is more important than possessing tangible things in this world. The tension of expectation of something valuable (the “treasure in heaven,” Matthew 6:20) is the ultimate goal of the journey of faith, to which the brother added: “And to maintain this tension: ‘I live in the here and now, but our home is in heaven,’ Paul. So, not losing sight of this ultimate goal” (P14, 405–406).

The willingness to develop for God and the reassurance of orientation are also important factors: “But when I discovered this depth, then I knew: it goes on” (P11, 489–490). The reassurance of orientation is essential here.

As previously explained, we categorized changes in behavior within this group of change processes. Interviewees mentioned, for example, a greater need for self-care or a stronger orientation toward their function as a role model.

Self-Care. In several cases, overcoming dryness and crises led to greater self-reflection and self-awareness, as well as an increased awareness of the interviewees’ own needs and limits: “But what I have learned for myself is to pay more attention to my inner self. And if something becomes too much for me, um, to defend myself” (P3, 485–487). This religious brother continued, “I say, ‘No, I do not want that now, I do not want it’ or ‘For such and such reasons it does not fit now’ or ‘It does not work.’... Then I perhaps notice a change in myself, where I used to be like, ‘Yes, yes, it has to be now, it cannot be any other way,’ and so, today I am a bit more critical” (P3, 491–496). Here, an internal development process is visible.

Self-care and the perception of one’s own needs are closely related to the liberation from external constraints and the development of inner freedom. In the case of religion, the moment of inner freedom already presented, as well as independence from external constraints, opinions, and expectations, comes to the fore as an essential goal for basing one’s life on God and walking one’s inner path: “And I found so, how shall I say?... Um, that I must not make myself dependent on anything” (P10, 200–202).

A religious sister observed she had a greater need to take time for herself and her relationship with God: “It is also becoming increasingly clear to me that it is important to give myself more space. So not only in the ‘What can I do for the convent? What does the sick sister need? What does she need? What does she need?’ ‘What do the people outside need who know themselves to be on the path with me in some way?’” (S6, 312–318).

Role Model / Authentic Life

A religious sister recommended not withdrawing but dealing with phases of spiritual dryness actively and implementing the fundamentals of the faith. For her, it was crucial to speak and have an effect through her own life and actions: “I do not find that [withdrawing], but already living one’s conviction. You cannot always do it with words, that—you do not exactly have to preach, but you do have to say something when it is appropriate. I often had the opportunity, because I gave lectures or something, but to live out my strengths. Furthermore, that also affects others, what I live, or how I live. So, I do not think withdrawing is good” (S7, 293–297).

A religious brother expressed the desire to act as an attractive call from God: “I live, I want to burn. And the bees that want to come into my fire, they will come; hopefully, I will not burn them. Well. I want to shine” (P16, 695–697).

Renewed focus on sacred scripture

In various conversations, the interviewees emphasized the importance of biblical or literary texts or prayers. The significance of these often became even more apparent after they had experienced spiritual dryness. We placed this dimension in the third main category.

Holy Scripture Becomes More Important

After overcoming spiritual dryness, the preoccupation with the Holy Scripture takes on even higher priority for a religious: “I notice a shift from—rather away from, I say, sacramental things toward more Scripture, so,... that is such a shift that I have already noticed over the years” (P9, 213–216). Here, the motive of returning to the core of faith is also essential. His focus on and remembering of the normative text may give him a stronger sense of security, and this has gradually shifted his interest away from the ritualistic and sacramental aspects of religiosity.

Literature Is Important

Literature, the reading as well as the writing of texts, is a vital resource for coping with spiritual dryness for some members of religious orders (Gerundt & Büssing, 2021; Gerundt et al., 2022). The engagement with theological literature remained a reaction to overcoming spiritual dryness: “But I always like to read such people. John of the Cross less now, but the former bishop of Aachen, Hemmerle, I like to read, or Hagemann, who wrote about Hemmerle” (P5, 192–194). This religious brother has a passion for books, which are indispensable as inspiration. For him, books connect to the thoughts of people of other times and places, underlining the description of a religious sister who intensively used reading literary texts as a strategy for overcoming spiritual dryness and retained this practice after overcoming her dryness: “What was also always important for me was to look: where does something light up for me now? That is, mostly it was words, mostly it was... or sometimes pictures, just this cross, which was important for me” (S6, 513–516).

