In the Dark and the Dry
Many who pray find themselves wandering in the Dark and in the Dry: they cannot see anything of God, and they cannot feel anything of God.
It should be no surprise, really. The first thing Adam and Eve did after they had turned their back on God, was to hide from Him. The first thing God did after Adam and Eve had sinned was to hide from them. Hence the dark in our prayer, hence the dry.
It should be no surprise, really. When Moses asked God for His name, he was but following an instinct deep inside him. Two things meet and find expression in a word: the substance of the object that makes an impact; and that portion of our spirit which responds to that particular object. At least, these two should go together in the making of words, and did when the first man made them. That is why the name of God conceals when it reveals.
It should be no surprise, really. On their way out of slavery in Egypt, the Hebrews were led by the Pillar of Cloud by day, and by the Pillar of Fire by night. The journey was often dark for them, the journey was often dry.
It all stands to reason, really. The tools we have for knowing are limited. Our senses, our imagination, our memories; our reason, our concepts, our judgments, our will … all these are limited. No touch of ours, no sound can give us God. No word, no concepts of ours can wrap itself around God. Our will comes closest in this world, our love of Him almost takes on eyes, almost sees Him.
So expect the dark, and expect the dry. Not because He disapproves of you. Not going because He is trying to punish you. He hides because He is God, and you are not.
So expect the dark, and expect the dry. Expect Him to conceal as He reveals. It is there, it is then that He reveals His real Self.