Does He understand?

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Lexee15

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Does God understand when we can’t be as spiritual as we would like for some reason or another?

I’m asking this because I’m having a difficult time with guilt…I think it’s guilt. First of all, ever since my son came into this world I haven’t had much time to read spiritual books and such as I did before he was born.

Now that I find myself in a situation where I am single mom I have to start over. Before I got married I had a career and as much as I loved it I don’t want to go back to it. I want to stay home and raise my son, because of this I decided to change careers. I am going to trainings and seminars etc. to learn how to work from home, this is where the question and guilt come in.

The spare time I have I am dedicating to this new career venture, I even find myself making extra time to be able to do this. So I have, altogether, putting aside any spiritual reading etc. I do go to Mass every week, for the most part, confession almost every month and my daily prayers, holy days of obligation, etc.

I feel bad that I’m not reading religious and spiritual books, I asked Father Groeschel about this and he said I was okay because I was looking for a way to put food on the table. Am I worrying about nothing or am I being selfish? Your opinions will be greatly appreciated.
 
God always understands.
Like Fr. Groeschel told you, your priority is to put food on the table to provide for your son.

You pray, you attend Mass and go to confession. You are doing fine.

Instead of lamenting about not doing your spiritual readings, maybe you can read your daily Scriptures. The Word of God is the best spiritual reading. It will take you a few minutes in the morning to read the Word of God and you can continue to meditate on them throughout the day.

Here are online links: usccb.org/nab/041207.shtml
sacredspace.ie/
 
Of course God understands that you are trying to do your best to care for your child! That is what He wants you to do.

A couple of things you might do to try to stay connected with your faith:
  • When you are traveling to and from classes, tune the car radio to a Catholic radio station (if there is one in your area; check the EWTN website for a listing).
  • Get a few tapes/CD’s of religious music, prayers (especially the Rosary), or spiritual talks that you can listen to while you are traveling.
  • Try to arrange a little time just for yourself and God. Perhaps you can find another stay-at-home mom that you can trade child care time with — she can stay with your child for an hour or two a week so you can go to a weekday Mass or spend a half hour in adoration, or whatever you need; you can do the same for her on a different day.
God loves you for trying to be a good mom and for trying to find time for prayer too.
 
Right now, your duty is to be faithful to your state in life. That state is single mom. To try and live your life as a religious, dedicated to spiritual reading, etc. is not appropriate. God has placed you here, and He knows that to care for yourself and your son is what He is requiring of you.

Remember too, you can dedicate the work you ARE doing to God for the salvation of souls, and for His greater glory. This way, everything you do can be a prayer!

Often, when I would rather (for example) at the moment, be at Eucharistic adoration instead of taking care of my kids, (home over spring break) I tell the Lord what I would like to be doing, but then I offer up what I AM doing out of obedience to my state in life (wife and mother). This I offer in reparation for those who are not doing their duty in their state in life (like fathers who abandon their families for an “easy” single life)

Obedience is ALWAYS pleasing to God. 🙂
 
Siena said:
Often, when I would rather (for example) at the moment, be at Eucharistic adoration instead of taking care of my kids, (home over spring break) I tell the Lord what I would like to be doing, but then I offer up what I AM doing out of obedience to my state in life (wife and mother). This I offer in reparation for those who are not doing their duty in their state in life (like fathers who abandon their families for an “easy” single life)

Obedience is ALWAYS pleasing to God. 🙂
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yes… this is what i used to do… when i was totally shattered by my divorce, everyone told me to do that… i was unable to pray due to my state of mind… and it worked wonderfully… that way you dont feel guilty…

i am back to saying the rosary regularly 👍 and hope to soon start the bible…

baby steps…
 
Thank you so much, all of you:clapping: :love: :bowdown2: I feel so much better!!! You have not only given me the reasons why He understands, but ways to still be spiritual without a book or devotional in my hand. I love that I can make “everything I do a prayer” for His sake and the reparation of our sins. Thank you all so much for your helpful and inspiring words of wisdom.
 
Siena said:
Often, when I would rather (for example) at the moment, be at Eucharistic adoration instead of taking care of my kids, (home over spring break) I tell the Lord what I would like to be doing, but then I offer up what I AM doing out of obedience to my state in life (wife and mother). This I offer in reparation for those who are not doing their duty in their state in life (like fathers who abandon their families for an “easy” single life)

Obedience is ALWAYS pleasing to God. 🙂
Click to expand...
Thank you for this! Like the OP, I sometimes feel so utterly dry, and think that if I only had more time, I’d be able to fill myself up with Him. I think, “Oh, to be a member of a religious order, to have all that time for God”…then I remember that God made it ridiculously clear to me that His plan for me was to be a wife and mother. Then I feel doubly guilty- once for not being spiritual enough, twice for not singing with joy at the blessings of being a wife and mother.

I’m going to try this bit of advice out tomorrow- thanks!
C
 
Siena:

Good advice all around.

One should do some discernment or self analysis to see if any secular life habits have been taken on as normal but forbidden by the Church. Benign as society places these actions, they are still mortal sins and devert one from his last end.

For instance sex outside of wedlock is a mortal sin, so is living with a sexual partner that is not a spouse. Deliberately staying away from mass is also, and so is not Baptising one’s children or not ensuring they receive appropriate religious instruction, or any religious instruction. There are many secular liberties that are forbidden.

While in a state of mortal sin ANY good a person does is not credited to him until he has received the Sacrament
of Penance.

Andyf
 
He understands everything, He understands every situation. He doesn’t hold against us anything which isn’t truly our fault - and He’s the one quicker to forgive us than we are to forgive ourself. A better defender that we would be to ourselves, despite the fact He’s also the judge.

Besides, it’s not about how spiritual we are, but how in touch with God. “Spiritual” in the sense of Eastern spirituality, on parallel with some Buddhist meditations, well, that’s clearly not expected of us and we’re expected to live the Gospel and the faith rather than be spiritual about it.
 
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