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SanctaSchola
Guest
Let us help you as brothers and friends in Christ! Just tell us your problem.
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chessnerd321
Guest
What do you guys do when it feels like you’re going through the motions rather than living life with respect to prayer? Sometimes I feel like I can look down on myself while I’m praying and see it for what it is. Nobody is there. Nobody is listening. God is silent.
I’m generally happy with life. Is this what people call desolation?
I’m generally happy with life. Is this what people call desolation?
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Stanz
Guest
I believe that is exactly what is called desolation.
It is a small test of faith. God wants to teach you to love him, and not his consolations, that we can be accustomed to through prayer.
Lethargy, distractions, worries, and emptiness can occur, but it is important to recognize these as necessary challenges allowed to us in order for us to grow in love for God.
It is good to ask things of God, but if you are frustrated when he does not answer them as we wish, put aside your petitions, and pray only that his will be done.
For myself, after this, I look at the crucifix.
It is also helpful to consider that God is never not present, never not speaking.
St. Hilary, the first Doctor of the Church to die, said “Truth is declarative being”. Consider how useless our senses would be, and all our intellectual faculties, for example, if a flower did not reflect light for us to see, or emit scent for us to smell. Not only is our ability to perceive anything a gift from god, but that any of his creation is something perceivable is a gift, and his declaration of Love.
However, it is important not to jump to this. Always accept the desolation first, in order to grow in truer and deeper love and faith. Than meditate later on every other ‘present’ thing we have.
I can only remember 4 occasions in my life in which God allowed me consolation through prayer. I have never been a ‘feeler’ in prayer.
I think, that by experiencing loneliness in prayer, we can become closer in faith to God, and have greater understanding of the suffering Christ has on our behalf, when we isolate ourselves from Him though our sin.
God Bless.
It is a small test of faith. God wants to teach you to love him, and not his consolations, that we can be accustomed to through prayer.
Lethargy, distractions, worries, and emptiness can occur, but it is important to recognize these as necessary challenges allowed to us in order for us to grow in love for God.
It is good to ask things of God, but if you are frustrated when he does not answer them as we wish, put aside your petitions, and pray only that his will be done.
For myself, after this, I look at the crucifix.
It is also helpful to consider that God is never not present, never not speaking.
St. Hilary, the first Doctor of the Church to die, said “Truth is declarative being”. Consider how useless our senses would be, and all our intellectual faculties, for example, if a flower did not reflect light for us to see, or emit scent for us to smell. Not only is our ability to perceive anything a gift from god, but that any of his creation is something perceivable is a gift, and his declaration of Love.
However, it is important not to jump to this. Always accept the desolation first, in order to grow in truer and deeper love and faith. Than meditate later on every other ‘present’ thing we have.
I can only remember 4 occasions in my life in which God allowed me consolation through prayer. I have never been a ‘feeler’ in prayer.
I think, that by experiencing loneliness in prayer, we can become closer in faith to God, and have greater understanding of the suffering Christ has on our behalf, when we isolate ourselves from Him though our sin.
God Bless.
M
Marie16
Guest
Overall, since becoming Catholic the faith has felt like a source of great sadness to me. This makes it hard to continue and I often feel I made the wrong decision or am not fit for living the life of a Catholic or possibly of a Christian. Trying to draw closer to the Church has not helped, at times it has made it worse. Every day is a battle to remain faithful and not always because I would rather have something else, but because it’s hard for me to see the point in living a life that is wrong for me.
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Stanz
Guest
Well, I wish I could address what is difficult for you, but I am unable to give a concise answer, without a concise explanation of the difficulty, but you don’t need to share that here, perhaps with a priest or someone else trustworthy and devout.
It may be that the faith is asking you to look at a problem that you have ignored and forgotten for years. I know several people, including myself, who got physically sick when listening and speaking about “uncomfortable subjects”.
God may strike, but only to heal; as it is necessary to remove an arrow from a wound, or pull a tooth to cure an ache.
Perhaps you are being asked to acknowledge a grievance that you tried to move past without Christ. I do not wish to be insensitive, but if the idea touches a nerve, it is likely because it is touching the heart of the matter.
I recently had to make a big change in my life, because I realized I had been trying to conform Christianity to my lifestyle, instead of conforming my life to Christ.
God wants everything of you. Your wants, thoughts, your pains, your regrets, your joys and sorrows. Do not be afraid to give them to him. He will give them all meaning in his own death on the cross, and resurrection.
Ask yourself what reasons you became a Catholic. It is important to separate the emotions of sadness you feel, from your past decisions. Do you make decisions on the basis truth and love (which entails joy and sorrow), or your passions brought on by emotions currently beyond our control?
It may be helpful to study the Discernment of Spirits in Ignatian Spirituality.
www.ignatianspirituality.com
Basically, evil spirits will attack us, and can make us feel miserable, especially when we have made decisions to abandon self-love for love of God.
So we must not change any decisions we have made while we are weak and possibly thinking with emotion rather than logic.
If you become frustrated when you feel a lack of faith within yourself, recognize this as a form of pride. Humble yourself to be content with the faith God is giving you for now. It is likely for this purpose for you to grow in deeper faith!
