How to stay optimistic

[Julie_de_Sales]

In my spiritual life, I regulary go through moments of “depression”, when I get sad about how things are evolving and when I’m so disappointed with myself. The more I want to improve, let’s say, by giving up on a bad habit, or by being nicer to someone, or by praying more, things like that, the more it seems like I can’t do it. I feel so powerless, extremly powerless…When I fall, I try to pick myself up and keep going, but sometimes I feel stuck there and the more I try to get up, the more I fall back in.
I try to say to myself that I have to trust in God, that discouragement doesn’t bring anything good, but it doesn’t help a lot…
So if you have some suggestions, besides prayer, or if you at least can relate to this and share how you get through difficult moments…thanks!

 

[Spritus1]

Hi Julie

I can totally relate to your experience. What I have found is this: I can do nothing to acquire virtue on my own. It is only by letting go and letting God that I can do anything of merit. This has meant accepting my own weakness and powerlessness. Our Lord Himself said that without Him we can do nothing. That is true.

Don’t be hard on yourself. Bring your feelings to the Lord. Tell Him how you feel and ask Him for His help. Lean on Him when it all seems too much. The Christian journey is made up of peaks and troughs, high points when we truly and vividly feel the presence of God as well as times when God feels far away. Do not place too much store on ‘feelings’ as feelings change from one day to the next, sometimes from one hour to the next. Many saints felt that God had abandoned them; one of the more famous is St John of the Cross’ description of the ‘Dark Night of the Soul’. God was and is and forever will be always there.

The Christian journey is a marathon, not a sprint so go easy on yourself.

It is at such times that we must persevere. Sit in front of the Lord at Adoration and He Will pour His grace out on you. Take full advantage of confession, communion and read the life of a favourite saint and you will be amazed. Saints were just like you and me with the same struggles, pains, sorrows and joys. Don’t give up. This is a great grace for you as it gives you an opportunity for you to draw closer to Jesus, who can do all things.

It is in our weakness that He is strong.

Blessed be God.

 

[jaimeleglise]

God sees your efforts and reads your heart’s motives and is pleased.

 

[david_patrick]

hi from kentucky, USA-…there will be a sun rise of freedom one day (for you) in the future to experience a well being and happiness…
i see that you are in europe-in pretext, not for sure-but i write as perhaps with the american catholic point of view, not to say that is different from the european; but americans like their freedom of expression and can be forward, assertive, even as catholics—so you have requested an opinion that does not include advice on prayer…i notice in review that you mention three D’s-disapointment, depression, discouragement ( i can relate to these very well); oh parenthetically-in my last confession- the situation was -i explained a girl friend problem to my confessor/priest of whom is of course celebate-i thought he would provide advice from a celebates’ point of view; i rolled my eyes in skepticism-that body language of rolling my eyes is a skeptical act by what i thought i was going to hear-i never really felt guilty though-(i thought he was going to advise to get back with my X girl friend); at any rate, this was the most profound confession-after the fact-…so-i don’t know why i mention that…well…back to those three D’s…ask yourself :“what am i really feeling?” : i think if i had a genetic twin as a room mate-what would that be like? i don’t think we would get along at all-never be at peace…as if to argue and carry on exististentialist questions that could never be answered, never being true to each other, conflicting-he would be predictable a great accuser; this represents -of course me-alone with me…if my twin gives me a psychological book; known in america as psychobabble;So-one, me-has just given the other a self-help book/could be very interesting or probably very insulting (might you give a friend a self help book-they read it-and might feel it applies to them that they have a ‘problem’-as to risk-friendship to a silly book of advice) at any rate…what a struggle- i would talk with my genetic twin-although-we might discuss the same goals-such as ‘going home;’ having a home, to share memories of mom and dad-the way it used to be-to share that this would be terrific to turn back time-but discuss, sadly, how american society has changed so much-that even an emotion of wanting to ‘go home,’ or ‘be at home…’ is so hidden a motive-a hidden feeling and sadness, never to honestly pronounce on the twins lips-a real feeling-he hides emotions such as lonliness; as i argue with him-I say to him:“articulate what you are really feeling…” He would be a very shy person-as a hypothetical situation/ my twin might realize he hides things in his psychic/ while, i suffer the depression-(in my case-there are many ‘rich’ middle class catholics around-i figure that if they have a good job, family, bank account-having all needs met-they do not need me-so me and my twin feel alone) i remain disappointed in my twin, room mate -and we continue in a level of discouragement;…there must be a change, one day in a person’s life, to watch the sun rise and be happy some day…that those emotions disapointment, depression, discouragement-had been…indeed had been so tied together in cycles of my life…
As i say to myself (as well as you) :then examine-the word -LOVE-there are different types of love; there is human love, divine love…so a goal could be set-to look around to to see how human and divine love -then-connect…view the suffering-of hospitals, drub rehab/ hungry people, homeless people, old alone elderly, depressed persons-that the good news is that-‘acceptance’ is love:
As that goal is set/my twin sleeps in my subconscious-awakening then to tell me what i am really feeling-i remember to help others in their suffering and needs-defining love and changing the way i perceive sun sets.(an optimistic feeling indeed!)