Getting in the mindset, or out of it

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andersr915

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I’m sure I’m not the only one on the forum who struggles spiritually, and I know some issues are unique to one’s own circumstances, but for the sake of a general audience, could anyone provide some tips for living the spiritual life?

I suppose the main thing I need help with is putting God first. Of course I acknowledge and know I am helpless to find goodness, peace, faith and love without Him, but to some great extent, I feel there is some crucial aspect of putting him first which I habitually negate. I try to live by His teachings in every circumstance, doing things such as but not limited to, suppressing wrathful returns to angry people through a sense of understanding, taking into account how fortunate of a life I live, taking the hard road in the name of humility charity & love alike, and always trying to hold a healthy fear and love of God on my mind to avoid both presumption and despair. The thing that feels like its missing was something I heard of in a story of a preist’s near death experience: that, before our Blessed Mother interceeded for the priest at the time of his judgment, Christ was about to condemn him to Hell because, for the 12 years that man was a preist, he never did it for God, but he served himself.

I feel as if this is the biggest way many of us fall into sin, because, even if inadvertantly, we serve ourselves before God instead of serving God himself. I feel i fall into this because, while I desire to do good works for God, I keep thinking of how other people would regard me for my works, potentially so they may follow but also because my pride creeps in and says “make yourself a saint to others”. I dont wish to be a saint to others, but to serve the Lord with my whole heart.

So my question is, what is the mindset of one whom truly wishes to serve God? I know through fear is an immature way to serve God, but only througn love can one serve Him greatly and regard Him above all else. I witness the love of God through figures like Father Mark Goring and Mother Angelica, God rest her soul, but then I become presumptuous, then I sober myself through the preaching of Father Altman and Father Altier (Complicit Clergy and Sensus Fidelium style reminders of God’s Justice), but then I fall into a sense of despair. Does anyone have any tips for walking the line between to have a healthy relationship with God while truly loving Him above all else instead of just seeking comfort?
 
I’m in no position to lead others, but the thought that pops to my mind reading your post, is that it’s always harder to move away from something, than towards something.

Like, it’s harder if we make our goal to ‘avoid thinking a certain thought’, than if we choose to actively think different specific thoughts. We need a better substitute to turn towards.

So for example, taking some time to really contemplate God Himself. To think about His goodness and why you think He is good and why you love Him. And to think about your neighbours as created good to be loved by God and how truly beautiful and worth loving they are. To really refocus on the personal aspect of it all, and the love aspect, not the rules or counting virtues and trying to avoid errors aspect. (Although rules are real as are virtues and error; but all must be ordered by and towards love.)

As I write this, my mind pops to CS Lewis:
If you asked twenty good men to-day what they thought the highest of the virtues, nineteen of them would reply, Unselfishness. But if you asked almost any of the great Christians of old he would have replied, Love. You see what has happened? A negative term has been substituted for a positive, and this is of more than philological importance. The negative ideal of Unselfishness carries with it the suggestion not primarily of securing good things for others, but of going without them ourselves, as if our abstinence and not their happiness was the important point. I do not think this is the Christian virtue of Love. The New Testament has lots to say about self-denial, but not about self-denial as an end in itself. We are told to deny ourselves and to take up our crosses in order that we may follow Christ; and nearly every description of what we shall ultimately find if we do so contains an appeal to desire. If there lurks in most modern minds the notion that to desire our own good and earnestly to hope for the enjoyment of it is a bad thing, I submit that this notion has crept in from Kant and the Stoics and is no part of the Christian faith. Indeed, if we consider the unblushing promises of reward and the staggering nature of the rewards promised in the Gospels, it would seem that Our Lord finds our desires, not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.
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The remainder of this work is called ‘The Weight of Glory’. It’s a good read.

Does this touch at all on what you were seeking by your question?
 
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Pray every day, preferably for others or for general public intentions (like for the country, for world peace, for the Church, for the Holy Father’s Intentions).

Go to Mass and receive Eucharist every day or as often as you can.

Confession at least once a month, or more often if you need it.

The rest will come to you.

By the way, despair is from the Devil. If you feel it coming on, take the advice of Padre Pio (Pray, Hope and Don’t Worry), or St Teresa of Avila (Nada te turbe…), or St Therese of Lisieux, St Faustina, Servant of God Luisa Piccaretta, and countless other saints and holy persons who preached trust in God. Mother Angelina did also. I’m not sure abt Fr. Goring and if he is bringing you down then watch a different priest.

Pray of course to Mama Mary for help, and also pray to St Joseph, he gets a lot done, and your guardian angel. Pray, pray, pray!
 
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It certainly does shed some light on the current spiritual funk I find myself in, such as seeking to flee thoughts that arent of God rather than filling my mind with more of God. The only thing that I still seek to find is a true dependance on God, because while I know everything that is, was, and ever will be was made by him, there is a lack of appreciation and mindfulness of this fact about me. The only time its really present is meal-time, as saying grace is a huge part of my current spiritual life
 
Crazy enough, this is super re-assuring. I mean that genuinely, because, even now as I sit in a comfortable home with a blanket on my lap, I can’t help but feel like living this fortunate life is part of what takes me away from God, as in I need a genuine struggle to strengthen my faith
 
While Tis is right that crises are likely enough to come to many of us, in the meantime if it’s on your heart to seek a deeper appreciation of your dependence on God, I might suggest you try the Ignatian daily examen prayer?

Perhaps each night before bed. With a special focus on specifically thanking God for the specific blessings He’s given you. Perhaps repetition of thanking God for each day’s blessings will help the knowledge really ‘go deep’ that you have been dependent on Him for those gifts? Sort of move the knowledge from your worried head to your thankful heart.
 
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Perhaps so, my prayer life has become somewhat repetitious. Perhaps a new prayer before I go to bed may help. Thank you so much!😊
 
andersr915 said:
… loving Him above all else instead of just seeking comfort?
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Do not despair for that is “contrary to God’s goodness, to his justice - for the Lord is faithful to his promises - and to his mercy” Catechism No. 2091

Keep the commandments and be humble as in Psalm 129/130
Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord; Lord, hear my voice!
Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my pleading.
If you, O Lord, should mark our guilt, Lord, who would survive?
But with you is found forgiveness: for this we revere you.
My soul is waiting for the Lord. I count on his word.
My soul is longing for the Lord more than watchman for daybreak.
Let the watchman count on daybreak, and Israel on the Lord.
Because with the Lord there is mercy and fullness of redemption,
Israel indeed he will redeem from all its iniquity.
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