Please consider talking to a good and faithful priest, and ask for spiritual direction, but ultimately, try to reaffirm your faith when you are not under duress.
I will pray for your consolation, but you must accept their absences as God’s will for you at present.
hug
God Bless!
It may be that the faith is asking you to look at a problem that you have ignored and forgotten for years. I know several people, including myself, who got physically sick when listening and speaking about “uncomfortable subjects”.
God may strike, but only to heal; as it is necessary to remove an arrow from a wound, or pull a tooth to cure an ache.
Perhaps you are being asked to acknowledge a grievance that you tried to move past without Christ. I do not wish to be insensitive, but if the idea touches a nerve, it is likely because it is touching the heart of the matter.
I recently had to make a big change in my life, because I realized I had been trying to conform Christianity to my lifestyle, instead of conforming my life to Christ.
God wants everything of you. Your wants, thoughts, your pains, your regrets, your joys and sorrows. Do not be afraid to give them to him. He will give them all meaning in his own death on the cross, and resurrection.
Ask yourself what reasons you became a Catholic. It is important to separate the emotions of sadness you feel, from your past decisions. Do you make decisions on the basis truth and love (which entails joy and sorrow), or your passions brought on by emotions currently beyond our control?
It may be helpful to study the Discernment of Spirits in Ignatian Spirituality.
Discernment of Spirits - IgnatianSpirituality.com
What is discernment of spirits? Find how discernment helps in making decisions.
www.ignatianspirituality.com
Basically, evil spirits will attack us, and can make us feel miserable, especially when we have made decisions to abandon self-love for love of God.
So we must not change any decisions we have made while we are weak and possibly thinking with emotion rather than logic.
If you become frustrated when you feel a lack of faith within yourself, recognize this as a form of pride. Humble yourself to be content with the faith God is giving you for now. It is likely for this purpose for you to grow in deeper faith!
Please consider talking to a good and faithful priest, and ask for spiritual direction, but ultimately, try to reaffirm your faith when you are not under duress.
I will pray for your consolation, but you must accept their absences as God’s will for you at present.
hug
God Bless!
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Stanz
Guest
I made a grave mistake here.
Marie is in desolation, and we should pray for her.
Much apologies!
That is not called desolation, it is what we call aridity or dryness of prayer. Most of my prayer is dry, but not desolated.
Marie is in desolation, and we should pray for her.
Much apologies!
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Fraevo63
Guest
@SanctaSchola
Help? How? Define “feeling empty”.
Thanks.
Help? How? Define “feeling empty”.
Thanks.
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bethkcmo
Guest
If there is one thing I have learned about being a Christian, being Catholic, is not to get all wrapped up in feelings.
I think it is a deceit of Satan and these “feel good” times in which we live to look at faith and obedience to God as something we should FEEL.
This is why people get divorced so easily: “I don’t feel love for him anymore.” Nevermind the vows one took; the covenant entered into.
Human feelings come and go. They are unreliable. They can be affected by lack of sleep, poor diet, medication, etc.
Holy Scripture is replete with God’s promises to ALWAYS be faithful to us. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.
This is why I don’t trust my feelings. I hand them over to God to deal with and just try to remain faithful, according to His grace.
(Just my two cents.
)
I think it is a deceit of Satan and these “feel good” times in which we live to look at faith and obedience to God as something we should FEEL.
This is why people get divorced so easily: “I don’t feel love for him anymore.” Nevermind the vows one took; the covenant entered into.
Human feelings come and go. They are unreliable. They can be affected by lack of sleep, poor diet, medication, etc.
Holy Scripture is replete with God’s promises to ALWAYS be faithful to us. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.
This is why I don’t trust my feelings. I hand them over to God to deal with and just try to remain faithful, according to His grace.
(Just my two cents.
)
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Stanz
Guest
This seems a little bit like saying to a priest preparing to hear confessions: “We should not get wrapped up in our sins”
Anyone would know that the purpose of confession is to help us disentangle from our sins, by articulating them. Articulation of a feeling or thought helps articulate our own understanding of where it stands in our lives.
Catholicism has the ability to take everything into account, by putting it in it’s proper place.
I would say that feelings and emotion are born of the soul, and make an excellent indicator (among others) of it’s state, but it makes a poor navigator, for the fact that we cannot trust if they also come from God, or the other.
But it is necessary for a child to understand their problem, in order for a father to correct them.
But you are right that doesn’t mean that understanding the problem or unpleasant emotions will make us “feel good”. But it could be helpful for us to “be good”.
(I think you have more sense than I though, I do not know if I have even one cent.)
Anyone would know that the purpose of confession is to help us disentangle from our sins, by articulating them. Articulation of a feeling or thought helps articulate our own understanding of where it stands in our lives.
Catholicism has the ability to take everything into account, by putting it in it’s proper place.
I would say that feelings and emotion are born of the soul, and make an excellent indicator (among others) of it’s state, but it makes a poor navigator, for the fact that we cannot trust if they also come from God, or the other.
But it is necessary for a child to understand their problem, in order for a father to correct them.
But you are right that doesn’t mean that understanding the problem or unpleasant emotions will make us “feel good”. But it could be helpful for us to “be good”.
(I think you have more sense than I though, I do not know if I have even one cent.)
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