Does your burning desire for God every actually discourage you?

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yanachik

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Lately I have felt such a burning desire to be closer to God and to know Him more that I want to do nothing but sit in prayer and read more about my faith, but I can’t because of practical things like work and family. I end up getting impatient and discouraged. Do you ever find that you have such a strong desire to get closer to God that it ends up working against you and discourages you? Any suggestions on how to calm down a little and have patience in my spiritual journey? I see others who are so much more knowledgeable and advanced in their spirituality than I am and I get jealous of them. Anyone else experience this? Thanks.
 
If you’re experiencing spiritual jealousy, I would be cautious about understanding all of this as coming from God. Obviously, He wants us to be closer to Him. But you may be being tempted to do more than your state in life demands, and this might be a result of wanting something for yourself that God isn’t necessarily guiding you towards just yet.
 
yanachik said:
Lately I have felt such a burning desire to be closer to God and to know Him more that I want to do nothing but sit in prayer and read more about my faith, but I can’t because of practical things like work and family. I end up getting impatient and discouraged. Do you ever find that you have such a strong desire to get closer to God that it ends up working against you and discourages you? Any suggestions on how to calm down a little and have patience in my spiritual journey? I see others who are so much more knowledgeable and advanced in their spirituality than I am and I get jealous of them. Anyone else experience this? Thanks.
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Hi yanachik,

I personally think that probably the hardest thing for us as humans is to stay focused on our relationship with God.

We can really get distracted–at least I can. 🙂

So, I try to just focus on one day at a time, and try and stay focused on what I am doing with my own personal relationship with God, and how I can stay holy in that relationship.

I also look at how I am relating to others, and if I am acting in a way with others that would be pleasing to God.

I also look at my own life, and look at ways to stay connected to God and His heavenly kingdom in my own life.

I look at how am I praying, how often do I turn to God and the angels and saints for help/intercession, and so on.

By doing these things, I’m staying focused on how I can improve the relationship that I have with God, and with relating with others. I’m not focusing on the spiritual lives of others. 🙂

We’re all going to be different anyways where we’re at regarding our spiritual lives, since we’re all unique individuals. 🙂
 
Sometimes I get so caught up in my prayers and talking to God (which is not a bad thing) that I forget to listen. God is always speaking to us but we are so caught up in our daily lives that we forget to take some time out of our day to just sit quietly in silence and listen to Him. This is one of the things I am currently working on.
 
In my opinion some distractions are healthy for you. One distraction I would recommend is “work.” If you become involve in your work at the moment-say 8 hours a day-that in itself can become a prayer as long as it is done properly and offered up as a prayer. If you are a working person you can start your work day off with a prayer, such as “I offer this day or work up for…”

We were made for distractions! God made Adam and Eve in such a fashion that they were "distracted: and took a bite of the apple. It is known as free will.

Even in monastaires or cloisters there is a balance of prayer, work, and or a time to sit back and “relax” a little. Find your balance because even the great saints had to find the path between work, acts of mercy, evangelizing and living for God. I wish you well and you have my prayers. P. S. I already know I can’t spell.
 
yanachik said:
Lately I have felt such a burning desire to be closer to God and to know Him more that I want to do nothing but sit in prayer and read more about my faith, but I can’t because of practical things like work and family. I end up getting impatient and discouraged. Do you ever find that you have such a strong desire to get closer to God that it ends up working against you and discourages you? Any suggestions on how to calm down a little and have patience in my spiritual journey? I see others who are so much more knowledgeable and advanced in their spirituality than I am and I get jealous of them. Anyone else experience this? Thanks.
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‘Burning’ desire to be closer to God is a good thing and should be regarded as a grace for you that you experience it.

It, however, should not discourage you, whatever the situation is for you. If you want to have a quiet moment praying to God, nothing can stop you from doing that. But being closer to God also can be many things, like changing your life - a new way of thinking and living especially into one that is Godly and avoiding sins or near occasion of sins.

The feeling of being jealous can be a good thing if it is taken in the context that you want to be like them but it is of course bad if it just plain jealousy.

Follow your heart, do not be discouraged. God is obviously doing something in you and it is for you to respond.

God bless.
 
Let all you do be for God and for others, That simplifies everything and stops you getting too introverted … I have learned this through long years of disabling and limiting illness.

GIVE to God and ask nothing. For He has already given everything so that we can give
 
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