“And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them.” Luke 24:15 KJV
We’ve all traveled that road, the road of disappointment and doubt. The path where prayers seem unanswered, expectations go unmet, and the spiritual fire feels more like smoke. It’s on this road, when our hearts are heavy and our faith feels fragile, that Jesus often comes close. We don’t always recognize Him, but He’s there.
The Road of Disappointment
The two disciples walking to Emmaus weren’t rebellious or faithless; they were hurting. They had hoped Jesus was the one who would redeem Israel (Luke 24:21). But the Cross shattered their expectations.
Instead of staying in Jerusalem, the city of promise, they started walking away. Emmaus wasn’t far, but it was in a completely different direction. It’s the same path many take when life doesn’t go as planned. Spiritual dryness, confusion, or even trauma can cause us to step back from the place where we once encountered God.
But notice: Jesus meets them there, not in the upper room or the temple, but on the dusty, discouraging road out of town. That’s grace.
When You Don’t See Him, He Still Sees You
Luke tells us that Jesus “himself drew near, and went with them. But their eyes were holden that they should not know him” (vv. 15–16).
They were walking with Jesus but couldn’t recognize Him. Theologically, we see this as divinely purposeful. Yet, through experience, it reveals a universal truth: sometimes God is closest when He feels most absent.
The Bible consistently reminds us that God never abandons us.
- “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” (Hebrews 13:5)
- “Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.” (Matthew 28:20)
- “Yea, though I walk through the valley… thou art with me.” (Psalm 23:4)
Your spiritual drought doesn’t scare Him away. Your questions don’t push Him aside. Your confusion doesn’t cancel His promises.
Opening the Scriptures in Dry Seasons
What did Jesus do on that journey? He taught.
“Beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.” Luke 24:27 KJV
In their confusion, He didn’t rely on clichés. He offered the Word. This is the Apostolic pattern. We don’t overcome doubt with motivational quotes; we overcome it with the rightly divided Word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15). In dry seasons, the Bible remains our wellspring. When feelings fail, faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God (Romans 10:17).
If you’re feeling spiritually dry, immerse yourself in the Word. Jesus continues to reveal Himself through the Scriptures.
Hearts Burn Before Eyes Open
“Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way…?” Luke 24:32 KJV
Before they saw Him, they felt something. That stirring in their hearts, that spark of hope; that’s how revival often begins. It’s not always a sudden vision or a dramatic event. Sometimes, it’s the gentle fire inside. A whisper that says, “I’m still here.” The flicker of faith amid the ashes of discouragement.
When Jesus sat with them and broke bread, their eyes were finally opened. In fellowship and communion, they recognized Him.
Return to the Place of Promise
As soon as they recognized it was Jesus, the disciples “rose up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem.” (Luke 24:33)
They didn’t wait until morning or make a plan; they went back immediately. Because when you’re reminded that He’s with you, even in doubt, you don’t keep walking away. You return to the place of faith, rejoin the mission, and reconnect with purpose.
A Word for the Weary
To everyone on a spiritual Emmaus journey right now: you’re not alone. You may not see Him, but He sees you. He’s walking with you, even in your doubt. Open the Word, let it speak. Let it burn. And when He reveals Himself again, because He will, get up and return to your place of promise.
You’re never forsaken. You are not forgotten. You do not walk alone.
Additional Reading on Hope and doubt
- When You Don’t Feel God: How to Keep Going
- When the Winds Change: Navigating the Difficult Seasons of Life with Faith
Credits
Credit: OpenAI helped create my article outlines and generate the imagery. Grammarly fixed my writing errors, and Quillbot make the writing better.
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