Recommendations?

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theresaavey

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I’ve been posting about my difficulties in my spiritual life and more specifically my prayer life. Well it has gotten any better, and I’m trying to hang on.
I trust God but I keep taking back the things I offer to him, its like I don’t fully trust him so I offer it to him then almost instantly i start worrying about it again.
How can I fix that?

A few weeks ago i was about to begin spiritual direction with a priest, then out of now where he has to leave and I’m not sure if he will be returning. I’ve taken this on so much that it has affected what little improvements were left in my prayer life and now its at a stand still. This was like my first real attempt at spiritual direction and its over. Honestly I just can’t prayer anymore, i’m grateful for life and all but its really difficult to pray.
Did I wrongly discern God’s voice since I really wanted to find a spiritual director?

How am I suppose to move forward when all odds are against me and God seems to be spiting me? How do I discern His will when I can’t hear anything?
How can i stop being angry at God?
 
One simple tool you can use, is to make a “God can.” Get a coffee can, clean it out and cover it with a pretty paper or paint it. Put “God Can!” on the top lid. Then write down all your worries and fears, each on a piece of paper (put the date on the paper, so you can go back later and see how God has worked the problem out). Put each piece of paper in the can, and then LET GO of the results. For example, my can (God Can!) currently holds:

My husband - for his return to the Church
My older son - for his general safety and for him to find a job
My younger son - for his general safety and for him to transfer to the college where his brother attends
My FIL - for his health and other problems
Me - so that I find a purpose for my life now that my sons are grown up

I feel that I do not have to worry so much about these things, now that I have acknowledged that there is absolutely NOTHING I can do about any of them, but that God can and is doing everything that can be done.

🙂

It may sound silly in some ways, but it works for those of us who are visual people, with simple minds.

Now, what are you angry at God about? Some people write God letters, and pour out their concerns and grief, and then burn the papers.
 
Maybe God has another - better - spiritual director for you. Have you called the Chancery and asked about Spiritual directors in the area?

If you are having trouble praying…Try this…Go to church and just sit before the tabernacle…Don’t pray, just talk to Jesus…Or you can just sit quietly…or you could take a book…doesn’t even need to be a prayerbook, it could be a “life of a saint” type biography, or even “Christian fiction” book like the “Joshua” series…So instead of “trying” so hard to “break through”…you just relax and spend some “laid back” time with Christ…

Peace
James
 
First of all, you don’t “discern” Gods will, you do His will simply by following His commandments and His church,
the fact of the matter is, everything that happens in your life that is outside of your hands, is God’s will for you, and you have to learn to accept those things, God allows things, or doesn’t allow things, for good reason, though we may not see what His reasons are right away, or even for a long time, but it becomes clear to us often when we least expect it…because very often we need to figure things out by experience rather than just being told…for one because most of the time we wouldn’t listen anyways.

you have to understand, that God never does things out of spite, He only loves you and everything He does is always for your benefit, even though it’s often hard to see how,
but don’t forget that you have to do your part too, God will help you if you ask Him to, but you gotta put in the effort, you gotta give Him something to work with,
but most importantly, you need to resolve yourself to being Gods friends no matter what, to keep trying and never give up…because even God wants to be loved, but He wants true love, He doesn’t want a fair weathered friend, which is what most of us are…we’re His friends when it’s sunny, and we hate Him when it rains, or as St. Margaret Mary Alacoque says - *‘What a weakness it is to love Jesus Christ only when He caresses us, and to be cold immediately once He afflicts us. This is not true love. Those who love thus, love themselves too much to love God with all their heart.’ *
that hits the nail on the head…we love ourselves too much, that is the root cause of all our frustration and anger and depression…and if we turn our focus away from ourselves and instead towards God, then growing in holiness will come much more swiftly, God willing.

reading the lives and writings of the saints would be a great help, for inspiration, and for instruction in the spiritual life, and i would strongly recommend that, along with other good spiritual reading, which should be done every day, even if you can only spare 15 minutes, every little bit will help…here’s a few things i would recommend in particular that i think you’d like -
store.saintbenedict.com/index.php?page=shop.browse&category_id=12&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=1&vmcchk=1&Itemid=1
archive.org/details/theheartofthegos00donnuoft
archive.org/details/meditationsday00bacouoft
archive.org/search.php?query=Teacher%27s%20handbook%20to%20the%20catechism
audiosancto.org/

