Being Happy

[Lost_Sheep]

Man’s sin against God offends Him (who is infinitely good) infinitely; thus, someone infinitely good (a God-man) was needed to make recompense in an infinite way, as only God can. This Jesus Christ did by shedding His Blood for all of us. One man (Adam) and his sin gave us all suffering and death. Another man (Jesus) and his Blood gave us reconciliation to God and eternal life. God bless you.

Why couldn’t God just simply snap his fingers and make it all go away? Why even bother with a “God-man”? God is all powerful, right? He could have saved man from himself just by willing it.

God doesn’t need all the theatrics of a crucifixion and a resurrection to save the world.

 

[ready]

Why couldn’t God just simply snap his fingers and make it all go away? Why even bother with a “God-man”? God is all powerful, right? He could have saved man from himself just by willing it.

God doesn’t need all the theatrics of a crucifixion and a resurrection to save the world.

Yes, but the crucifixion and resurrection does show the infinite depths of HIs love and of HIs almighty power, like nothing else comprehensible to man ever could. Don’t you agree? God did not snap HIs fingers or just will things better either, because if He did so we wouldn’t be able to appreciate HIs love and HIs glory in the same magnificent way that we are able to now. God made Himself like man so man could be like Him – God; thus, a God-man on earth is the perfect answer to our problems after the Fall of Adam. God bless you.

 

[ynotzap]

Why couldn’t God just simply snap his fingers and make it all go away? Why even bother with a “God-man”? God is all powerful, right? He could have saved man from himself just by willing it.

God doesn’t need all the theatrics of a crucifixion and a resurrection to save the world.

God has no need for anything. " Glorify me Father with the Gory I had with You before the world was made" He gave man free will to be like Him, freedom of choice He also made angels with the same freedom. As divine revelation tells us through the sin of pride, self love over humble submission and adoration to God, both made a choice. Self adoration instead of God adoration, which is right and just and in which we find our true happiness. Not a chance in existence could man redeem himself. Jesus is the bridge between man and God. If God willed to save man, without man willing to be saved there would be no test for man to choose God over himself, nor to exercise his free will. God honors free will in His creatures. Mans will was weakened by the lack of the strengthening power of grace. He lost the Holy Spirit, the gift of God. He also lost the divine light, and suffered ignorance, he lost the power of reasons" ability to control his passions, concupiscence .In the face of more powerful creatures,rebellious angels, humans became subjected to their evil influence. This was the inherited state that the sin of Adam placed mankind. God knew the impossible state of man to redeem himself. In His love for His creation He sent Jesus to bring us back to our Father. Jesus redeemed mankind by defeating Satan and all the rebellious angels by His humility and love. Satan was blinded, he could not conceive in his proud, arrogant intelligence how God could do this, He didn’t have to, after all He was God as he found out. Jesus gave His all in His death. In our secular and incredulous society it is understandable why we can think the Crucifixtion was a theatrical performance or display Faith makes the difference. Faith is a gift of God merited by Jesus and we must go to Him accept Him for who He is, the I Am, who Am, Existence. God gives grace to the humble and resists the proud. Going to Jesus is not really a simple choice, to accept Him or reject Him. The Father must cause us to make the choice without interfering with our freedom of will. All things are possible to God, and likely, some call it predestination.of the elect.

You come on almost like an atheist, no accusation intended, just familiar with some of their thinking, and the attitude of infallibility. You called yourself a Catholic, it seems that you should understand the basic tennants of your faith? Help me to understand what was your Catholic experience. can we be truly cynical and truly catholic?

 

[Prayformeiprayf]

Hey brother life is hard as you know but NEVER give up. The day you give up is the day you will never forgive yourself for. I will pray or you your family and friends. The sadness will never fully go away because THIS life is not all happiness sometimes you get knocked down hard but it’s important that you get back up and keep fighting. I suggest reading the word of God at least 20 minutes a day. Through reading the scriptures you can learn alot about yourself and life in general. Pray hard brother and pray often in the name of Jesus Christ. Put your life into the Lords hands and just trust his will and live by faith

 

[ready]

Yes, but the crucifixion and resurrection does show the infinite depths of HIs love and of HIs almighty power, like nothing else comprehensible to man ever could. Don’t you agree? God did not snap HIs fingers or just will things better either, because if He did so we wouldn’t be able to appreciate HIs love and HIs glory in the same magnificent way that we are able to now. God made Himself like man so man could be like Him – God; thus, a God-man on earth is the perfect answer to our problems after the Fall of Adam. God bless you.

