Do you ever feel like your prayer is pointless? You show up, but you feel nothing, "know" nothing, and it seems like you're just talking to the void. This experience of spiritual dryness is one of the most common and difficult challenges in the spiritual life, and it's the number one reason many people stop praying altogether.

In this episode, we explore the practical and profound antidote to this dryness: faith and hope. We dive into John Henry Newman's powerful distinction between "notional assent" (simply knowing and explaining facts about God) and "real assent" (letting those truths radically change how you live). This shift is the key to understanding what to do when your prayer feels empty.

We discuss how this concept, combined with St. Teresa of Avila's "determined determination," responds to dryness. It's not a sign of failure or God's absence; it's a critical training ground to build a faith that isn't dependent on feelings.

In this episode, you will learn:

• The crucial difference between "notional assent" and "real assent" and how it impacts your prayer.
• Why looking for God in your feelings or natural understanding is like trying to "force God into something that would make him not God."
• How to understand dryness as the training ground St.John of the Cross calls "naked faith."
• Practical ways to apply "determined determination" and use hope as the fuel to persevere, even when prayer feels pointless.

Enjoying the episode? The journey does not have to end here. Get my free guide, "The 5-Minute Prayer Reset," and discover a simple framework to turn this inspiration into a consistent daily practice at https://midnightcarmelite.com/reset.