Personal Relationship with God

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When I became Catholic, my relationship with Christ became so much more intense and personal than it had been before - I was really amazed at how participating in the Sacraments really does make everything else come so alive. 🙂

Through going to Confession regularly, I have become so much more aware of myself, since I have to do an examination of conscience before I go (instead of just saying in my head, “God I am sorry for all my sins”), and also, when the priest is speaking to me, I really have the strong sense that Jesus is speaking through him to me, since he is saying things that are just so right on, in a way that the person himself, the priest, can’t possibly be aware of, especially if it’s a priest that I don’t know outside of Confession.

Because I know myself so much better, I have a much better idea of how my relationship with Jesus is going, and how much further I have to go before I am completely remade into His image - before, I think I knew that I had some problems, but I think I just figured it was really minor stuff; nothing to worry about - after all, I’ve never held up a bank, or killed anybody.

Then when I did my first Examen, for my first Confession, I realized that I had several things in every single category, and I was thinking, “wow, yeah, I guess I’m a sinner, all right” :eek: and it was then that I really realized how much I need the Church, and how much I need to be taught about how to live and about how to become like Jesus in every possible way. I also realized that my conscience was dead, and that the Church was going to have to be my conscience, because without the Examen to guide me, I had no idea the difference between right and wrong - to me, it was, if it physically hurts me or someone else, it’s wrong, and if it doesn’t, then it’s okay. Forget about spiritual harm; I wasn’t even taking into account emotional harm, is how bad I was.

But along with that realization came the realization that Jesus is actually speaking to me in the Church, and that He’s there to help me get through all of this, and figure it all out. I think I’m actually way more human today than I was when I first converted. 😃
 
jmcrae said:
When I became Catholic, my relationship with Christ became so much more intense and personal than it had been before - I was really amazed at how participating in the Sacraments really does make everything else come so alive. 🙂

Through going to Confession regularly, I have become so much more aware of myself, since I have to do an examination of conscience before I go (instead of just saying in my head, “God I am sorry for all my sins”), and also, when the priest is speaking to me, I really have the strong sense that Jesus is speaking through him to me, since he is saying things that are just so right on, in a way that the person himself, the priest, can’t possibly be aware of, especially if it’s a priest that I don’t know outside of Confession.

Because I know myself so much better, I have a much better idea of how my relationship with Jesus is going, and how much further I have to go before I am completely remade into His image - before, I think I knew that I had some problems, but I think I just figured it was really minor stuff; nothing to worry about - after all, I’ve never held up a bank, or killed anybody.

Then when I did my first Examen, for my first Confession, I realized that I had several things in every single category, and I was thinking, “wow, yeah, I guess I’m a sinner, all right” :eek: and it was then that I really realized how much I need the Church, and how much I need to be taught about how to live and about how to become like Jesus in every possible way. I also realized that my conscience was dead, and that the Church was going to have to be my conscience, because without the Examen to guide me, I had no idea the difference between right and wrong - to me, it was, if it physically hurts me or someone else, it’s wrong, and if it doesn’t, then it’s okay. Forget about spiritual harm; I wasn’t even taking into account emotional harm, is how bad I was.

But along with that realization came the realization that Jesus is actually speaking to me in the Church, and that He’s there to help me get through all of this, and figure it all out. I think I’m actually way more human today than I was when I first converted. 😃
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Excellent post! did you convert from another christian denomination?
 
I talk to God all the time. That sounds like a personal relationship to me. Moreover I eat his Body and drink his Blood every day. That’s REALLY personal.
 
There are people in Bible Christian churches that have a personal relationship with God, & there are people who don’t.

There are people in the Catholic Church who have a personal relationship with God, & there are people who don’t.

Some of the nicest Christian people I have ever gotten to know are on these forums, & I truly believe that they, too, have personal relationship with God.
There are people who sometimes come here, & make a big disturbance, claiming that all Catholics are wrong. These people generally don’t last long enough for me to get to know them, but I am betting that some of them have a personal relationship with God…and some of them don’t.

The only person that I can dare to speak for is myself. I am a Methodist, I consider myself an evangelical, & I have a personal relationship with God.
I would not dare to presume to know about anyone else’s spiritual state.( Even if I considered it my business to stick my nose into such things…which I don’t, because that is, well…that is personal.)

If anyone does not have such a relationship, that is sad, & I think we would all, regardless of “label”, want to pray for that person. If anyone does, you are my brother/sister in Christ, & I love you as such. And I dinnae care if you are Methodist, Catholic, fundamentalist, or all the things in between. I’m just glad to:tiphat: meet you!!

God bless all here.
 