What I said about Jesus coming down to earth is very vague. What I mean is that Jesus came down to earth to suffer and to die so that we could go up to heaven as heirs and children of God, participating in His nature/divine life. The example He left us and the redemption wrought by Him are excellent reasons for God not to just “snap his fingers” as you say. God bless you.

 

[Lost_Sheep]

God has no need for anything. " Glorify me Father with the Glory I had with You before the world was made" He gave man free will to be like Him, freedom of choice He also made angels with the same freedom.

I’ve always view free will as a sort of theoretical thing. Sure you’re free to do whatever you want, but there are great consequences if you don’t do it “God’s way.” Suppose I held a gun to your head and said “Do as I say or I will kill you.” You have the “free will” to not do as I say, but if you don’t you’re dead.

Some choice.

You come on almost like an atheist, no accusation intended, just familiar with some of their thinking, and the attitude of infallibility.

I am by no means an atheist. I believe in God in the sense that I believe He exists. However I don’t believe He is a universally force for good. I believe he has His favorites (remember the part about “Many are called; few are chosen.”?) and does not love everyone. I believe He has singled me out for bitter treatment.

You called yourself a Catholic, it seems that you should understand the basic tenets of your faith? Help me to understand what was your Catholic experience. can we be truly cynical and truly catholic?

My Catholic experience? OK. Born and raised in a Catholic family. Went to Catholic school (back when all the teachers were still nuns) from the 5th grade through senior in high school. Belong to the Newman Club in college. Married a Catholic girl (also born and raised) in a Catholic wedding. Followed all the rules (chaste before marriage, etc.). We never had children (which I see as another curse from God) but I can say with a clear conscience that I have never been unfaithful. We dutifully attend mass every Sunday. I’m a Fourth Degree Knight of Columbus and serve as a usher at Sunday mass. I oppose abortion, gay marriage, etc. and all the other hot-button “Catholic” issues.

Is that Catholic enough for you?

I have no beef with the Church per se; it’s my love-hate relationship with God where things get ugly. One minute I can be very devout and contrite and in the next minute I can be so angry and it such a rage that I would kill Him if it were possible. The Bible says “Ask and you shall receive” and “With God, all things are possible.” He’s not living up to his promise.

Look, I don’t need to win the lottery or anything. The only thing I really want is Peace of Mind. I dread the uncertainty of the future more than anything else. All I want is to know that everything will be OK.

 

[ynotzap]

No,not really. Have you ever had a personal encounter with Jesus Christ? Encounters come at many levels. The first is the most crucial. A turning from sin and turning to Christ. I assuming you were Baptised as an infant. I assume You went through the process of receiving the
sacraments, the traditiional routine of most Catholics. But being indoctrinated into
catholicism is one thing. Appropriating what you were taught is another. We go through the motions but we never have this personal encounter. It is for the most part an arid spiritual journey. Did you ever the experience of a real closeness to Jesus. Did you ever experience Jesus as the real object of your love and affection. Not something that you were taught, or imagined? When you do experience this you have had a personal encounter . When we live by the rules,and if we are good at them we might feel that we are perhaps our own savior. If we do we are being deceived, we need to be exposed to the truth, there is only one Saviour and we must experience this truth. When we are really suffering and can find absolutely no relief anywhere, and from nobody and are on the brink of despair I would say this a prime time to experience this encounter. No body who believe in God is exempt. I call it “being touched by God, a real experience of Jesus saying I love you in a way that only you can understand” When this happens especially to those have been indoctrinated with the truth this truth is absorbed like a sponge. Life is changed beautifully. A feeling of gratitude and love is experienced, and nobody can take it from you. Sounds impossible, but I can testify that it is real, and so can others. Its been my experience and confirmed by Holy Scripture that we must be truly humble. To be humble we must experience humiliation. Life has a way of humbling us. It is really a blessing. We mortals have so much pride. God give his Holy Spirit to the humble, there is no room in a proud soul for Him a proud soul is filled with himself. He must be confirmed in the truth, beyond doubt that Jesus is God and Savior in our life. There is no denying that the Sacraments give grace, but to experience the release of the Spirit we must go to Jesus, it is His gift of Love and sanctification. I don’t have too much time left before I finish my race. It might be a few years or a few days but if I died without this encounter, I would have died not experiencing the full life that comes with the Holy Spirit from Jesus, nor would I have experienced the great love He has for me, and for mankind. We must search our souls, and humbly and contrite approach Jesus in the spirit of prayer and sincerity and ask Him for this encounter I stated before He desire this for you, more than you desire it for yourself. You can’t really love someone if you don’t know that person, this is true regarding God

 

[Lost_Sheep]

Have you ever had a personal encounter with Jesus Christ?

