Loving God with all my heart?

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AKDee

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There’s a number of prayers that will have a line similar to, “O my God, I love you with all my heart…” and in good conscience I know I can’t actually say that. I don’t love God with all my heart. I WANT to love God with all my heart, but if I already did love Him with all my heart, I don’t think I would be as sinful as I am. I think if I put God first in my life and truly loved Him with all my heart, that before I did or said anything, I would do a quick “God check” to see if that action or statement was in line with my love for God. And I don’t do that. One of my Examinations of Conscience (iConfess) has this as a specific question: “I did not love God with my whole heart” (you flag it if that is true). Well, every week I have to confess this because I know I don’t love God with my whole heart. I feel quite distant from Him, actually- I do feel the presence of the Spirit in me because I feel the Spirit instructs me, guides me, convicts me when I do wrong and so I do feel God at work in my life (I definitely feel He is changing me) but I don’t feel close to Him. I do pray every day, pray the Rosary daily, go to Adoration weekly, attend Mass every Sunday and Holy Day of Obligation, read the scriptures daily, read Catholic books daily, serve as sacristan, etc. I devote a lot of my time to serving God and to trying to follow His commandments and teachings- but I know there’s lots of things I love more than God because I have to confess them every week. Or, even if they aren’t sinful in and of themselves, there are things I feel closer to than God. People, even pets- things I can tangibly see and interact with.

I have asked my priest how do I love God more, and he was unable to answer. Perhaps this isn’t something other people struggle with? I pray every day for God to help me to love Him more, and I’ve increased my Gospel readings in hopes that getting to know Jesus better will help me to increase in love for Him. I’ve asked Our Lady to help me in this regard, also.

Now I turn to you- what things do you do or have you done that made you draw closer to the Lord? Of those of you who feel you do love the Lord with your whole heart- how did you achieve that? I just feel lost, and like this is an impossible thing to achieve, but obviously it cannot be because Jesus Himself told us that the most important commandment is to love God with all our heart, all our mind, all our strength. I know that’s what I’m supposed to do, but how? Love is a feeling- how can I make that feeling happen? To be clear, I do love God, but I just don’t feel that I love Him with ALL my heart or that He is absolutely first in my life. And I’m not sure what things I could be doing that I am not doing that would help?
 
I feel the same way. I’m trying to become a better Catholic, and my motivation seems to be more of a fear of going to hell, than an attraction to God.
 
AKDee said:
There’s a number of prayers that will have a line similar to, “O my God, I love you with all my heart…” and in good conscience I know I can’t actually say that. I don’t love God with all my heart. I WANT to love God with all my heart, but if I already did love Him with all my heart, I don’t think I would be as sinful as I am. I think if I put God first in my life and truly loved Him with all my heart, that before I did or said anything, I would do a quick “God check” to see if that action or statement was in line with my love for God. And I don’t do that. One of my Examinations of Conscience (iConfess) has this as a specific question: “I did not love God with my whole heart” (you flag it if that is true). Well, every week I have to confess this because I know I don’t love God with my whole heart. I feel quite distant from Him, actually- I do feel the presence of the Spirit in me because I feel the Spirit instructs me, guides me, convicts me when I do wrong and so I do feel God at work in my life (I definitely feel He is changing me) but I don’t feel close to Him. I do pray every day, pray the Rosary daily, go to Adoration weekly, attend Mass every Sunday and Holy Day of Obligation, read the scriptures daily, read Catholic books daily, serve as sacristan, etc. I devote a lot of my time to serving God and to trying to follow His commandments and teachings- but I know there’s lots of things I love more than God because I have to confess them every week. Or, even if they aren’t sinful in and of themselves, there are things I feel closer to than God. People, even pets- things I can tangibly see and interact with.

I have asked my priest how do I love God more, and he was unable to answer. Perhaps this isn’t something other people struggle with? I pray every day for God to help me to love Him more, and I’ve increased my Gospel readings in hopes that getting to know Jesus better will help me to increase in love for Him. I’ve asked Our Lady to help me in this regard, also.

Now I turn to you- what things do you do or have you done that made you draw closer to the Lord? Of those of you who feel you do love the Lord with your whole heart- how did you achieve that? I just feel lost, and like this is an impossible thing to achieve, but obviously it cannot be because Jesus Himself told us that the most important commandment is to love God with all our heart, all our mind, all our strength. I know that’s what I’m supposed to do, but how? Love is a feeling- how can I make that feeling happen? To be clear, I do love God, but I just don’t feel that I love Him with ALL my heart or that He is absolutely first in my life. And I’m not sure what things I could be doing that I am not doing that would help?
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I feel that way many, many, many times. I habitually sin. We all sin. I still feel this way to a certain extent. I was able to draw myself closer to God and to love Him above all things by remembering how much He loves all of us! He died for us, so that we may spend all eternity with Him! I also enjoy listening to religious music (like songs from mass or Christmas songs) that likely mention His love to us. Also, you don’t always think about the repercussions before you do something, and you don’t always think about what God might want you to do before you actually do it. I think He would understand.

I think God appreciates the fact that you seek spiritual help in this manner. Just always remember His love. God bless, I hope this helps.
 
Could it be that loving God with our whole heart, mind, strength, and soul would be complete holiness? In which case, we should not feel discouraged when we do not love God completely, because our lives have the purpose of learning how to do thaf.
 
I think you are on the right track–trying to love God more every day. It’s the human-ness that gets in the way sometimes. God knows that. Just keep trying. To me it seems like you are doing very good things. Don’t be so hard on yourself. We are still attached to the earth, darn it!!!

Try this little trick. Invite Jesus to come into your house or car or wherever you are, just to sit beside you and be a part of your life. It seems weird. Sometimes this house is so messy, I think I wouldn’t want him to come in… but he knows us and loves us anyway…
 
Remember loving God does not mean per se that ones “emotions” will be engaged. That is where your confusion is entering in a large way.

It is not necessarily about “feeling” more love. Or even feeling love at any given moment. It is not about feelings per se.

Your confusion is thinking of love as necessarily a feeling. Such is understandable from our culture but it is the wrong measure for this.

(Though that may happen too…it also may not…feelings are not something we can just command…)

Tis more of grace and of ones will and ones life of prayer etc (as you are living!)…ones life of love for others etc etc

And we can “tend” towards the perfection of charity but will not arrive there during our pilgrimage here.
 
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