Catholics are Bible Christians. The Holy Scriptures are a product of the Church. So we have more right to be called Bible Christians then anyone.
 
suupah said:
I was told by a evangelical that Catholics do not know God. That they don’t have a personal relationship with God. “Catholics are more concerned with procedure then with knowing God. The Catholic church is much the same as the Pharisees. Even though they have truth in doctrine, they do not know God.”

As a Catholic I know that this is not true. I know that it is extremely personal. If it wasn’t personal it would merely be a philosophy and not religion. It is important to me that I represent my faith for others so that they know that Catholics have a very personal relationship with the lord.

i know this type of post can get people fired up. I ask that it stays peaceful. thanks.

I would like to hear from evangelicals why they have the perception that Catholics do not have a personal relationship with God.
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They are only repeating what they have heard, or maybe even seen by someone close who is a Catholic.
Our job is to show them by our example that this is a false notion, and to encourage our fellow Catholics to enter into a closer relationship with Christ when they are not at Mass, because we all know that you can’t get any closer to Christ that at the Mass.
 
i became a catholic in 1988. for the prior several years i was lost in my life - no sense of direction, no sense of doing work of moral worth, no foundation. but the Lord placed desires for a better life in my heart. in following them i ended up talking with a priest. i began attending mass, though not taking communion. i started to feel a sense of presence and enlivening during the Eucharistic prayer. my pries-mentor told me that that was the Lord Himself, what the church calls the Real Presence.

then in a moment of deepest desire, i prayed that the Lord would reveal himself to me. i was filled with what St Ignatius of Loyola calls consolation, a burning of my heart that filled me with love of the Lord. since then he has been my faithful companion, the love of my life.

this experience is open to everyone who is open to receiving the Lord. the spirituality of St Ignatius of Loyola, especially the Spiritual Exercises, is a powerful means to help us find the Lord in our lives and to have an ever deepening relationship with Him.
 
Zooey said:
There are people in Bible Christian churches that have a personal relationship with God, & there are people who don’t.

There are people in the Catholic Church who have a personal relationship with God, & there are people who don’t.

Some of the nicest Christian people I have ever gotten to know are on these forums, & I truly believe that they, too, have personal relationship with God.
There are people who sometimes come here, & make a big disturbance, claiming that all Catholics are wrong. These people generally don’t last long enough for me to get to know them, but I am betting that some of them have a personal relationship with God…and some of them don’t.

The only person that I can dare to speak for is myself. I am a Methodist, I consider myself an evangelical, & I have a personal relationship with God.
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I feel the same. I am a Catholic, consider myself an evangelical, and I have a personal relationship with God. I also am on the Evangelization Committee at my parish to teach people about this relationship with God. We are having a meeting on 12 February about how laymen and laywomen should evangelize. I will post something on the Evangelization forum after I attend the meeting. The speaker is a Sister from the diocesan evangelization ministry.
I would not dare to presume to know about anyone else’s spiritual state.( Even if I considered it my business to stick my nose into such things…which I don’t, because that is, well…that is personal.)

If anyone does not have such a relationship, that is sad, & I think we would all, regardless of “label”, want to pray for that person. If anyone does, you are my brother/sister in Christ, & I love you as such. And I dinnae care if you are Methodist, Catholic, fundamentalist, or all the things in between. I’m just glad to:tiphat: meet you!!

God bless all here.
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I agree. I have family and friends who are Methodist and Lutheran, as well as Catholic family and friends. I pray for all people of all religious backgrounds. I try to show them by how I live my life as a Christian, and I ask all of you for your prayers, because I know that I am far from perfect. Thank you all for your prayers and for helping me to grow in Christ. :blessyou: ❤️
 
Fr_Ben_Hawley said:
i became a catholic in 1988. for the prior several years i was lost in my life - no sense of direction, no sense of doing work of moral worth, no foundation. but the Lord placed desires for a better life in my heart. in following them i ended up talking with a priest. i began attending mass, though not taking communion. i started to feel a sense of presence and enlivening during the Eucharistic prayer. my pries-mentor told me that that was the Lord Himself, what the church calls the Real Presence.

then in a moment of deepest desire, i prayed that the Lord would reveal himself to me. i was filled with what St Ignatius of Loyola calls consolation, a burning of my heart that filled me with love of the Lord. since then he has been my faithful companion, the love of my life.

this experience is open to everyone who is open to receiving the Lord. the spirituality of St Ignatius of Loyola, especially the Spiritual Exercises, is a powerful means to help us find the Lord in our lives and to have an ever deepening relationship with Him.
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Thank you Father for sharing! and welcome to the forums.
 
suupah said:
I was told by a evangelical that Catholics do not know God. That they don’t have a personal relationship with God. “Catholics are more concerned with procedure then with knowing God. The Catholic church is much the same as the Pharisees. Even though they have truth in doctrine, they do not know God.”
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I’m neither Catholic nor evangelical, but would like to know how you know God?