In the ways you’ve described, no.

Did you ever the experience of a real closeness to Jesus.

No.

Did you ever experience Jesus as the real object of your love and affection. Not something that you were taught, or imagined?

No.

When you do experience this you have had a personal encounter .

And how do I make that happen?

When we live by the rules,and if we are good at them we might feel that we are perhaps our own savior. If we do we are being deceived, we need to be exposed to the truth, there is only one Saviour and we must experience this truth. When we are really suffering and can find absolutely no relief anywhere, and from nobody and are on the brink of despair I would say this a prime time to experience this encounter. No body who believe in God is exempt. I call it “being touched by God, a real experience of Jesus saying I love you in a way that only you can understand” When this happens especially to those have been indoctrinated with the truth this truth is absorbed like a sponge.

I’ve had the indoctrination to the Church. I’m still waiting for the touched by God part.

Life is changed beautifully. A feeling of gratitude and love is experienced, and nobody can take it from you. Sounds impossible, but I can testify that it is real, and so can others. Its been my experience and confirmed by Holy Scripture that we must be truly humble. To be humble we must experience humiliation. Life has a way of humbling us. It is really a blessing. We mortals have so much pride. God give his Holy Spirit to the humble, there is no room in a proud soul for Him a proud soul is filled with himself. He must be confirmed in the truth, beyond doubt that Jesus is God and Savior in our life. There is no denying that the Sacraments give grace, but to experience the release of the Spirit we must go to Jesus, it is His gift of Love and sanctification. I don’t have too much time left before I finish my race. It might be a few years or a few days but if I died without this encounter, I would have died not experiencing the full life that comes with the Holy Spirit from Jesus, nor would I have experienced the great love He has for me, and for mankind. We must search our souls, and humbly and contrite approach Jesus in the spirit of prayer and sincerity and ask Him for this encounter I stated before He desire this for you, more than you desire it for yourself. You can’t really love someone if you don’t know that person, this is true regarding God

And again, how do I make this happen? Where are the instructions? The recipe? The step-by-step process? This is not something I can just turn on like a light switch. I’ve become so jaded about God that even if I go through the motions my heart won’t be in it.

I’m sorry but God is going to have to make the first move here; a “sign” as it were. Nothing big; just something to convince me that it isn’t all for nothing.

 

[ready]

Dear Lost_Sheep,

You wish for a recipe of for directions to experience God, well, here you have one:

Just say over and over to Jesus with a humble and contrite heart: Sacred Heart of Jesus I put my trust in you. If you persevere long enough with a humble and contrite heart in this prayer, one day when you say it you will actually experience trust in Him and He will come to you. Please know that He will only come to you if you open your heart to Him, if you open your heart to Him by persevering with a humble and contrite heart. You must not turn Him off and on like a water faucet, you can not love Him at one moment and hate Him at the next … you must persevere with a humble and contrite heart and repeat over and over the words: Sacred Heart of Jesus, I put my trust in you. One day you will actually experience this trust, you will experience God. I assure you of this, for as the Scriptures says about God: a humble and contrite heart You will not spurn. God bless you.

 

[ynotzap]

In the ways you’ve described, no.

No.

No.

And how do I make that happen?

I’ve had the indoctrination to the Church. I’m still waiting for the touched by God part.

Life is changed beautifully. A feeling of gratitude and love is experienced, and nobody can take it from you. Sounds impossible, but I can testify that it is real, and so can others. Its been my experience and confirmed by Holy Scripture that we must be truly humble. To be humble we must experience humiliation. Life has a way of humbling us. It is really a blessing. We mortals have so much pride. God give his Holy Spirit to the humble, there is no room in a proud soul for Him a proud soul is filled with himself. He must be confirmed in the truth, beyond doubt that Jesus is God and Savior in our life. There is no denying that the Sacraments give grace, but to experience the release of the Spirit we must go to Jesus, it is His gift of Love and sanctification. I don’t have too much time left before I finish my race. It might be a few years or a few days but if I died without this encounter, I would have died not experiencing the full life that comes with the Holy Spirit from Jesus, nor would I have experienced the great love He has for me, and for mankind. We must search our souls, and humbly and contrite approach Jesus in the spirit of prayer and sincerity and ask Him for this encounter I stated before He desire this for you, more than you desire it for yourself. You can’t really love someone if you don’t know that person, this is true regarding God

And again, how do I make this happen? Where are the instructions? The recipe? The step-by-step process? This is not something I can just turn on like a light switch. I’ve become so jaded about God that even if I go through the motions my heart won’t be in it.

