Sometimes, our spiritual life seems in full swing. Prayer invigorates us and we feel we are making great strides. Our daily devotions form a secure framework that comforts and motivates us.

But suddenly, the vigor, comfort and motivation disappear. Our devotions become boring and unfulfilling. Even Mass can feel like a rote exercise.

We are stuck in a spiritual rut.

Even the saints experienced times of spiritual dryness. St. John of the Cross wrote about the “dark night of the soul” and St. Teresa of Ávila wrote in her letters about spiritual aridity. Mother Teresa of Calcutta experienced 50 years of spiritual desolation. There are many other examples among the saints, but the one thing they had in common was that they continued to press on and remain faithful.

How We Fall Into Ruts

A spiritual rut can be a consequence of burnout in our work and vocation. When we have pushed ourselves to the point that both mind and body have gone kaput, we have little strength or energy left for spiritual practices. When our jobs and the people around us are levying heavy demands on us, it becomes difficult to demand anything of ourselves. When issues in the public sphere overwhelm us, we might not have the willpower to pray about them. Yet that is exactly what we need most.

Discordant relationships also can slip us into a spiritual rut. When we are involved with others who require our nurturing but do not nurture us in return, we might lose our impulse to nurture our relationship with God as well. So, we mumble through our prayers because we know we should pray but remain disengaged. We pray without actually talking to God or listening to the still small voice within us.

We might say the same for our environment. If we work in a toxic environment, we can lose heart in our spiritual life. Such situations can put us into a state of anxiety and disrupt our well-being. We can experience difficulty in settling down, making prayer a hurdle rather than a help.

That also applies to a toxic or stressful home environment. When you look around your home, do you feel peaceful or riled? Certainly, no home is perfect, but a home filled with constant noise from televisions and other electronic devices can be an obstacle to prayer and contemplation.

We can also fall into a spiritual rut when we are unclear about our values and life purpose. If we are unsure of what is genuinely important to us, then nothing seems important.

How to Break Free

Knowing what defines and causes spiritual ruts can help you determine the best way to break free. Here are some things to remember:

First, be patient. Getting out of spiritual ruts can take time and you must allow things to take their course. You might want to jump right out of your rut and feel normal again, but that might not be what God wants for you. He is allowing you to be here because he wants to show you something about yourself and himself. He will do that in his own time and in his way and his methods and timing are nothing like yours. Be patient with God and lean into the befuddlement of your rut.

Second, have confidence in Christ. St. Teresa of Ávila gives us assurance: “As to the aridity you are suffering from, it seems to me Our Lord is treating you like someone he considers strong. He wants to test you and see if you love him as much at times of aridity as when he sends you consolations. I think this is a very great favor God shows you.”

Third, be grateful to God. Practicing gratitude changes our thoughts and emotions and lifts us out of the ho-hum. It changes our focus from internal woes to external joys and in particular, joys given to us by God.

Fourth, seek support from others. Spend time with loved ones, join a parish Bible study or prayer group, or make an appointment with a Catholic spiritual director. Surround yourself with people who uplift and nurture you even if you never directly talk about your spiritual rut.

Fifth, above all, frequent the sacraments. Being in a spiritual rut means we must lean into the sacraments more than ever. Confession can be valuable in helping us sort out the factors that are contributing to our aridity and making amends for sins we have committed. Holy Communion is critical to the life of every Christian, since we cannot live without the Bread of Life. The Eucharist strengthens us, draws us closer to God, and nourishes our souls so that we can begin again to grow spiritually.

Pope St. Pius X described the importance of the Eucharist this way: “The Christian who is united to Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist finds in the efficacy of this sacrament all manner of perfection and holiness. From it he draws strength to rise above himself, to seek after eternal joys, and to despise the deceitful goods of this world because they are unable to satisfy his desires.”

Finally, remember that there is no shame in being in a spiritual rut, as the saints in their wisdom always remind us. Take heart from the reassuring words of St. Teresa of Ávila: “Don’t let aridity distress you. Perfection has nothing to do with such things — only with virtues. Your devotion will come back when you are least expecting it.”