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Noone
Guest
Does anyone have any recommendations for how to become closer to God? Even when I am in a state of grace I still feel empty.
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Bonaventurian
Guest
Prayer is the best method.
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TheLittleLady
Guest
Don’t rely on feelings. Feelings lie.
In our journey there will be times of dryness, emptiness, times when we do not have consolations. This is when God “takes off the training wheels”. Know it means you are stronger than you feel!
In our journey there will be times of dryness, emptiness, times when we do not have consolations. This is when God “takes off the training wheels”. Know it means you are stronger than you feel!
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CradleRC58
Guest
Find an Adoration chapel.
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s.cono
Guest
Let nothing disturb thee,
Let nothing affright thee.
All things are passing;
God only is changeless.
Patience gains all things.
Who hath God wanteth nothing.
Alone God sufficeth.
Let nothing affright thee.
All things are passing;
God only is changeless.
Patience gains all things.
Who hath God wanteth nothing.
Alone God sufficeth.
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DeSales111
Guest
The good thing is that you are seeking Him. The dry time must be what purgatory is like, longing to be closer to God yet having to wait. I often feel like I’m in a desert, like God is somewhere besides hanging out with me. But then last year while sitting out in nature God whispered to my heart… BE STILL.
When I did I began to see God in all His creations, the mountains, the trees, the wildlife, the sky. God is omnipresent. Seek and you shall find.
So go to adoration and be still, and go out in nature and be still. And don’t forget to see Jesus in others, that is a sure fire way of getting closer to God!
When I did I began to see God in all His creations, the mountains, the trees, the wildlife, the sky. God is omnipresent. Seek and you shall find.
So go to adoration and be still, and go out in nature and be still. And don’t forget to see Jesus in others, that is a sure fire way of getting closer to God!
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stpiosson
Guest
Eucharistic Adoration. Also know that God values perseverance. It is at times when you feel empty and dry and that God is far away that it is most important to pray and offer the dryness to God in an act of faith. God is not absent or far away. Don’t go by how you ‘feel ‘ as feelings change and are often deceiving. Go by what you know, that God exists, He is good, He loves you and desires a relationship with you. Persevere. God will bless you for it.
po18guy
Well-known member
You are not intended to “feel” anything. Faith is a grace from God. It can have feelings associated with it, but they are not necessary. I hammer on this all the time, but your solution is at hand: go before our Lord - either reposed in the Tabernacle, or exposed at Adoration. Go. Sit. Pray. Read edifying Catholic literature. Or, simply contemplate Him.
As Father Benedict Groschel† C.F.R. teaches us:
As Father Benedict Groschel† C.F.R. teaches us:
You will need to be as patient with the Lord as He has been with you. He will not deny a certain level of consolation to those who seek in all sincerity.
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CelticWarlord
Guest
You and me both, brother. I tell people if they want to “feel” close to God to perform an act of service for someone else. The feelings most people want are, indeed, wonderful on the rare occasions we get them. But without the contrast of an ordinary day, week, month, they would soon become meaningless.
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Eric_Hyom
Guest
That’s what Mathew 25 says…
Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
35 h For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me,
36 naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.’
37 Then the righteous* will answer him and say, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink?
38 When did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you?
39 When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?’
40 i And the king will say to them in reply, ‘Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.’
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Sarcelle
Guest
Thank you for this.
I have been suffering from anxiety lately and this helped.
I have been suffering from anxiety lately and this helped.
po18guy
Well-known member
Saint Teresa of Calcutta felt no consolation for years - spiritual dryness. However, she persevered as an example for all of us. Feelings are fleeting, ephemeral. Like steam or smoke, they make themselves present, even obvious, then quickly evaporate or are dispersed like smoke in the wind. Once feelings are gone, where does that leave us?
Faith can be absolutely sober, with no feelings involved. In a similar manner to love, which is a decision and not “based” on passing feelings, which we so often these days. If we mistake emotions for spiritual consolation or divine direction, we will soon be derailed.
Faith can be absolutely sober, with no feelings involved. In a similar manner to love, which is a decision and not “based” on passing feelings, which we so often these days. If we mistake emotions for spiritual consolation or divine direction, we will soon be derailed.
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otjm
Guest
Your question is couched in terms that could imply emotions, which seems to be what you are asking.
Feelings come and feelings go and we have little control over our emotions. One may “feel” closer to God at one point or another, but that does not necessarily mean that one is closer to God.
Mother Theresa spoke of a very long, long period of time when she felt - for lack of a better term, isolated from God. Rather than do things which might have caused feelings; she continued to do the best she could to follow Christ in her work. and given she is a saint, it would appear that being close to god is not about feelings, but about choice; and those choices may well not make us feel closer.
Our duty is to follow Christ. That is to pursue right choices, not to pursue feelings.
So the short of it is that you can try to pursue things, activities, or whatever in the hope that you will feel closer to God; but that is not the path we are called to. You may well have feelings at one time or another of being closer to God; but seeking that out in itself is not our goal.
Marriage is often referred to as our relationship with God, and if you read the Old Testament, God seeks a covenant relationship with us - as a marriage is also a covenant. Ask most married people if they “feel” close to their spouse, and you will get many answers, a good number of which are a variation of “NO!”. Marriage calls us to be self giving, to be other directed; and when it is hardest, that may be when we are closest to our spouse - and not “feel” that at all.
And so it goes with our relationship with God. We may be blessed with “feeling” close; but that is not particularly an indicator that we are. “Pick up your cross and follow me” is not a formula to engender emotions of closeness.
Feelings come and feelings go and we have little control over our emotions. One may “feel” closer to God at one point or another, but that does not necessarily mean that one is closer to God.
Mother Theresa spoke of a very long, long period of time when she felt - for lack of a better term, isolated from God. Rather than do things which might have caused feelings; she continued to do the best she could to follow Christ in her work. and given she is a saint, it would appear that being close to god is not about feelings, but about choice; and those choices may well not make us feel closer.
Our duty is to follow Christ. That is to pursue right choices, not to pursue feelings.
So the short of it is that you can try to pursue things, activities, or whatever in the hope that you will feel closer to God; but that is not the path we are called to. You may well have feelings at one time or another of being closer to God; but seeking that out in itself is not our goal.
Marriage is often referred to as our relationship with God, and if you read the Old Testament, God seeks a covenant relationship with us - as a marriage is also a covenant. Ask most married people if they “feel” close to their spouse, and you will get many answers, a good number of which are a variation of “NO!”. Marriage calls us to be self giving, to be other directed; and when it is hardest, that may be when we are closest to our spouse - and not “feel” that at all.
And so it goes with our relationship with God. We may be blessed with “feeling” close; but that is not particularly an indicator that we are. “Pick up your cross and follow me” is not a formula to engender emotions of closeness.
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