Keep your faith in check. Be sure to pray every day, not just when crisis strikes or you have a problem to solve. Develop a deep connection with God and keep Him informed of your fears and worries; ask Him for solutions before your problems escalate. As the saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Spiritually, we grow when we learn to remove ourselves from the spotlight and shine it on others. By putting others’ needs in the forefront of our thinking, we become less self-conscious and more Christ-conscious.

It’s easy to see God’s goodness when the sun is shining and all is well, but His goodness is also present on cloudy, rainy days. All serve a purpose and all meet our needs. So if you face a gray day, or if the coming winter months seem a bit bleak, have faith and know in your heart that God’s plan is at work.

Everyone experiences a dry period in their faith—a time when they feel uninspired and unheard in prayer. It’s important to realize that everyone has them… and the way out… is to pray anyway. Reach out to God, and ask Him to heal the desert place of your spiritual life.