I want to "love what Jesus loves" ... but I don't

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Cimachol

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I am struggling lately, as I realize my heart is just a million miles from Jesus’. I know people who find a lot of joy in helping others. I am realizing that I’m pretty self-centered, but how do I change that? I do things I know are wrong, because they bring me pleasure in the moment. I don’t to be this person, but I don’t know how to change it. Are there spiritual practices anyone can recommend?
 
Most of us struggle with that. Thank God we recognize that it is a defect. It’s so easy to say, “We’re all like that, we’ll never be perfect, and God loves us anyway, so we may as well remain in spiritual diapers the rest of our lives.”

Some things the Church recommends:

– frequent use of the sacraments
– meditation on Christ and the events of his life
– prayer
– fasting (or other forms of self-denial)
– alms-giving (or giving of your time, abilities, or other resources)
– spiritual reading (lives of the saints are great for this)

Practice makes perfect.
 
Think of someone who needs spiritual help. Then fast from your strongest vice and offer heartfelt prayers for that person. Do this everyday for one week.
 
Thank you for these thoughts. I went to Confession Saturday morning and happened to be the last person in line. You’d think that would be a bad thing, as it meant I had to wait the longest, but really it meant that priest had a few more minutes to talk with me about my spiritual struggles and offer some practical guidance.
 
+JMJ+
Nelka said:
How do we know what our strongest vice is?
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The Three Ages of the Interior Life gives an excellent discussion on how to know what our predominant vice is here: christianperfection.info/tta34.php

The “tl;dr” version is here: christianperfection.info/examination.htm. To use this table, the “daughter sins” that you seem to have the most should point to you what your predominant vice is.

Alternatively, here is another way to find out your predominant sin: totustuus.com/overcome.htm
 
+JMJ+
Nelka said:
How do we know what our strongest vice is?
Click to expand...
Upon re-reading 1Lord1Faith’s post I think what he/she meant by “vice” as a habit (harmful or not) that you have been doing to relax, for example smoking, drinking coffee, reading a book, playing games, or whatnot.
 
Cimachol said:
I am struggling lately, as I realize my heart is just a million miles from Jesus’. I know people who find a lot of joy in helping others. I am realizing that I’m pretty self-centered, but how do I change that? I do things I know are wrong, because they bring me pleasure in the moment. I don’t to be this person, but I don’t know how to change it. Are there spiritual practices anyone can recommend?
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You are human. You sound young. Just pray. I hate giving that answer. It seems like that is all you can do.
 
Cimachol said:
I know people who find a lot of joy in helping others. I am realizing that I’m pretty self-centered, but how do I change that?
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My first though is your spiritual gas tank is empty. One can not give out of a place of emptiness, there is nothing to give. First seek Jesus, pray that He fills you up, and then there will something to give others
 
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