Regular prayer is like regular weighlifting in that

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when I lifted weights (dumbbell weights–moderate heaviness), the effort was hard work, but I felt great afterwards and only occasionally ate sweets; whereas, when I gave it up for some reason and went idle, I ate a bowl of ice cream with chocolate syrup all over it and fely less good about myself. My prayer life is not so great now and so I am more tempted by venial sins than when I was more spiritually invigorated via my Faith (which actually coincided with my taking up weightlifting). I exercise with lighter weights now. Maybe I should get a weight bench. Seriously though, exercise may help, but I need to exercise my soul more by better communicating with God. Nothing too much too fast. You don’t do that with weights or you’d hurt yourself. It’s good to have a spotter for your soul in its exercises I’m sure, in the form of a spiritual director (I would find one but I’m afraid of being annoying to him or becoming Prideful in arguing with him if early attempts are with some into a degree of modernist thinking–but that’s my issue and I should get over it because I could use a good guide in this life).
 
Oh how I agree with your analogy. I would get what is called a “runners high” when I worked out, like what happens to me when I pray the Rosary. 👍

As a recent convert from Atheism, spontanious prayer is extremely difficult for me, I do much better with the formal prayers. But I find that if I start getting laxed in prayers, I get spiritually lazy. I fall into the trap of NOT praying and finding excuses for this. :mad: I pray that God continues to be patient with me while I figure all this stuff out. :rolleyes:

Just a thought, Sometime back, Richard Simmons did a workout tape called “Sweating to the Oldies”. As Catholics we should have our own workout tape called,

SWEATING TO THE LITURGY
…ROSARY
DEVINE MERCY CHAPLET

I would even start to workout again 😃
 
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mkw:
SWEATING TO THE LITURGY

I would even start to workout again 😃
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Would going to a sung High TLM Mass, with the kneeling, standing and sitting be considered Catholic Aerobics? 😛
 
Hey, nice topic, and very important.

I would encourage both of you to persist in prayer. I would also suggest you ask Jesus and the Holy Spirit to give you a personal prayer that they would like you to pray.

I had this experience at 11 years old. I felt the Holy Spirit challenge me to pray; “Jesus make me a son you can rejoice in.” This sounds on the surface as slightly prideful, but if you examine the true meaning, it is a permission to God to change me as He chooses. It has not always been easy, but I do not regret any of the changes He has wrought in my life.

In the ensuing years He has taught me how to pray in many different ways. It is now an adventure to seek the Holy Spirits will in how to pray for a particular intention. I really feel that we should mature in prayer so that we can pray more effectively. While form prayers have their place, what God desires is that we have communion with him in our spirit and that we have a 2-way relationship with Him.

One experience I had recently was to pray for a person at His request. I got to thinking that if I was going to pray for this person I wanted to know for how long and in what form, so I asked Him that question. He responded that He wanted me to pray every day for their conversion and He would show me how to pray each day. I immediately told Him that I was too flaky to be consistent, and that I had little regard for this person. I gave him permission to change my heart. I was totally unprepared for the outpouring of love for this person that I began to feel. It actually terrified me. I asked Him what was going on, and his response was that he was allowing me to feel a little bit of how much He loves this sinner. I am forever changed. I now look at everyone with a new understanding.

If you dare, surrender your free will to that of the Holy Spirit and ask him to help you to pray as He chooses.

……………Paul
 
Thank you for the advice Paul. I also feel a bit “flakey” when it comes to NON form types of prayers. I sometimes imagine God in heaven looking down at me saying, “Come on girl, just spit it out already and get to the point” 😛
 
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mkw:
Just a thought, Sometime back, Richard Simmons did a workout tape called “Sweating to the Oldies”. As Catholics we should have our own workout tape called,

SWEATING TO THE LITURGY
…ROSARY
DEVINE MERCY CHAPLET

I would even start to workout again 😃
Click to expand...
NICE!
I get up each morning and sweat to the rosary…I hop on my treadmill and pray as I tread. God put this thought into my head one day that I could manage to exercise and pray before work ( only available time I have). God seems to be the master multi-tasker!
 
Start with "I believe in God, the Father Almighty… and it’s hard to stop saying the rosary from then on. That might help. Actually, a spiritual director could be compared to a personal trainer (who trains others, of course) moreso than a spotter.

I wasn’t sure if that were an irreverent joke but yeah, the TLM and even the novus ordo, when done by rubrics, could give one good exercise
 
i have to give a presentation at RCIA tonight on prayer. i don’t want to say it has stumped me all week, but where do you really begin?

i have so much stuff i have compiled off of the internet on prayer…from formal to arrow prayers…to talking about how one can turn an ordinary event (like sweeping the floor) into an active prayer when you offer what you are doing to God on behalf of another.

paul, what you said was so profound, i might even have to print it out, with your permission! we have to spoon feed some in my class, but i know others will be looking for more - everyone needs to know that they can have an amazing relationship with God; most of my problem, however, is in the listening for that still, small voice. i talk too much :o

how do you get to that place where there are no distractions and you can listen?
 
work(name removed by moderator)rogress:
I wasn’t sure if that were an irreverent joke but yeah, the TLM and even the novus ordo, when done by rubrics, could give one good exercise
Click to expand...
Nah, it wasn’t meant to be irreverant. I was just thinking, hey, music, sitting, standing, kneeling… Just a little humor to lighten us all up. 😃
 
Penni, I’m not really sure how it is that I hear Gods voice. I think it may be the result of trying my best to be obediant to Him. Much of it is just His abundant grace. How is it that I am so blessed??? I certainly don’t deserve it.

I think if you yearn for Him and seek His face…He is always faithful. I suggest you tell those in the RCIA class that they seek Jesus in every aspect of their life. Jesus cares about even the trivial things in our life. Tell them to pray and petition God for small things as well as large. Expect that the Holy Spirit has an opinion about everything! He does answer prayers, you just need to ask Him every day about all things. God loves us so much, and desires to have a very close and personal relationship with us. We just need to ask. It is also very important to go to confession regularly. We are the ones who cut off our relationship with God. Sometimes when I begin to pray I sense a separation from God in my spirit. It is always sin that causes this.
 
I always hear not to feel bad if even you feel separated, that is, unless maybe you have done something really wrong on purpose.
 
paul, thank you for your response (i am penni, this is my new screen name primarily because i become very transparent and it would be best if not everybody knew my real identity…but i digress…)

i seek God’s face, always. i know He answers prayer and there have been times He may as well have bellowed at me because He causes things to happen to get my attention. again, the “i talk too much” idea.

my presentation on prayer went well last night. with all the turmoil i have experienced in my personal life over the last two weeks, the mere fact that i could prepare for a class that is almost two hours long is a testimony to prayer, in and of itself. i had printed out your response, but didn’t use it because i failed to check back here before my class to see if it was okay with you.

i know have it on-hand for posterity’s sake 🙂 thank you, again.
 
Martha-penni, Feel free to use anything I post. I am only a humble servant and anything of value in my life is because Jesus made it happen. 😃
 
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