Distracted and terrible thoughts while praying

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anon98328916

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I have been finding it extremely difficult to concentrate to pray for a few months now, though this last few weeks I have been very distracted while praying by terrible thoughts and curses or mocking while I’m trying to pray. Especially when I pray the mysteries of the rosary, I try so hard to mediate and terrible thoughts and sometimes curses I hear…when I was praying the divine mercy chaplet the other day I even had to stop and continue praying later because of awful thoughts. I am so annoyed and upset by this as I don’t want God to think I am thinking those terrible things! Is this satan trying to distract and stop me praying? I am trying to get closer to God this last while and I think it’s something to do with that. Anyone else experience this kind of thing?
 
Yes it’s satan. I too get some images from the past while meditating
 
I have experienced it as part of OCD and scrupulosity. What helped me was getting a good spiritual director/confessor, reading about scrupulosity and “Pure O” OCD (that’s the type of OCD which consists more of unwanted and hated thoughts that are hard to get rid of than with behaviors such as handwashing). I do take an antidepressant prescribed by my doctor that is also helpful to a point.

The thing that is the most difficult to do in this struggle is to not blame ourselves for having the stupid unwanted thoughts, as ugly and disgusting and annoying as they may be. They are just quirks of our minds. God is with us in our struggle. We don’t know why our particular minds are being tormented in this way, but good can come out of it in that we can learn to trust deeply in God’s love and mercy. He knows we don’t want the nasty thoughts. He knows our hearts are good deep down. Hang on to this, and when the bad thoughts or images come, gently turn your mind back to Jesus with a simple, calm as you can manage, childlike trust. Don’t struggle anxiously like a bird caught in a net (St. Francis de Sales gave this example). The bird in the net gets more tangled up when it struggles

I also found that certain verses from the Bible are great antidotes. Here are a few to get you started:

Psalm 34 - verse 5 especially
Philippians 4 verse 4 through 9
Psalm 139
Psalm 121
Romans 8 verses 31 through 39

May God bless you and give you peace. I’ll be praying for you. 🙂
 
It happens to all of us from time to time. Just keep praying and don’t worry about it.
 
anon98328916 said:
I have been finding it extremely difficult to concentrate to pray for a few months now, though this last few weeks I have been very distracted while praying by terrible thoughts and curses or mocking while I’m trying to pray. Especially when I pray the mysteries of the rosary, I try so hard to mediate and terrible thoughts and sometimes curses I hear…when I was praying the divine mercy chaplet the other day I even had to stop and continue praying later because of awful thoughts. I am so annoyed and upset by this as I don’t want God to think I am thinking those terrible things! Is this satan trying to distract and stop me praying? I am trying to get closer to God this last while and I think it’s something to do with that. Anyone else experience this kind of thing?
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They could be intrusive thought from OCD.
Don’t worry about it or beat yourself up.God knows your brain and any “dysfunctions” it may have and knows these thoughts aren’t wilful.
They more you beat yourself up the more powerful they can become but if you just accept it and not beat yourself up and ignore it will become less distracting and less bothersome.
 
If it is persistent and seriously affecting your ability to concentrate and make decisions, you should see a doctor to determine if you have OCD. Medication and counsel from a priest can be very helpful. I once had this, too. God bless you.
 
jaimeleglise said:
If it is persistent and seriously affecting your ability to concentrate and make decisions, you should see a doctor to determine if you have OCD. Medication and counsel from a priest can be very helpful. I once had this, too. God bless you.
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Good advice.
 
If your will is against such things, there is no need to be distressed; they are like flies, which can do you no harm. On the contrary, by persevering in prayer you will be honouring God, and fashioning a crown for yourself, so to speak.
 
Yes, it could be the enemy, but keep praying!!! It happens to me a lot, and my priest suggested I focus on an image of our blessed mother, and to say often the prayer to Saint Michael the Archangel prayer. God bless you!
 
3DOCTORS said:
I have experienced it as part of OCD and scrupulosity. What helped me was getting a good spiritual director/confessor, reading about scrupulosity and “Pure O” OCD (that’s the type of OCD which consists more of unwanted and hated thoughts that are hard to get rid of than with behaviors such as handwashing). I do take an antidepressant prescribed by my doctor that is also helpful to a point.