Personal wounding or hardly any (perceptible) changes

Overcoming spiritual dryness can also have no noticeable effects—or it can even have negative concomitants. The interviews reveal a range of qualifications in terms of embarrassment or hardly perceptible changes.

Wounds

One religious brother described becoming “mute.” He felt “damaged,” although he continued to be involved in his community. He feared renewed phases of dryness and did not feel strengthened by the experience: “Yes, I do not know, maybe like a battered toy car that still drives, but—well, it does not just pass me by, and I do not feel strengthened or anything. I always think, ‘Oh God, I hope not. Let it pass me by like that” (P10, 292–297). He described how the experience of spiritual dryness had left him with an inner scar that reminded him of this phase and conflict and accompanied him on his life journey: “It makes me different.... I realize I have this in my luggage; it is not simply dismissed, it somehow leaves a trace or a scratch” (P10, 304–308).

Hardly Any (Perceptible) Changes

We assigned statements only from interviews with religious brothers to this subcategory. Some expressed that they recognized no significant changes in themselves. Through periods of spiritual dryness, their priorities remain the same regarding the charitable or contemplative dimension of the spiritual journey. They continued as before with no remarkable transformation processes. As one religious brother pragmatically put it: “Some things have changed a bit. Well, there have not been any major changes. Ah, now withdrawal into prayer, nicely into prayer or only being with people,’ no, no, not that” (P3, 483–485).

The interpretations of John of the Cross, who wrote that after overcoming these dry phases one comes closer to the Holy, were somewhat foreign to another interviewed religious brother: “Well, I do not have such high forms. I am, I stay on the ground” (P5, 191). One can sense the interviewee’s fear of leaving the securely believed in “ground” and fully committing himself to God.

Also, in another interview, when asked if he had noticed anything about himself after overcoming spiritual dryness, such as greater spiritual depth or a more assertive approach to and commitment to people, the interviewee said that he had not observed any changes in behavior or feelings about himself: “I could not say qualitatively or quantitatively now” (P9, 200–201).

Discussion

In this study on the experience of dealing with spiritual dryness, religious brothers and sisters were asked about the changes in their attitudes and behaviors they observed after overcoming these phases of dryness. The interviews revealed a rich treasure of subjective experiences and individual reactions after overcoming spiritual dryness. We developed four categories—the experience of (1) deepened spiritual connection to God), (2) profound inner and outer changes, (3) renewed focus on sacred scripture, and (4) personal wounding or hardly any (perceptible) changes—as well as subcategories.

The analysis revealed interviewees’ ambivalence, which is related to the concept of crisis. People often view crises as having negative connotations, and they perceive the experience of spiritual dryness as a taboo or something that cannot be openly discussed, not even within a community of religious brothers or sisters: “Even though we are so close to each other, we find it very, very difficult to talk to each other about our own experiences of faith. It is almost like a taboo” (P14, 300–303). In a few interviews, it appeared that experiencing spiritual dryness did not contribute to change, or contributed hardly at all but probably left something like a “trace” or a “scratch” (P10, 304) while still letting the individual go on, “maybe like a smashed toy car that still drives” (P10, 293) (category 4).

The remaining three categories indicate that the experience of spiritual dryness may herald a new beginning (Krystek & Hünecke, 2017) and can be understood in the sense of a “life experience” (Filipp & Aymanns, 2018), possibly containing “an opportunity for maturation, strengthening, promotion, personality development, growth, and reorganization in life” (Mennemann, 2000, p. 207). These can be regarded as processes of spiritual transformation. In retrospect, many participants predominantly assessed the effects of spiritual dryness as constructive for their biography or personal live. The quality of their experiences in the crisis supported their intention to change their way of life. It became clear that experiencing and overcoming of spiritual dryness, despite all its heaviness, sadness, irritation, and pain, contained opportunities for personal growth, maturation, and the development of new perspectives on life and new options for action.

