Going through the Motions, Worldly Concerns distracting me from God

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spiritblows

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It seems lately like I’m just going through the motions, doing pretty much the bare minimum in my faith. Worldly concerns don’t seem to leave me much time or inclination to pray. I have a lot of responsibilites, plus I’m tired of having my head in the clouds without covering the basics of my life very well.

For instance, I’ve been enjoying posting on this site a lot, plus I’ve been spending more time cleaning and organising, plus I"ve been pursuing some really great professional goals. Also, I have materialist pursuits. I just have really slacked off on my personal devotions, because I just can’t do everything, and there are so many demands on my time.

Also, I feel like a pretty mediocre Christian because I have the same old bad habits, such as gossip. Anyways, I just don’t see how I can make any progress, I feel as if I’ve gone as far as I can go, but then I’ll reconsider and think, well this is probably just a season. I’m so wishy washy!

Anyone else feel this way?
 
You sound like the perfect canidate for a retreat. I mean this honestly.
 
Spiritblows,
I totally understand what you are going through. I’m kind of in the same situation. A few years ago I really ‘got into’ the faith. Now, due to life’s demands, any additional spiritual work would tip me over the edge. I also feel guilty about ‘changing’ back to the ‘old ways’ but am more comfortable with the ‘old ways’ because they are known and reliable. Doing the extra sprirituality work would make me feel vulnerable and I just am not ready to do at this time.

Did you ever see Shrek? I personally love the quote about the onion having layers. I just keep praying to God to help peel away those layers one-by-one without too many tears.
 
I recommend Fr. Thomas Dubay’s Prayer Primer. Maybe the Holy Spirit is calling you to a revitalized prayer life.

Although going through the motions is not ideal. It is still pleasing to God that you are persevering.

Also, consider fasting–start small.

Just like exercising after a break from working out, becoming disciplined with our spiritual life after a break takes effort. Of course, we rebel. So, start small.

And, remember you don’t have to feel it. So many people rely on emotionality.

I’m full of advice, but I am sure that I could sit at your feet and learn about loving God. I’m so bad at it. I keep thinking that if I ask the Blessed Mother to love him for me, He will at least be comforted by her love. Order and Discipline in all areas of my life are very very difficult for me.
 
I had another thought. Sometimes, God wants us to get our act together in this life, so we can love him better. Maybe He is blessing your efforts. We have to do our duties. God knows that we in the world have to pay attention to daily tasks.

Here’s a book all about Loving God while we work–The Practice of the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence.

Also, a priest once told our prayer group to start with a fifteen meditation before we start our day. Fifteen minutes is nothing. I could stare into space for an hour.

Maybe that will be my New Year’s Resolution.
 
I have been having the same kind of problems myself. I have heard some really good advice, though.
  1. While you are doing your chores, you can pray. Offer up everything that you do to God. Even the work that you get paid for.
  2. Make sure that you pray before every meal. Give thanks afterwards as well.
  3. Stop listening to secular music. You will find that if you leave time to think about God, you will think about Him more.
  4. Pray in the car when you are driving. It will help you not listen to secular music.
Anyway, these are just a few things that I have been trying to implement in my life to try to pray more. I have a real problem with gluteny and I do not want to give up my struggle with it. I think that persistence will pay off, even with some heartache along the way.
 
Thanks for the positive responses. I think it’s all good advise. Today I managed to make some time for myself in my spiritual retreat, in my home. I just sat, lighted candles, read the Bible just a little, and more or less reposed myself. It felt very natural.

I agree, I have needed to work on some worldly things, such as going through drawers, cleaning out cupboards, and generally organizing my enviornment. Also I’m working on many other projects, both professional and otherwise. Plus, I’m trying to be more in touch with my daughters, who are still not teenagers, but getting closer, and I just have to create as much positives bettween us so that the bond will be strong enough to weather the stormy teenage years.

Probably a retreat would do me good. Meanwhile, I need to carve a mini-retreat everyday for myself. Even if it’s only 15 minutes of quiet time for myself and God, it’ll do me good.
 
