L
lisahiku
Guest
how do I know I am experiencing spiritual dryness? and what can one do to
get rid of it?
get rid of it?
- Status
S
someperson555
Guest
WOW, I thought I was the only one! honestly, thank you for this post because it helped me figure out what wa swrong with me up untill a few short weeks ago. i thought i had all these terrible personality disorders, i thought i had anti-social personality disorder, etc. but now i think it was what you mentioned. all i can say is prayer helps. especially to the blessed virgin. good luck, i hope you get through it.
S
seanom
Guest
As you advance in holiness and the spiritual life, God quite often hides himself from you to strip you of all desires that aren’t focused on God. Some peole love God for his comforts and when he takes them away they lose faith and begin to despair. We must love God for who he is and not what he offers. You should delight when you go through spiritual dryness as this is when you are closest to the Lord and also keep in mind that he does this for the good of your soul. Some souls actually very few after may experience “The Dark Night” which God gives to those who are chosen for great levels of holiness like the saints and mystics. I would thank God for this and make regular acts of Faith, Hope and Love and visit the blessed sacrament, have recourse to Mary etc… You’re probably experiencing spiritual dryness if you feel like God isn’t near you, you might be prone to doubts and get no satisfaction from prayer and sometimes find it painful to pray but I tell you from experience, perseverance is the key. I don’t know if you are Catholic or whatever but I would highly recommend reading the works of St John of the Cross on the “Dark Night” and also keep up the spiritual works and you might want to read and meditate upon Mark 4:35-40.
God Bless!
God Bless!
You may not be able to. It can be a gift God gives you for you to now use your will to cling to him more closely, without relying on your emotions. It’s your opportunity to persevere and love him more intensely.
A
Anathama_Sit
Guest
Greetings OP, Seanon, to those reading and or posting in this thread,As you advance in holiness and the spiritual life, God quite often hides himself from you to strip you of all desires that aren’t focused on God. Some peole love God for his comforts and when he takes them away they lose faith and begin to despair. We must love God for who he is and not what he offers. You should delight when you go through spiritual dryness as this is when you are closest to the Lord and also keep in mind that he does this for the good of your soul. Some souls actually very few after may experience “The Dark Night” which God gives to those who are chosen for great levels of holiness like the saints and mystics. I would thank God for this and make regular acts of Faith, Hope and Love and visit the blessed sacrament, have recourse to Mary etc… You’re probably experiencing spiritual dryness if you feel like God isn’t near you, you might be prone to doubts and get no satisfaction from prayer and sometimes find it painful to pray but I tell you from experience, perseverance is the key. I don’t know if you are Catholic or whatever but I would highly recommend reading the works of St John of the Cross on the “Dark Night” and also keep up the spiritual works and you might want to read and meditate upon Mark 4:35-40.
God Bless!
I could not have said it any better than Seanon has in their post. The recommendations that Seanon have suggested are great. If I might add one more, if things get rought, seek spiritual direction. I would suggest a priest, becuase they stand in the person of Christ. However if you cannot find a priest for a spiritual director, then I would counsel you to find one that lives and believes ALL of the Teaching of the Catholic Church.
I have been blessed with the grace to be able to pray that I shall find no consolation in anything or anyone but God alone in my life. It is a prayer that God is seeing fit to answer at this time. It is by his grace that I am making it so to speak.
Do not become attatched to the gifts, but rather to the Giver. It is hard sometimes, because consolations are good. But consolations are not Union with God. I want and crave with every fiber of my being, the deepest Union with God that He wishes for me to have.
I will be praying for you.
God Bless.
Anathama Sit
L
lisahiku
Guest
I doubt if it is from God. I think it could be a satan attack!
A
Anathama_Sit
Guest
Greetings Lisahiki,
Even if it is from Satan, God can and will use it to bring a greater good for you. Keep hanging on to God in faith. Continually ask for his grace to perservere.
Do the recommendations that Seanon has recommended whether it is from Satan or not. They will not go wasted.
God Bless.
Anathama Sit
I don’t think so since God does withdraw his consolation. However, some of the greatest saints have had demonic attacks too.
I somehow doubt, however that God will allow this to happen to you at this stage of your spiritual life.
M
Monica4316
Guest
If it comes from unrepented sin or if you haven’t been praying enough, then the solution is to come back to God, or closer to Him… if you are trying your absolute best but you still have spiritual dryness, it may not be your fault but a way to help you grow spiritually, in which case don’t omit any of your spiritual practices and continue doing God’s will, in this way you’ll be less attached to spiritual feelings after this trial.
spiritual dryness is often a way that God purifies us. Its for your good, just use it.God bless
M
Monica4316
Guest
even so it can be allowed by God for your spiritual good
don’t pay attention to feelings, focus on your faith and doing God’s will, without feelings. That’s the only way.
B
bcuster
Guest
First of all it is important to realize that we are physical, emotional, and spiritual beings. How are you doing physically? Are you eating healthy foods, drinking plenty of liquids, getting enough sleep, and getting enough exercise? Emotionally, have you been under stress lately? How are your emotions generally? They go up and down all the time according to our life situations. Dryness in prayer may be a reflection of our physical ad mental/emotional states. Perfectly natural and normal. Spiritually, are you attending Mass weekly and going to confession regularly? Do you have a daily plan for scripture reading, spiritually reading, and prayer? Is it realistic to your situation? For example–I have the goal of reading scripture daily, praying a rosary daily, and reading about 15 minutes from a spiritual writer. My goal is to go to Mass weekly and confession monthly. However, I recently spent 2.5 years living with my mother-in-law and the last three months I have been one of the 4 main caregivers as she journey toward her death less than a month ago. During that time my physical, emotional, and spiritual plans were subjigated to God’s specific plan for me to walk this road with my Mom. Dryness and exhaustion were the norm. Prayer became the actions I did to help my Mom feel more comfortable.
So translate this into your life and specific case. What are your goals? Are they reasonable for your situation right now? Bring that situation before the Lord in prayer and lay it at his feet or better yet give it to Mary and have her lay it at the Lord’s feet with you. Then continue as best you can. Just keep doing what you need to do. Prayer will go up and down with life, but stay constant in your relationship with the Lord.
So translate this into your life and specific case. What are your goals? Are they reasonable for your situation right now? Bring that situation before the Lord in prayer and lay it at his feet or better yet give it to Mary and have her lay it at the Lord’s feet with you. Then continue as best you can. Just keep doing what you need to do. Prayer will go up and down with life, but stay constant in your relationship with the Lord.
L
lisahiku
Guest
Why would he do that? Doesn’t he love us?
A
Anathama_Sit
Guest
Greetings Lisahiku,
Why does He withdraw His consolation? Did you miss my prior post? He loves us so much that He wishes us to come into a deeper Union with Him. We should be striving to be more attacthed to the Giver of the Consolation and not the Gift of the Giver, namely consolation.
God loves us perfectly. Consolations are not what we need all the time. I challenge you to pray that you find no consolation in anything or anyone but Him. And sometimes that consolation is not to be found until the other side of eternity. [Mother Teresa lived without consolation for quite awhile. The great saints of our Church went through periods of desolation. Jesus Himself went through these periods as well, how can we not expect to not share in this if we but take up our Cross and follow Him in ALL things, including times of no consolation.]
God Bless.
Anathama Sit
- Status