Most frequently, the interviewed religious sisters and brothers perceived inner changes (category 2) due to periods of spiritual dryness. These changes were related to attitudes but also to concrete behavior. Attitudinal changes were described under the subcategories of self-knowledge, gratitude, maturing process, gaining inner peace, liberation / (inner) freedom, wholesome experience, acceptance (of what is yet to come) and “It goes on: heaven is yet to come.” In the interviewees’ observations of taking more “care of oneself” and assuming a “role model function / authentic life,” the action dimension comes more into view.

According to developmental psychology, critical life events, crises, or questioning in certain phases of life are necessary for the further development of the person (Erikson, 1959; Havighurst, 1948/1982), and crises can lead to an enriched quality of life and a change in self-concept (Filipp, 1995; Filipp & Aymanns, 2018). These positive developments (increase in self-efficacy beliefs, acquisition of new skills for coping with losses, or new problem-solving strategies) are closely related to the competency or skill acquisition of coping with problems. It has been shown that most religious brothers and sisters find forms of coping and dealing with spiritual dryness (Gerundt & Büssing, 2021; Gerundt et al., 2022).

Many interviewees only became aware of the effects brought about by experiencing spiritual dryness in retrospect. The fact that the effects of overcoming spiritual dryness are characterized in retrospect as a maturing process or a healing experience and described as an experience of inner peace, freedom, and serenity are individual examples of this assessment, showing the importance and role of the subjective evaluation attributed to the experience and to overcoming spiritual dryness. The experience of having mastered spiritual dryness also produced positive effects and strengthened interviewees’ self-confidence in possibilities for action reflected in attitude and action.

Not infrequently, “crises of faith” seem an elementary component of personality development. Stage models try to clarify the course of spiritual growth. The mystics John of the Cross (2013) and Teresa of Avila (1999) attempted to describe the spiritual development of human beings with the “ten steps of the stairway of love” and the seven steps or dwellings of the soul, respectively. Inspired by the Swiss developmental psychologist Jean Piaget, other explanatory models have emerged more recently, including that of the U.S. theologian James Fowler, who derived seven developmental stages of faith based on his empirical research (Bucher, 2017; Fowler, 1991). In his stage model, Fowler includes central personality dimensions and emotional, social, and cognitive processes, intertwining the two developmental areas of faith and personality development (Utsch, 2016, 2019). The close interlocking of spiritual and personal development is evident in the observations described by the religious brothers and sisters (category 2).

Experiences of a deepened spiritual connection to God and occasionally to fellow human beings and other religious sisters and brothers after overcoming phases of spiritual dryness emerged as an effect after experiences of emptiness and silence of God (see studies by Büssing et al., 2013), which we grouped in category 1. The religious sisters and brothers experienced a different quality in their relationship with God, a greater closeness or the feeling of being able to rest in God and themselves.

The findings of the German Pastoral Ministry Study show that spiritual transformation was evident in Catholic pastoral workers (Büssing et al., 2017a, c). By comparison, results of that study (which examined the strategies of 763 Catholic priests for dealing with periods of spiritual dryness, especially their reactions to these feelings) showed that those who managed to overcome periods of spiritual dryness were more motivated to help others and experienced deeper spiritual clarity (Büssing et al., 2017c).

Among Catholic priests, when phases of spiritual dryness were overcome, 33% were inspired to help others often or regularly (30% never or rarely), and 34% perceived more profound spiritual clarity and depth often to regularly (24% never or rarely) (Büssing et al., 2017c). In an empirical study with Seventh-day Adventists, 39% were often to regularly inspired to help others (36% never or rarely), while greater spiritual clarity and depth were reported as often to regularly by 41% (26% never or rarely). Thus, the intention to help others was similar between Catholic priests and Seventh-day Adventists, while spiritual depth after overcoming periods of spiritual dryness was higher among the latter. However, among the Seventh-day Adventists, those who did not have a circumscribed (visible) role in the parish had the lowest intention of helping others and the lowest perception of spiritual depth compared to those in leading roles or other visible roles (Büssing et al., 2020b, c).