Two things are happening with you. First, there’s always a natural loss of emotional fervor in a long-term relationship or interest. Second, God removes his consolations to bring you to a closer union with Him.
As mentioned, the original fervor is going to wear off. That’s just how the human personality works with anything. For instance, in a maritial relationship, the initial romantic high or enthusiasm will eventually subside. That doesn’t mean that a deep abiding love does not still exist. It’s just that it becomes more an issue of deep commitment rather than an emotional high. The same goes with any other interest or commitment.
The lack of fervor in your relationship with Christ is actually an opportunity for you to grow closer to our Lord and achieve a high degree of union with Him. Love, when stripped of its self-serving emotional rewards, becomes an opportunity to love God more selflessly for His sake rather than for our own gratification. For our love to become pure and selfless, we must come to love the Giver not His gifts. That’s why God removes His consolations; to progressively purify us of our material and spiritual idols. Only then can we become truly free and whole. Remember that even God’s gifts and consolations can become idols that we value in and of themselves. God initially grants us abundant spiritual consolations to encourage conversion and because we are initially so spiritually unstable and weak. However, after awhile, those same gifts pose a threat to our spiritual lives because we cling to the consolation instead of loving selflessly the one who selflessly loves us. We then, in essence, exchange material/emotional idols for spiritual ones. That’s why God purifies us through the dark night of the senses and spirit. It’s the only way we can achieve spiritual perfection. Only when we are sufficiently purified will God restore His consolations because, by then, we will be detached enough that such gifts no longer pose a spiritual risk.
The right course of action is to continue practicing your faith despite feeling laskluster about it or even if you feel like a hypocrite. The fact that you don’t feel so holy is a good sign. It means God’s grace is illuminating your mind about the sinful state of your soul. In essence, you are growing in self-knowledge and humility. When we feel like we are stagnating or going backwards, that’s a positive indicator that we are moving forward unless we are consciously tepid or on purpose engaging in a sinful lifestyle. Tepidity doesn’t sound like your problem. Just continue on. Perservere and have faith that God has your best interests and happiness at heart. If you perservere, God will give you spiritual gifts beyond your wildest imaginings. Don’t succumb to the devil’s temptations to give up because he will do anything to deviate you from the right path.
 
Others have posted great thoughts in this thread, but, without meaning to hijack it, I was wondering about other developments on the original question.

How can a wretched soul love back Jesus Who loves it so much? How can it make Jesus its true idol and Master?

It’s almost despairing how easily it can get attached to false idols and masters, such as things and pleasures, stuff that are devoid of life, almost to the point of loving them and even sacrificing itself to get them, yet it’s not able to find love for Jesus in its center.

It can say that it does love Jesus, but how deep is it? Is it love at all or just vain words?

Yet, so many saints were madly in love for Jesus, who died to themselves and gained eternal life. Many didn’t know they’d gain it, but now we know too.

:blessyou:
 
Your thread caught my attention, spiritblows, as I am feeling the same way.

Last night, I was watching a “Classic” Mother Angelica episode. She spoke about how Jesus elevated the mundane to holiness. We are asked to persevere each day with the life that God has given us. Working, cleaning the house, raising children, grocery shopping…performing these activities each and every day, day after day, the best we can is like a prayer. To do what God asks of us, even when it becomes tedious and there is no earthly reward, is a beautiful sacrifice to offer to God.

Ask God every day to help you to love Him more. Ask Him to teach you to pray. Lately, when I have felt beaten down, perhaps a little impatient and “bored” with my station in life, I’ve simply offered these simple prayers “Teach me to love you more God. Help me to pray”

Going on retreat isn’t a bad idea either:thumbsup:
 
You’ve gotten some terrific advice. I was just talking with my spiritual director last week about similar concerns and he recommended most of what everyone else has mentioned - refocusing on prayer and getting back to setting time aside for it every day. The liturgy of the hours is especially helpful in this.

Also, he told me I might consider giving away more of my possessions - in fact, one every day for a year. So far I’ve started with a bag and each day I pick out something to eventually be given away. It’s good for me to detach, realize how much God takes care of us, and help others.
 
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