I’m sorry but God is going to have to make the first move here; a “sign” as it were. Nothing big; just something to convince me that it isn’t all for nothing.

Absolutely true. No one can come to Jesus unless the Father calls Him and no one can go to the Father except through Jesus. Pray that the Father calls. No one who asks God for help in the sincerity of his heart is ever refused, even if he no longer believes. God never forgets His own. What a loving God. God always makes the first move. You already have the instructions. It may not happen like throwing a light switch, and it may. God knows you and what you really need better than you do. Its Him! When you have Him you have everything, if you don’t have Him, you remain poor.

 

[Immensus]

My own way of dealing with similar feelings is to be able to not care much about whether I am happy or not. I think there are other things in life I should care about.

 

[ready]

Dear Lost_Sheep,

The Father draws us to Himself, but we must allow ourselves to be drawn in order to actually be drawn by Him. Both He and we have our own work to do, our relationship with him requires both His and our work. He knocks at the door of our hearts yet He must have the door opened in order to enter in – He will not force open the door against our will. He will knock and knock at your door until you are ready to open it or until it is too late for you and you become lost forever and die a miserable death. It is imperative that you understand that you must become like a humble and trusting little child who is very sorry for his wrongdoings and hopeful in his father, his provider and loving parent … that is, if you wish to have the will to open the door of your heart to Jesus, who you know loves you so very much that He suffered the worst Passion in order that you may be happy with Him in the next life.

In the Baltimore Catechism the answer to the question, Why did God make us? is: to know, love and serve Him in this life, and to be happy with Him forever in the next life. Lost_Sheep, let us seek our happiness in the next life, and while living in this vale of tears here on earth, let us seek only to know, love and serve Him … so that we may be happy with Him FOREVER in the next. God bless you.

 

[ready]

My own way of dealing with similar feelings is to be able to not care much about whether I am happy or not. I think there are other things in life I should care about.

Excellent attitude! Caring about the salvation of one’s soul (caring about knowing God, loving God and serving Him) is what we should all be caring about instead of caring about happiness on earth. We shall even be rewarded if we keep faithful to this attitude – with ETERNAL happiness in Heaven. God bless you.

 

[Lost_Sheep]

Absolutely true. No one can come to Jesus unless the Father calls Him and no one can go to the Father except through Jesus. Pray that the Father calls. No one who asks God for help in the sincerity of his heart is ever refused, even if he no longer believes.

See, there’s the problem. It’s hard for me to be sincere because it the past it’s been all for nothing. This is where my cynicism comes in. I know that He is not listening.

 

[ynotzap]

See, there’s the problem. It’s hard for me to be sincere because it the past it’s been all for nothing. This is where my cynicism comes in. I know that He is not listening.

There are three facts that we must know. 1- the past lies in our memory, 2- the future lies in our imagination. 3-the present is all we have, and that is passing moment by moment.
The thoughts of the past suggest hardships, trials, ,and good times, also suggest self-independence, because we think “I did it myself” Anybody who really know reality would say that is not true. The thoughts of the future, if the virtue of Hope is not active suggests insecurity, fear and perhaps anger (which is associated with thoughts of murder if it is intense) What I am saying thoughts have power over us. We must discern where do these thoughts come from. Christians know, or should know. We can become obsessed, and even become compulsive. with good thoughts or bad ones If thoughts give hope, courage,faith and love they are from God. If thoughts give despair, discouragement, depression and sadness they are from the devil. We only know this through the gift of Faith that comes through Jesus. We are controlled by our thoughts and feelings (thats an emotion) of fear, love, joy, sadness etc. Jesus said "Can you grow one hair on your head by willing it? Trust me, how much do you really love me? Lord help me in my lack of trust, or hope,faith and love. Peace to men of good will, not necessarily to those who succeed. Peace to the humble, not to the proud (we are inclined to pride). Jesus we need you most of all, and not just your gifts. Do we ask rightly in prayer? Maybe thats the reason we are not getting our answer. You are sincere, and no doubt good, you have been chosen, you are a son of God, you are predestined, you won’t get yourself to Heaven, Jesus will. Everything is O.K.

