Praying in vain..HELP!

[Paris_Blues]

I need help!

Everytime I pray, I feel like I’m praying in vain or something! I really DON’T want to and force myself to do the best I can but what’s my problem? I try to lift my heart up to God and all but even that, I can’t get it!

Any suggestions?

 

[Genesis315]

What do you mean you’re praying in vain? You don’t think God hears you? Is this because you haven’t gotten what you’ve prayed for perhaps? Or do you just feel disconnected from God?

 

[Paris_Blues]

Genesis315:

What do you mean you’re praying in vain? You don’t think God hears you? Is this because you haven’t gotten what you’ve prayed for perhaps? Or do you just feel disconnected from God?

It’s just that when I pray, I feel like I’m muttering words and not even thinking about what I’m saying…just praying. It’s like I’m thinking to myself!

 

[Exporter]

PRAY TO PRAY BETTER.

When you pray - get on your knees.
When you pray, and it is like talking to the wall - TELL GOD just what you need. He will give what you ask for…but you have to ask for thee ability to pray so you actually are closer to God.

Any time you need to be closer to God, ask Him to help you to be closer to Him. Ask for the HOLY SPIRIT to come sit beside you. He will help you!

 

[Jenlyn]

Meditate on what you are praying. For example, if you are praying the “Our Father,” meditate on each line and what it means to you.

Get some material on how to pray. (search this forum, read about praying from the Saints. Right now I’m reading “The Devout Life” by St. Francis de Sales. It has 10 chapters that talk you through meditating and praying on different things.) You’ll soon realize, through reading, that alot the time it feels like a one way conversation. You’ll also read that God is listening. St Theresa says to never stop praying, perservere even when it feels like it isn’t making a difference. It is making a difference, you just don’t know it yet.

 

[reen12]

Hi, Paris Blues,

Great thought for a thread !

When I experience what you are describing,
I’ve found that two things are happening:

-I’m praying, but I’m not really telling God what’s
in my mind and heart…what I’m really
worried about
-Or, I can’t even articulate what it is I’d like
to pray about: In which case I say:
“Dear God, please hear the unspoken cries
of my heart” or “our hearts.”

A final thought, if you have the patience !

When I’m really rattled by life, or feeling low,
or feeling empty inside, I figure that offering
a prayer of praise is at least sincere.
so I say:

Praise God all you nations,
Praise God all you peoples.

I can really put my all into that prayer, because
I *would *like God to be praised by all.

Or, I might say:

Glory to God for the splendor of His creation,
Praise and thanksgiving to the Maker of all things.

I figure the life of prayer doesn’t differ much from
our human interactions, in that some days we’re
up to a warm conversation with close friends,
and some days even the thought of such an
exchange seems more than we’re up to.
So, prayers of praise and thanksgiving seem
to help me talk to God sincerely at such times.
Hope this helps a little.
God be with you, Paris Blues.
reen 12
PS: I have to keep in mind that no matter
how I’m feeling, God is always there,
unchanging in His steadfast presence,
His willingness to be there and listen.
As C.S. Lewis said: God is the only One
who has the courtesy to hear us out,
[even if it takes a lifetime.]

 

[serendipity]

I thought that the sense of praying as being empty, when you know your intentions are true is a symptom of spiritual dryness. Only you know and God know about your intention issues, so I think it is inappropriate for me to say anything. A lot of saints have written about spiritual dryness; John of the Cross, Teresa of Avila, Catherine of Siena, and Francis de Sales come to mind in particular.

John of the Cross refers to it as a type of spritual cross that we bear; a challenge God gives us and that we should persevere because it is always our intention to communicate with God, even when it feels that our efforts at communication are futile.

Francis de Sales, Catherine of Siena and Teresa of Avila (it always amazes and inspires me that the prayer master herself was challenged in such a way) stress the necessity fo continuing to pray, even though it feels empty at times; that as long as your intetion is sincere, the prayer is just as effective when you don’t feel it, as when you feel it. Greater graces are accorded to those who pray when feeling spiritually dry than those who pray when they feel spiritual, because God recognizes the effort that you are making. De Sales’ *Introduction to the Devout Life *has a chapter on spiritual dryness and techniques that can be practiced to help over come it.

 

[reen12]

Dear Paris Blues,

I’ve been giving more thought to your post.
It occurred to me that there is a little book
called: The Practice of the Presence of God
by Brother Lawrence [large bookstores probably
have it in stock.]
It’s such a simply written account of how this
man kept in contact with God throughout the
day. And one of it’s finer qualities is that it’s
a small book.

Best,
reen12
PS Better yet, I forgot that the book is online at:
ccel.org/l/lawrence/practice/htm/TOC.htm