Your own personal jesus
Someone to hear your prayers
Someone who cares
Your own personal jesus
Someone to hear your prayers
Someone whos there

Feeling unknown
And youre all alone
Flesh and bone
By the telephone
Lift up the receiver
Ill make you a believer

Take second best
Put me to the test
Things on your chest
You need to confess
I will deliver
You know Im a forgiver

Reach out and touch faith
Reach out and touch faith

Your own personal jesus…

Feeling unknown
And youre all alone
Flesh and bone
By the telephone
Lift up the receiver
Ill make you a believer

I will deliver
You know Im a forgiver

Reach out and touch faith

Your own personal jesus

Reach out and touch faith
-Personal Jesus by
Depeche Mode c.1989
 
If a personal relationship with God means talking to Him as you would a parent, telling Him at the end of the day, while you lay in bed, all about your day and asking Him why certain things happened, thanking Him for the day and aspects of it, and asking Him for help tomorrow, then bidding Him a goodnight, then YES I have a personal relationship with God.
 
lak611 said:
I feel the same. I am a Catholic, consider myself an evangelical, and I have a personal relationship with God. I also am on the Evangelization Committee at my parish to teach people about this relationship with God. We are having a meeting on 12 February about how laymen and laywomen should evangelize. I will post something on the Evangelization forum after I attend the meeting. The speaker is a Sister from the diocesan evangelization ministry.
I agree. I have family and friends who are Methodist and Lutheran, as well as Catholic family and friends. I pray for all people of all religious backgrounds. I try to show them by how I live my life as a Christian, and I ask all of you for your prayers, because I know that I am far from perfect. Thank you all for your prayers and for helping me to grow in Christ. :blessyou: ❤️
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Bless you!!🙂
Fr_Ben_Hawley said:
i became a catholic in 1988. for the prior several years i was lost in my life - no sense of direction, no sense of doing work of moral worth, no foundation. but the Lord placed desires for a better life in my heart. in following them i ended up talking with a priest. i began attending mass, though not taking communion. i started to feel a sense of presence and enlivening during the Eucharistic prayer. my pries-mentor told me that that was the Lord Himself, what the church calls the Real Presence.

then in a moment of deepest desire, i prayed that the Lord would reveal himself to me. i was filled with what St Ignatius of Loyola calls consolation, a burning of my heart that filled me with love of the Lord. since then he has been my faithful companion, the love of my life.

this experience is open to everyone who is open to receiving the Lord. the spirituality of St Ignatius of Loyola, especially the Spiritual Exercises, is a powerful means to help us find the Lord in our lives and to have an ever deepening relationship with Him.
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Father, thank you for this beautiful testimony to God’s working in your life. Welcome to CAF! You have blessed me greatly with this post!!
kellie said:
If a personal relationship with God means talking to Him as you would a parent, telling Him at the end of the day, while you lay in bed, all about your day and asking Him why certain things happened, thanking Him for the day and aspects of it, and asking Him for help tomorrow, then bidding Him a goodnight, then YES I have a personal relationship with God.
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👍 That’s what it all comes down to, isn’t it??
The other night, as I was falling asleep, the thought crossed my mind, “I am a happy woman!” I was too sleepy to really think much about why, but the last thing I remember before I went to sleep was thinking, “Oh! That’s because of the Lord!!” The next thing I knew, it was morning.
It was a great revelation of God’s love. And such a simple thing. Thank you, Lord, for that moment of clarity!!
 
crosstimbers said:
As a former Southern Baptist, I can tell you that the conventional wisdom among evangelicals is that liturgy=vain repetition. They don’t see that even they have an “order of worship” that repeats each week, sometimes for years at a time! They think that because they can change their worship services as they please that their worship is more “alive”. But you should see the uproar if a preacher changes one small thing on the program!

They also have no sense of the sheer AGE of the Christian faith and so do not value the things passed down from the Fathers. I was never taught ANYTHING about church history in the Baptist church. Entire centuries were completely ignored until the Reformation!

Its amazing to me now but that’s the way I thought back then.
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Very well put. (I lived the same dream years ago.)
 
kellie said:
If a personal relationship with God means talking to Him as you would a parent, telling Him at the end of the day, while you lay in bed, all about your day and asking Him why certain things happened, thanking Him for the day and aspects of it, and asking Him for help tomorrow, then bidding Him a goodnight, then YES I have a personal relationship with God.
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Maybe God wants more than such a distant relationship - for you might get the same from a pen-pal
 
What is the origin of the phrase “Personal relationship with God/Jesus/Christ”?

As my previous post shows, the Catholic Church used the phrase at the Second Vatican Council (1965).

Can we find documented evidence that the phrase was being used before that time, in Evangelical circles, in particular?

While it seems unlikely, it would be ironic if it actually originated from the Catholic Church.
 
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