Confused about "Offering It Up to God"

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I hear and read a lot about “offering it up to God”. “It” being your day or something you do in the day or some sort of suffering or illness. I’m a very logical person and have always wondered *how *do you offer something up to God, and *why *do you offer something up? It just seems strange to say, “OK God, I’m offering up my day for _______.” *Then *what do you do? And how is this helping the person or thing in the blank?

Thanks for any insight!

Julie
 
I’ve always taken it to mean that you are consciously handing your will over to God’s will, uniting your little sacrifice with the sacrificial life and death of Jesus, for the good of another.

It is not that God loves suffering. It is that God loves for a person to put themselves in His hands… because that is where we are made to live. No one does this quite in the way that a person does when they give up their own plans to do it… and suffering is in no one’s plans! (In other words, it is not being a masochist for Christ! That is utterly missing the point.)
 
In two parts. From Christ is passing by. St Josemaria Escriva,

It is under the “umbrella” of God’s mercy that christian existence should develop. Ever mindful of that, the Christian should strive to behave as a child of God. And what are the principal means to ensure that our vocation takes root? Today let me point out two of them, which are like living supports of christian conduct: interior life and doctrinal formation, the deep knowledge of our faith.

First of all, interior life. How few really understand this! If they hear about the interior life, they imagine some obscure temple. For more than a quarter of a century I have been saying that such isn’t the case. I talk about the interior life of ordinary Christians who habitually find themselves in the hubbub of the city, in the light of day, in the street, at work, with their families or simply relaxing; they are centred on Jesus all day long. And what is this except a life of continuous prayer? Isn’t it true that you have seen the need to become a soul of prayer, to reach an intimacy with God that leads to divinization? Such is the christian faith as always understood by souls of prayer — “A man becomes God,” writes Clement of Alexandria, “because he loves whatever God loves.”
 
At first it will be more difficult. You must make an effort to seek out the Lord, to thank him for his fatherly and practical concern for us. Although it is not a question of sentiment, little by little the love of God makes itself felt like a rustle in the soul. It is Christ who pursues us lovingly: “Behold, I stand at the door and knock.” How is your life of prayer going? At times don’t you feel during the day the impulse to speak more at length with him? Don’t you then whisper to him that you will tell him all about it later, in a heart-to-heart conversation?

In the periods expressly reserved for this rendezvous with our Lord, the heart is broadened, the will is strengthened, the mind, helped by grace, fills the world of human reality with supernatural content. The results come in the form of clear, practical resolutions to improve your conduct, to deal more charitably with all men, to spare no efforts — like good athletes — in this christian struggle of love and peace.

Prayer then becomes continuous, like the beating of our heart, like our pulse. Without this presence of God, there is no contemplative life. And without contemplative life, our working for Christ is worth very little, for vain is the builder’s toil if the house is not of the Lord’s building.

The point is that everything we do can be turned into prayer and offered up to God.By me, this part.

Hope you enjoy this.

Yours in Jesus, Mary & Joseph,

John
Saints are just sinners who keep trying.http://forums.catholic-questions.org/images/icons/icon7.gif
 
John Russell Jr:
At first it will be more difficult. You must make an effort to seek out the Lord, to thank him for his fatherly and practical concern for us. Although it is not a question of sentiment, little by little the love of God makes itself felt like a rustle in the soul. It is Christ who pursues us lovingly: “Behold, I stand at the door and knock.” How is your life of prayer going? At times don’t you feel during the day the impulse to speak more at length with him? Don’t you then whisper to him that you will tell him all about it later, in a heart-to-heart conversation?

In the periods expressly reserved for this rendezvous with our Lord, the heart is broadened, the will is strengthened, the mind, helped by grace, fills the world of human reality with supernatural content. The results come in the form of clear, practical resolutions to improve your conduct, to deal more charitably with all men, to spare no efforts — like good athletes — in this christian struggle of love and peace.

Prayer then becomes continuous, like the beating of our heart, like our pulse. Without this presence of God, there is no contemplative life. And without contemplative life, our working for Christ is worth very little, for vain is the builder’s toil if the house is not of the Lord’s building.

The point is that everything we do can be turned into prayer and offered up to God.By me, this part.

Hope you enjoy this.

Yours in Jesus, Mary & Joseph,

John
Saints are just sinners who keep trying.http://forums.catholic-questions.org/images/icons/icon7.gif
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Dearest John

Beautiful, absolutely beautiful !!!

God Bless you and much love and peace to you and those you love

Teresa
 
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Teresa9:
Dearest John

Beautiful, absolutely beautiful !!!

God Bless you and much love and peace to you and those you love

Teresa
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Hi Teresa,
Glad you liked it.

Yours in Jesus, Mary & Joseph,

John
Saints are just sinners who keep trying.http://forums.catholic-questions.org/images/icons/icon7.gif
 
“Offering it up to God” can have a few interpretations. One interpretation is that you are putting your faith and trust in God for Him to take care of whatever it is that you are offering up to Him. Sometimes one mustn’t worry about something and should just hand it over to God and allow Him to handle it. Another interpretation of this phrase is that you are giving something to God as sort of a sacrifice or offering to show that you are thankful for something that He has given you.
 
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