On the pursuit of comfort in this material world

[Robert_Sock]

Based on my experiences, it is unwise to seek too much comfort in this passing material world. It seems that there are powerful spiritual forces unseen that prevent happiness and comfort for too long. This applies mostly to seeking material things but is also true for our seeking too much spiritual comfort. Spiritual rewards come and go. Sometime a cup of coffee leads to a spiritual ecstasy and sometimes it leads to a burnout felling of spiritual waste. Oh how I wish I could grasp onto lasting material and spiritual comfort! How I wish this game of life were not made up of predetermined fleeting moments of spiritual and material comforts.

Thoughts and comments welcome.

 

[Heuchler]

Thats exactly the point, we are never perfectly happy in this world. We are not meant to be perfectly happy in this world. Even when everything is going right we still long for more because “you have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it rests in you.” This world is not the world we are meant to be happy in.

 

[Little_One0307]

It is handy and quite beneficial to keep eternity in one’s mind. I would far rather suffer here 80 years, than suffer for all eternity. I would rather be comforted all eternity in the Presence of Almighty God enjoying the Beautific Vision than be comforted here and now.

Of course sometimes it is hard to keep this perspective when you see the struggles one has financially and all that. But God has always provided exactly what I have needed, nothing more or nothing less. And for that, I am truly grateful for the Divine Providence.

I think that there is a prayer somewhere that asks only for what one needs from God, no more less they fall into temptation and away from God, and no less, lest they fall into Despair. I am not sure where to find that prayer now.

God bless.

 

[Robert_Sock]

I agree in keeping an eye on the eternal rewards of Heaven, but still it seems only natural to desire comfort here in this passing world.

It reminds me of the carrot on a stick that is hung in front of an *** to get the *** to move. Yeah, I’m an *** living in this world, always seeking comfort, but I have faith in a Hereafter. At least I’m not feeling misery yet! Thats the real bummer which I like to live without.

Oh lord, how much longer in this world of uncertainty and discomfort?

 

[FurtherSuntime]

I agree in keeping an eye on the eternal rewards of Heaven, but still it seems only natural to desire comfort here in this passing world.

It reminds me of the carrot on a stick that is hung in front of an *** to get the *** to move. Yeah, I’m an *** living in this world, always seeking comfort, but I have faith in a Hereafter. At least I’m not feeling misery yet! Thats the real bummer which I like to live without.

Oh lord, how much longer in this world of uncertainty and discomfort?

I think it is a mistake to look at the here after as a worthwhile reason to endure what could be termed as mis-conceptions of emotional comfort.

Think…

It is only the non-concrete suggestive, which suggests that an individual should be un-comfortable.

The norm is calm. It is natural.

Peace.

 

[tonyrey]

Gone are the days when saints like Thomas More wore hair shirts! We have reverted to the other extreme - avoiding discomfort at all costs. But it is still true that we can get too soft, weak and loth to force ourselves to do things we don’t like. Sometimes life is hard enough without making it harder but when it doesn’t present any physical challenge we need to toughen ourselves up. Otherwise we get no sense of achievement - particularly when we remember how much Jesus suffered for us… That was the reason St Thomas and so many others have punished themselves, not from masochism but out of love for Him. It makes us realise the truth of the words:

“My yoke is easy and my burden light”.

 

[rossum]

Based on my experiences, it is unwise to seek too much comfort in this passing material world. It seems that there are powerful spiritual forces unseen that prevent happiness and comfort for too long. This applies mostly to seeking material things but is also true for our seeking too much spiritual comfort. Spiritual rewards come and go. Sometime a cup of coffee leads to a spiritual ecstasy and sometimes it leads to a burnout felling of spiritual waste. Oh how I wish I could grasp onto lasting material and spiritual comfort! How I wish this game of life were not made up of predetermined fleeting moments of spiritual and material comforts.

Thoughts and comments welcome.

You are one quarter of the way there.

1 The world is unsatisfactory.

Now for the next question: Why is the world unsatisfactory?

There are two more questions after that, making a total of four.

rossum

 

[JDaniel]

Thats exactly the point, we are never perfectly happy in this world. We are not meant to be perfectly happy in this world. Even when everything is going right we still long for more because “you have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it rests in you.” This world is not the world we are meant to be happy in.

I could not concur more!

God bless,
jd

 

[JDaniel]

I agree in keeping an eye on the eternal rewards of Heaven, but still it seems only natural to desire comfort here in this passing world.

It reminds me of the carrot on a stick that is hung in front of an *** to get the *** to move. Yeah, I’m an *** living in this world, always seeking comfort, but I have faith in a Hereafter. At least I’m not feeling misery yet! Thats the real bummer which I like to live without.