In the interviews with religious sisters and brothers, the impulse of caring for others is not as evident as in the two empirical studies cited. Instead, this altruistic motivation is used as an external social resource or strategy for overcoming spiritual dryness (Gerundt & Büssing, 2021; Gerundt et al., 2022) or to emphasize being able to empathize with others with more understanding through one’s own experience and to encourage them: “But for that, I think crises or such dryness, I think, are helpful. That I can have understanding there and also perhaps give courage that it continues” (S3, 309–311).

Interviewees reported changes in how they saw God (“image of God”) as reactions to experiencing and overcoming spiritual dryness. Images of God are... biographically and psychologically shaped. However, in the active confrontation with one’s person, completely new perspectives can be gained (Utsch, 2014). In addition, this leads one to consider that “for the God-reality... there [are] an infinite number of images. But many also have an expiration date,” as Bruners (2021, 219) stated. In life and in faith development, the image of God and the relationship with God changes not infrequently “from a dogmatic, legal faith to a very personal love relationship” (Bucher, 2002, as cited in Utsch, 2016, p. 162). Experiences of spiritual dryness, doubt, and hostility in the life of faith are probably unavoidable when a person shifts toward a more mature form of faith (in the sense of the “purification process” mentioned by John of the Cross). Thus, it seems advisable to recognize spiritual dryness as a putatively transformative element and to let faith mature.

Category 3, namely, a renewed focus on sacred scripture, is based on only a few heterogeneous statements. On the one hand, the Holy Scriptures were mentioned, but so were inspirational writings by theologians as well as general literary texts that are not concerned with the spiritual level.

Conclusion

Our analysis of the effects of experiencing phases of spiritual dryness and overcoming them as described by religious sisters and brothers produced rich results. The ambivalence in the experience became evident; experiences of spiritual dryness can have either positive or adverse effects. Those affected are fundamentally aware that experiencing dryness and the dark night of the soul is a part of the life of faith that can have effects on different levels. The effects experienced could be grouped into categories—despite the individual experiences—and recognized on different levels. Not only was the participants’ relationship with God touched (vertical dimension), but so were their relationships with themselves, with one another, and with creation (horizontal dimension). Thus, religious sisters and brothers experienced a different quality in their relationship with God, noticing greater closeness or the ability to rest in God and themselves (category 1). For others, the focus was more on inner and outer change (category 2). In this context, we addressed maturation processes that initially relate to oneself. As a result, the way of behaving and experiencing God and one another also changes. The analysis of the interviews also shows that overcoming spiritual dryness can also have either no noticeable or even adverse effects (category 4). The interviews reveal a range of qualifications in terms of embarrassment or hardly perceptible changes.

In retrospect, many of the participants in the study assessed the effects of spiritual dryness predominantly as constructive in shaping their personal lives. It turned out that experiencing and living through spiritual dryness, for all its heaviness, sadness, irritation, and pain, contained possibilities for personal maturation and the development of new perspectives on life and new options for action.

Differences between the religious brothers and sisters we interviewed were recognizable but not further investigated; they could also be related to their religious charism or spirituality and their lived structures. While the religious brothers reported a newly “strengthened” relationship with God after overcoming phase(s) of spiritual dryness, the religious sisters focused more on changes in their image of God as well as on the experience of a maturation process, on personal development after overcoming spiritual dryness, and on aspects of (inner) freedom.

As phases of spiritual dryness are often a matter of shame and a topic not talked about (Büssing, 2022), those who experience them lack the required support and the affirmation that these experiences of crisis can be overcome and may positively change their faith life. It is important to emphasize the underlying transformation processes as a chance to reconnected with the Sacred and thus to provide reassurance that God is still present, even in the dark night of the soul.

Limitations

The results were obtained from Catholic religious brothers and sisters residing in Germany. They responded to our call to be interviewed; those who did not agree to be interviewed may have different perceptions. Further, we cannot exclude the possibility that perceptions of religious individuals from other countries may be different and thus that additional categories or subcategories could emerge. Therefore, we encourage further research in this area.