If you find prayer difficult, then try making short ejaculations throughout the day, like St. Philip Neri says -* ‘He who is unable to spend a long time together in prayer, should often lift up his mind to God by short prayers.’ * of course he is likely referring to those who are unable because of reasons outside themselves, but nevertheless, it’s a good practice to have, and it will help you to overcome your difficulty with longer prayers.
you can find a nice list of those kinds of short prayers here - fisheaters.com/prayers.html#last
and don’t forget that prayer is also just talking to God(or those in heaven), and a simple “please help me, Lord.” will be good too. God just wants you to ask for His help, He wants you to lift your heart and your mind to Him…though it is really necessary for us to pray the way God has taught us, and to use the prayers He has given us through His church, but we also should speak with God about the things that trouble us, and we should ask Him for the things we need, especially our spiritual needs…

and sometimes…we just over-think things…you need to have some patience and wait for God to reveal His will for you, just do your best to follow His commandments from day to day, and don’t worry about tomorrow, you only have right now to do good, and every moment can be profitable for you as long as you’re working to be good…although succeeding in good is not what’s most important, but simply trying, and getting back up no matter how many times you fall.
it can often be frustrating when we have our own plans for ourselves, and then God comes along and replaces our plans with His…well, as long as we have any attachment to sin, then we do not always have our best interest at heart, but God is perfect and loves us perfectly, and always does what is best for us, so if we’re going to prefer anyone’s plans, it should be His…

well, i don’t want to make this too long, so i will just end by giving you these two books, free online, to help you with knowing and understanding how to do Gods will, and how to truly have peace -
gaiaonline.com/guilds/viewtopic.php?t=18175319
gaiaonline.com/guilds/viewtopic.php?t=18087275

hope this helps, take care.
 
TheRealJuliane said:
One simple tool you can use, is to make a “God can.” Get a coffee can, clean it out and cover it with a pretty paper or paint it. Put “God Can!” on the top lid. Then write down all your worries and fears, each on a piece of paper (put the date on the paper, so you can go back later and see how God has worked the problem out). Put each piece of paper in the can, and then LET GO of the results. For example, my can (God Can!) currently holds:

My husband - for his return to the Church
My older son - for his general safety and for him to find a job
My younger son - for his general safety and for him to transfer to the college where his brother attends
My FIL - for his health and other problems
Me - so that I find a purpose for my life now that my sons are grown up

I feel that I do not have to worry so much about these things, now that I have acknowledged that there is absolutely NOTHING I can do about any of them, but that God can and is doing everything that can be done.

🙂

It may sound silly in some ways, but it works for those of us who are visual people, with simple minds.

Now, what are you angry at God about? Some people write God letters, and pour out their concerns and grief, and then burn the papers.
Click to expand...
Brilliant! I STRONGLY RECOMMEND the Praying the Rosary daily and prayers to Saint Jude. If you have a Crucifix in your room, just kneel before it and know that God is in control and that Jesus is with you every step of the way.
 
TheRealJuliane said:
One simple tool you can use, is to make a “God can.” Get a coffee can, clean it out and cover it with a pretty paper or paint it. Put “God Can!” on the top lid. Then write down all your worries and fears, each on a piece of paper (put the date on the paper, so you can go back later and see how God has worked the problem out). Put each piece of paper in the can, and then LET GO of the results. For example, my can (God Can!) currently holds:

My husband - for his return to the Church
My older son - for his general safety and for him to find a job
My younger son - for his general safety and for him to transfer to the college where his brother attends
My FIL - for his health and other problems
Me - so that I find a purpose for my life now that my sons are grown up

I feel that I do not have to worry so much about these things, now that I have acknowledged that there is absolutely NOTHING I can do about any of them, but that God can and is doing everything that can be done.

🙂

It may sound silly in some ways, but it works for those of us who are visual people, with simple minds.

Now, what are you angry at God about? Some people write God letters, and pour out their concerns and grief, and then burn the papers.
Click to expand...
Why I’m I angry at God?
Every time I’m about to make a life changing decision I ask God’s option on it, and I try to analyse the situation beforehand weighing the cons and pros. Thus far I’ve always regretted the paths I’ve chosen which has me at a stand still in life now. Not blaming just wish the path was clearer.
It seems as my prayers aren’t working. Especially when it comes to discerning God’s will above mine. So I’m angry cause God isn’t answering me or I’m unable to detect because of the methods God chooses which worsens the situation.
How can I do something when I can’t identify with it? Why is it so hard?

By the way thanks for the suggestion its worth trying…its on my list for tomorrow God’s willing. 🙂
 
theresaavey said:
Why I’m I angry at God?
Every time I’m about to make a life changing decision I ask God’s option on it, and I try to analyse the situation beforehand weighing the cons and pros. Thus far I’ve always regretted the paths I’ve chosen which has me at a stand still in life now. Not blaming just wish the path was clearer.
It seems as my prayers aren’t working. Especially when it comes to discerning God’s will above mine. So I’m angry cause God isn’t answering me or I’m unable to detect because of the methods God chooses which worsens the situation.
How can I do something when I can’t identify with it? Why is it so hard?

By the way thanks for the suggestion its worth trying…its on my list for tomorrow God’s willing. 🙂
Click to expand...
I agree with the other posters about 1) adoration and 2) the rosary. Also, if you can find a copy of any of Mother Teresa’s books, read it.

You may not be able to ascertain what God is doing for you. It was only in looking back over my earlier life that I recognized those moments when God intervened and turned me in a different direction. There were critical times when I could have gone the wrong way, and for no good reason, I didn’t. That was when He “carried me,” so to speak. I have the feeling I have a lot more of life to look back on…that you are not very old yet. So you may not have the long vision that you will have later on.

Trust. Pray to trust. “Lord, I surrender my will to You.” Pray that often.
 
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