Episode Overview:
In Episode 3 of The Distracted Christian Podcast, host Nate Labadorf explores the next phase of the Dark Night of the Soul: The Night of Sense—a sacred yet unsettling season in which God lovingly removes our emotional and sensory comforts to lead us toward deeper intimacy with Him.
With honesty, biblical insight, and spiritual depth, this episode challenges the way we often approach spiritual life in a culture obsessed with ease and external affirmation. Is your faith rooted in God—or in the feelings He gives? What happens when the Bible feels dry, prayer feels empty, and worship doesn’t stir your emotions?
Through the words of St. John of the Cross, the story of Moses, and a modern “Day Without Comfort” practice, Nate guides us through a difficult but freeing truth: God sometimes leads us into spiritual dryness not to abandon us—but to awaken us.
In This Episode:
1. What Is the Night of Sense?
Discover why God allows seasons of spiritual dryness—and why they’re not signs of failure but invitations to deeper maturity. Learn how early spiritual enthusiasm often hides pride, vanity, or dependence on feelings, and how God gently strips those away to refine our love.
2. A Modern Picture of Ancient Temptation
From curated devotional posts on social media to subtle forms of spiritual pride, we explore how even good practices can mask a desire for approval. St. John of the Cross warns that when we cling to spiritual emotions, we risk loving the gifts more than the Giver.
3. What Evangelicals Get Right—and What We Miss
Nate engages the evangelical critique: Does the Night of Sense sound like works-based religion? Can self-denial distort grace? With clarity and compassion, we unpack how the purging St. John describes is not about earning God’s love—but responding to it. True grace transforms.
4. A Day Without Comfort: Practicing Detachment
What does it look like to intentionally release daily comforts in order to draw near to God? Nate offers a practical challenge: fast from one comfort for 24 hours—coffee, social media, entertainment—and allow the discomfort to become a space for intimacy with Christ.
5. A Word of Freedom
This episode closes with a liberating truth: letting go is not loss—it’s preparation for joy. When we clear space in our lives, we discover the presence of God waiting to fill what we thought we needed to survive.
Key Themes & Takeaways:
- The Night of Sense is God’s way of maturing your faith beyond emotions.
- Detachment is not about deprivation—it’s about deeper union with God.
- Discomfort isn’t a curse; it’s often where God is most powerfully at work.
- Even one small fast can create a holy space for God to move in your life.
- Grace is not opposed to effort—it’s opposed to earning. The Night of Sense is grace in action.
Notable Quotes:
“Even good things become obstacles when we depend on them more than on God.” – St. John of the Cross
Who This Is For:
- Christians feeling dry, disillusioned, or discouraged in their faith
- Believers overwhelmed by distractions and seeking deeper intimacy with God
- Anyone longing to trade performance for presence and ego for surrender
Try This Practice:
The 24-Hour Fast from Comfort
- Choose one daily comfort (coffee, media, snacks, routines)
- Replace it with prayer, Scripture, silence, or journaling
- Reflect on what the absence reveals—and where God meets you in it
Reflective Question:
What might you discover about God—or yourself—if you let go of one comfort today?
Listen Now on Apple Podcasts or Spotify
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Tag your reflections: #TheDistractedChristian
Next Week’s Episode:
We’ll explore Spiritual Pride—how ego and self-image can hijack even our most sincere efforts to serve God. We’ll confront the quiet ways pride shows up in our faith and learn how humility opens the door to real transformation.
Until then, may you find strength in the silence, joy in the letting go, and God in the discomfort.
Fresh Ground Theology 
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