 

[ready]

After reading the previous post I need to say a few things.

Let no man here be deceived. Praying to God is a sign of predestination. Refusing to pray is a sign of reprobation. Humility is a mark of the predestination of the elect. Pride is a mark of reprobation of the damned. In which camp are you, Lost_Sheep? In the camp of the humble and prayerful predestined, the elect – or of the proud who refuse to humble themselves before God in prayer, the reprobate, the damned? Be honest, and before it is too late humble yourself in prayer and return to God with your whole heart. Do NOT believe that all is well with you – thanks be to God I don’t think that you even think this – for you are in a very bad state and need divine help more than anybody else I know. Please just turn to God in prayer and say you are sorry to Him for your disrespect towards Him. I think you know what post I am referring to that was most disrespectful towards Him. You can’t expect Him to bless you a lot if you don’t even say you’re sorry for your unfaithfulness. He will not be mocked you know. It says this in the Scriptures, so please believe it. No, God will not be mocked. You are in my prayers.

 

[O_Sapientia]

How does one be happy?

Yes, it sounds like a silly question but why are some people happy and others are not?

Some people are stuck with a bad lot in life; they may have health or financial or family or some other kind of problem yet they always seem to have a smile on their face, they are always in a good mood and nothing seems to bother them.

Then there are people like me. Like everyone else, I have my problems in life but I just can’t seem to brush them off. People tell me I never smile which is true. They say “You have a nice house, a beautiful wife, a good job, etc. Why should you be sad?”

Yet I am. What am I doing wrong?

I should mention that I was diagnosed with clinical depression about 20 years ago, but hindsight tells me I have probably had it since childhood. I take a whole cocktail of antidepressant medications which barely just keeps my head above water. My doctor says that the medications can only do so much and the rest is up to me; I can choose to be happy or choose to be sad. Well, I would like to be happy of course, but how exactly do you do that? People make it seem like it is as easy as flipping a light switch.

Please don’t suggest I pray more. The thought that I can find happiness through prayer is just wishful thinking. At least it hasn’t helped in the past.

In the case of someone as yourself that suffers from clinical depression the answer is more complicated. Human emotions are not always subject to our wills. Our moods can be effected as easily by a lack of sleep, a poor diet or a disordered brain chemistry. The answer can be as simple as getting eight hours consistent sleep or in your own case medication to help with the chemical balance in your brain.

But your doctor is right that medication can only take you so far. Sooner or later the will has to become involved and one must make the choice. But I must say as an aside that I would strongly encourage you to seek a second opinion. Your doctor may feel that his/her prescriptions have accomplished as much as they can, but placing the onus on you may not be the right answer for you yet. It would be an intolerable cop-out if your doctor neglected her/her duty to further explore other medications that could possibly benefit you.

As I said one must choose eventually. One has to choose whether to wallow in their depression or to seek something more. Contrary to what you said there is a switch. But as I am sure you aware when you switch a light on, occasionally the bulb will be slow in brightening. Just because there is a switch does not mean there is not a struggle to go with it.

To be happy is essentially to be at peace with God. Not only to be at peace with our own moral conduct but also to be in complete resignation to Our Lord’s Providence and His authority over Creation. It is to have a filial trust in His love for us and His promises, His promises in an eternity of happiness with Him. It is to acknowledge that He is God, He is Lord and that all things are subject to Him. And to trust, to trust as a child trusts in their Father, that He will order all things to our good. Even in the trials and hardships of our lives, even when we witness horrific incidents and cannot help but ask “why God?” True happiness is to be at peace with God’s Kingship and our own status as creatures. It is to be content to be a creature of our Creator.

I understand that you are struggling but you cannot come with a question and then blankly reject the answer. Prayer is the only means that can accomplish this resignation, this detachment from ourselves. Because this resignation is not a Damascus moment, it is a constant struggle and battle with our concupiscence and our own wills. And to persevere we must have prayer.

If you pray more and read about abandoning ourselves to the Divine Will, you will find happiness, true happiness. I cannot say you will experience it tomorrow or next week or next month. You may not experience it until your death bed. But you will discover it through prayer and persevering in prayer.

Pray for perseverance, pray for patience, and pray for detachment from the world. And you will find happiness.

Yours in Jesus and Mary,
OS.

 

[Lost_Sheep]

Don’t get me wrong here. I have not outright rejected God. I want very much to believe He cares, but I’m just not feeling it.

