Adoration and belief

[luke2219]

I’ve mentioned this in other threads but it was never the topic. I’d appreciate some thoughts and advice on it so I decided to give it it’s own thread.

I was in Adoration recently and I was praying, “Lord, I believe, help my unbelief.” Normally, I pray that when I don’t think I’m appreciating enough the reality of having the Lord, Creator, and Savior of the universe right in front of me looking at me face to face. But this time something else occurred to me. I have the normal human difficulties with the Real Presence to be sure, but I don’t think that is what I was having a hard time believing. I think it was harder for me to believe that Jesus wants to spend time with little ol’ me, that I deserved to be there, or that He was even listening. I guess I tend to think of myself as a pest and a bother when I’m there or praying at other times for that matter. I feel like I should be able to handle all the petty things on my own and not bother Jesus with them or annoy Him with whatever I have to say.

I know the errors of this thinking. I’m projecting human traits onto God. I know Jesus loves me so much that He wants to hear from me and spend time with me even if I’m being obnoxious. I know He listens to everything I say. But these feeling come and they can be hard to combat sometimes.

Anyone experience similar feelings or have any advice?

Peace and all good things!

 

[jrabs]

luke2219:

I think it was harder for me to believe that Jesus wants to spend time with little ol’ me, that I deserved to be there, or that He was even listening.

Hi Luke2219,

I recently went to a retreat on this very topic. I am going to do the best I can to relay the fabuolus info that Fr. McAliar of the Oblates Missions, helped us understand.

Jesus is always with us. He loves you so much and you are so important to Him that He has chosen to be with YOU at all times. Jesus, the Christ and King, the most important man ever, Our Lord, loves You. Jesus, who is God, loves YOU. He can be anywhere He wants but He has chosen to be with you - every minute of every day. He thinks you are so awesome that He spends EVERY minute with YOU.

Wow! That is amazing. That is why we should never feel unworthy. He does not think we are.

 

[peoplemaker39]

luke2219:

I’m projecting human traits onto God. I know Jesus loves me so much that He wants to hear from me and spend time with me even if I’m being obnoxious. I know He listens to everything I say. But these feeling come and they can be hard to combat sometimes.

Hi Luke:

I too have felt unworthy and feel I can relate well to your post. As I considered it - here’s what I would like to do myself…

Firstly - I tend to be all talk - so with the knowledge that God listens to all my chatter… I’d like to spend more time listening…

When thoughts come to me - I sometimes imagine a balloon around them and then I imagine the balloon breaks…

Maybe I won’t “hear” anything but those moments of peace - sitting in his embrace - are energizing for me.

peace
annie

 

[Pug]

I tend to think of Jesus, sitting there on the altar (in the monstrance), just waiting. Clearly he has nothing better to do than listen. I mean this in a human way. It is a very visible demonstration to me that he is listening right then and there.

Sometimes I’ve thought of a priest in a confessional box that way, you know, I might as well go talk to him, he’s just stuck there, but then I figured out that they pray the office and do various things if no one shows up. But Jesus, he just sits there, waiting.