Oh lord, how much longer in this world of uncertainty and discomfort?

Robert:

Until your time is done. It is our responsibility to proselytize. It is our duty to help bring each and everyone in our circle of acquaintances to heaven with us. You have plenty of work to do, besides whatever you do for a personal living!

God bless,
jd

 

[Bearontherun]

The comforts and pleasures of this material world are very fleeting. Life is not without suffering but we can always take solice and comfort in God.

Jesus said "If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. Luke 9:23 By willingly taking up our cross daily and bearing the burdens and suffering that we encounter, we can try to imitate Jesus’ example of sacrificial love.

I highly recommend reading the book The Imitation of Christ by Thomas a Kempis. He thoroughly examines this topic. Here is an exerpt…

"Set yourself, then, like a good and faithful servant of Christ, to bear manfully the cross of our Lord, Who out of love was crucified for you. Be ready to suffer many adversities and many kinds of trouble in this miserable life, for troublesome and miserable life will always be, no matter where you are; and so you will find it wherever you may hide. Thus, it must be; and there is no way to evade the trials and sorrows of life but to bear them.

Drink the chalice of the Lord with affection if you wish to be His friend and to have part with Him. Leave consolation to God; let him do as most pleases Him. On your part, be ready to bear sufferings and consider them the greatest consolation, for even though you alone were to undergo them all, the sufferings of this life are not worthy to be compared with the glory to come."

If suffering allows us to be more united with Christ, then we can see it as a gift (hard as that may be at the time).

 

[Robert_Sock]

Thanks to everyone for their consolation! This has been a trying time in my life. I suffer from severe major depression, anxiety and Aspergers. I feel joyful at the thought of death! It’s something that has been with me for some time. Note that I’m not suicidal, just joyful at the thought of my dying. But nobody can provide me advice here otherwise the thread will be closed down. Please keep comment to the OP, the fleeting moment of comfort and spirituality here in this fleeting material world.

I highly recommend reading the book The Imitation of Christ by Thomas a Kempis. He thoroughly examines this topic. Here is an exerpt…

"Set yourself, then, like a good and faithful servant of Christ, to bear manfully the cross of our Lord, Who out of love was crucified for you. Be ready to suffer many adversities and many kinds of trouble in this miserable life, for troublesome and miserable life will always be, no matter where you are; and so you will find it wherever you may hide. Thus, it must be; and there is no way to evade the trials and sorrows of life but to bear them.

Drink the chalice of the Lord with affection if you wish to be His friend and to have part with Him. Leave consolation to God; let him do as most pleases Him. On your part, be ready to bear sufferings and consider them the greatest consolation, for even though you alone were to undergo them all, the sufferings of this life are not worthy to be compared with the glory to come."

If suffering allows us to be more united with Christ, then we can see it as a gift (hard as that may be at the time).

The Imitation of Christ is one of my favorite books! Every sentence in this book seem to have a lot to say. I believe it’s the way to sainthood. The book is one of spiritual discipline!

The other book I like is The Golden Key to Heaven by Saint Anthony Mary Claret. Here is an excerpt:

The death of the just: Death will reach everyone, the good and the bad; but the destiny of each one is quite different. The just man sees himself in this valley of tears as a prisoner, serving a very hard term. He considers himself a slave in this world, suffering an extremely distressing servitude. He regards himself a sailor caught in a horrible storm. And as death means an end of his confinement, an end of his slavery, and is the port of his salvation, he ceases not to cry with David, “Woe is me that my sojourning is prolonged!. . .” (Ps. 119:5). He ceases not to ask with the Apostle, “. . . Who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” (Rom. 7:24)

 

[Robert_Sock]

You are one quarter of the way there.

1 The world is unsatisfactory.

Now for the next question: Why is the world unsatisfactory?

There are two more questions after that, making a total of four.

rossum

The world is unsatisfactory due to original sin. Life in this world is not meant to be smooth riding.

 

[Trevor_Stamm]

You are one quarter of the way there.

1 The world is unsatisfactory.

Now for the next question: Why is the world unsatisfactory?

There are two more questions after that, making a total of four.

rossum

The world is unsatisfactory without God’s presense in our life, once we are emersed in His grace and love the world takes on a new look to enjoy the creations that God has made. With Him I cannot praise Him enough for what He has done for me and my fellow man, I take comfort in admiring His work of art.

OP is right in the sense that comfort that would deviate us from God should be avoided such as things that would make us lukewarm or ultimately extinguish our fire for God. We are in a constant state of spiritual warfare with others, ourselves, and demons and should not let our guard down for a second of rest but I petition to you to admire and love this world in all of it’s splendor, if not you might offend the artist