I once explained to my shrink (when I was really really down) that before anyone can help me with my depression someone is going to first have to convince me that I even *can *be helped.

Likewise, until it is proven to my satisfaction that God cares (and like I said, I’m not feeling it) trying to pray isn’t the answer because my heart won’t be in it.

And please don’t suggest that I can overcome that problem with more prayer. PRAYER IS NOT THE ANSWER! PERIOD!

 

[ynotzap]

I don’t want to mislead anyone by my statement on “predestiination” referring to my post to Lost sheep. Rom; 8, Eph: l St. Paul makes references to predestination. The general meaning is to prearrange in view to an end. In Theology it is the order or plan conceived by God to bring rational creatures to their supernatural end, life eternal. Christian doctrine insists on two things. a) to be saved we must co-operate with grace. b) no one is damned unless its through his own fault.

Sin has effected all humanity in every way, physically and spiritually. We have inherited this condition. Humanity had lost its well-being. Jesus came to restore it. This chaos was brought about by the pride of Satan and the pride of man. Pride is a condition of humanity. Jesus, God-man became “humility” to defeat this “pride” Even his mother Mary emulated this humility . The Holy Spirit abides in a humble soul. A humble soul admits the truth that his very existence and its blessings comes from God. As I stated before, humiliation make a soul humble. Mary didn,t deny what God did for her, she acknowledged who she was, and who caused her greatness, God. She returned her love and adoration, and gratitude. and extended it to us.

Before anybody seeks a cure for anything, we have to admit we have an illness, be it physical or spiritual. We have to be mature and face the truth. Any good psychiatrist worth his salt will tell you that a person has to have the humility to accept his illness in the face of objective evidence. This is where our spiritual affliction comes in. If we are proud we won’t admit it. The affliction is our inability to accept the fact. Society in its ignorance and its uncharitableness dosen’t make it any easier either. Some of society have the attitude that the afflcted person is something less than human, a nut. Some in society lack the virtue of love. This love is expressed in patience, understanding, and compassion and acceptance of human faults. And this applies to everyone. Our problems can be very complicated. It takes a great deal of discernment, not judgement to understand the problem We good people have a real problem that lies deep with-in our souls. God sometimes reserves the cure to show us that He alone is the Savior, and that we inspite of all our efforts are “unprofitable servants” If God is present in the Universe, it is in the soul of man,made to His image and likeness and that includes the whole human race . What spirit prevails in man?

 

[ready]

Don’t get me wrong here. I have not outright rejected God. I want very much to believe He cares, but I’m just not feeling it.

I once explained to my shrink (when I was really really down) that before anyone can help me with my depression someone is going to first have to convince me that I even *can *be helped.

Likewise, until it is proven to my satisfaction that God cares (and like I said, I’m not feeling it) trying to pray isn’t the answer because my heart won’t be in it.

And please don’t suggest that I can overcome that problem with more prayer. PRAYER IS NOT THE ANSWER! PERIOD!

Don’t go by feelings, Lost_Sheep; just look at a crucifix and see how much God loves you and cares about you. The crucifix is proof to us all that God cares so much about us – He even gave up His own life for us to a most cruel and bitter death so that we could enter eternal heavenly bliss with Him. I think that God is preparing a place in Heaven for you and is pruning you. Remember, without the present cross and suffering and dying to self there can be no future resurrection with glory. God’s will is that you suffer like his Son Jesus did (and He suffered immensely!). In this vale of tears you will experience great trials and suffering, but it is only so that God’s will can be accomplished in you – your sanctification here on earth and beatitude in Heaven. Even if you know you won’t FEEL what you say when you pray to God you still MUST communicate with Him, that is, you must pray to him, even if without words (Tell him with your heart how much you love him or want to love him; tell him with your heart how you want to trust him but are having some trust issues; tell him how you are sorry for wanting to kill him sometimes and let him know that you know that your feelings are very wrong; tell him you are very, very sorry for your irreverence and that you want to honor him and need some help doing so; tell him all your doubts, fears, joys, etc. – just have a faithful father-son relationship with him). Remember what St. Alphonsus says about those who do not pray – they will be damned! So if you don’t want to be damned pray to God with sorrow for your sins, with thanksgiving for your wife and for all the other good in your life, especially in thanksgiving for all the tortures He suffered for you in HIs Passion. The bottom line is: if you want to be saved, then you must pray – even if in the beginning, or for a long time, you won’t FEEL what you are saying.*** Just WILL what you are saying and that will be enough! ***