The thing that is the most difficult to do in this struggle is to not blame ourselves for having the stupid unwanted thoughts, as ugly and disgusting and annoying as they may be. They are just quirks of our minds. God is with us in our struggle. We don’t know why our particular minds are being tormented in this way, but good can come out of it in that we can learn to trust deeply in God’s love and mercy. He knows we don’t want the nasty thoughts. He knows our hearts are good deep down. Hang on to this, and when the bad thoughts or images come, gently turn your mind back to Jesus with a simple, calm as you can manage, childlike trust. Don’t struggle anxiously like a bird caught in a net (St. Francis de Sales gave this example). The bird in the net gets more tangled up when it struggles

I also found that certain verses from the Bible are great antidotes. Here are a few to get you started:

Psalm 34 - verse 5 especially
Philippians 4 verse 4 through 9
Psalm 139
Psalm 121
Romans 8 verses 31 through 39

May God bless you and give you peace. I’ll be praying for you. 🙂
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Thank you so much! I take great comfort from this.
 
Elena321 said:
They could be intrusive thought from OCD.
Don’t worry about it or beat yourself up.God knows your brain and any “dysfunctions” it may have and knows these thoughts aren’t wilful.
They more you beat yourself up the more powerful they can become but if you just accept it and not beat yourself up and ignore it will become less distracting and less bothersome.
Click to expand...
Yes that is true, I can get so annoyed sometimes to the point it stops me praying but I should be ignoring it.
 
jaimeleglise said:
If it is persistent and seriously affecting your ability to concentrate and make decisions, you should see a doctor to determine if you have OCD. Medication and counsel from a priest can be very helpful. I once had this, too. God bless you.
Click to expand...
I was diagnosed with OCD/anxiety 17 months ago and was on antidepressants for a period. Yes, I found great comfort in prayer especially when I was at my worst God was helping and guiding me. Thank you for your help much appreciated.
 
littlestsouls2 said:
If your will is against such things, there is no need to be distressed; they are like flies, which can do you no harm. On the contrary, by persevering in prayer you will be honouring God, and fashioning a crown for yourself, so to speak.
Click to expand...
“persevering in prayer you will be honouring God, and fashioning a crown for yourself, so to speak”. This is beautiful thank u so much.
 
NHeath said:
Yes, it could be the enemy, but keep praying!!! It happens to me a lot, and my priest suggested I focus on an image of our blessed mother, and to say often the prayer to Saint Michael the Archangel prayer. God bless you!
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Thank you, I will do this.
 
Glad you were able to have found some consolation from others of us who have suffered the OCD/scrupulosity trials. We can minister to one another and God will bless our efforts! Where two or more are gathered in His name, He is there in the midst of them. :grouphug:
 
Perhaps you could also try journaling when you pray? Simply write your prayers out in a notebook or diary. I find that when I do this my mind is more focused, maybe because my hands have something to do, I don’t know, but it does. Of course this wouldn’t help you much when praying with beads (rosary/divine mystery), but it may be helpful at other times.

But, like other people have said, if they are popping into your head with out your consent then just shoo them away like you would a fly, refuse to dwell and get back to your prayers. Each time you do this it is a prayer in itself because you are telling God you choose him, over and over and over. I experience this from time to time as well, especially when I’m stressed, feeling down, or low on sleep. So, maybe part of your problem is also the time of day you are trying to pray? If you are generally too tired in the morning to concentrate, then afternoons or evenings may be best. Similarly if you are very stressed after work, maybe praying before work or later on after calming down is better. I don’t know your schedule obviously, just throwing suggestions out.
For me, I have to do it in the A.M. but after lunch and working out, or I fall asleep. Or, late at night when all is calm and quiet. I cannot read scripture or pray right when i wake up since I’m SOO not a morning person and I would just zonk right out and probably be thinking about bed the whole time I tried anyways. lol
Finally, I’ve also been told that you can always turn those thoughts or distractions into a prayer themselves. Obviously you don’t want to give yourself permission to dwell on thoughts that are sinful, but, say you are distracted by thoughts of a difficult co-worker, well, instead of trying to fight thinking about him/her just pray for them and ask God for advice or guidance in dealing with them. If you’re distracted because you are hungry, maybe pray for those who go hungry everyday. If the thoughts are sinful and you don’t want to dwell, but they do concern you, just ask God for help with them and ask to be guarded from them, God never allows you to be tempted beyond your ability to resist and he always provides a way out, so, find the out and keep faith.

Sorry about all that, all I was going to comment was to try journaling, but then I got going and it turned into all that!
 
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