Spiritual restlessness?

[faithfulwannabe]

I’m not sure where to put this, perhaps I should meet a psycholog, I’m not sure.

As I flash back (I’m not sure if this is even good thing to do), I seemed to be so restless & unable to settle down in a place or condition. I keep complaining about my neighbor, my job, my life, etc. when I barely did anything to try to change the condition… I get easily disappointed with my friends (I don’t know, perhaps they weren’t mean to be my friends in the first place?). And when I felt like that, I just stayed away from them or put a huge space between them and me (prolong it into a looong time, and you kind of forget them or they forget you somehow, but weren’t really forgotten completely) and you begin from zero again finding true friends in life (when you haven’t really disconnected with the old friends somehow). Not sure how to put this, I hope I make myself clear

I guess in a way, I try to love my fellow men as I love myself, but I’m not sure how to love perhaps

I think this is a habit since I was a kid, I barely did anything or ask for anything, I just tried to be grateful. However, when life start to turn nasty & downhill, I begin to be anxious and less grateful most of the times.

I don’t know, I lack many things in life I think, I guess I need prayers & start to be diligent.

Well, I guess I just want to vent a little. Sorry about this.

 

[JimR-OCDS]

“Our hearts are restless until they rest in thee O’ Lord.” St Augustine.

Interior prayer is where you’ll come into the presence of God dwelling within and where you will find peace.

Until you have interior peace, it will be impossible to love others as yourself because your own being isn’t in peace.

Peace comes from the transforming grace of God, not from what we try and force ourselves to accomplish.

If you try to force yourself to love, you’ll fail miserably.

True love comes from experiencing divine love, and that can only come through the experience of being in His presence.

I would suggest learning to sit in a quiet place with your eyes closed and to just say the name of Jesus mentally. Repeat His name and as you say His name, keep in mind that you are in His presence, for the Holy Trinity dwells within your very being. When you find yourself thinking of anything else except being in His presence, just return to saying the name “Jesus.” Allow Him to do with you whatever He wants. Don’t expect some sort of mystical experience or profound event to take place. Whatever happens within your soul, is because of what God does, not anything you’re doing. Just resting in His presence is all you need to do.

If you need more help, feel free to PM me.

Centered In Christ
Jim

 

[midori]

We hear of the Saints who reached the heights, and became great contemplatives; how did they manage it? They made it their business to wean themselves away from all earthly desires; this left them free to cling, with every fibre of their hearts, to God, and attend to the business of their own souls. We are not like that; we get wrapped up in the objects of our own affections, owrried, too, over transitory things; seldom do we conquer a single fault, and the ambition to make daily progress never really kindles us; all is coldness and indifference.

If only we could die to self altogether, and enjoy complete interior freedom! Then the rest would follow; we should be able to taste the flavours of the spiritual life, and have some experience of what is meant by heavenly contemplation. There is only one obstacle, but it is a formidable one-- we have not got rid of passion and desire; we are not really trying to set our feet on the ideal path the Saints trod. When we encounter even the slightest degree of difficulty, we are all too ready to turn, in despair, to human consolations.

And yet, if we would only play the man, and stand our ground, depend upon it, we should find heaven coming to our aid. As long as they rely on his grace, God is always ready to help people who put up a fight; he only gives us the opportunity of fighting because he wants us to win.

You are careful about the external observances of religion? Yes, but if we identify our souls’ progress with things like that, we shall soon come to the end of our spiritual resources. We have to apply the axe to the root of our natures, and clear our passions aay, before we can attain to peace of mind.

If we could manage to eradicate one of our faults every year, how soon it would make perfect men of us! As things are, it is just the other way round; we often feel that our lives were better, and more free from taint, when we first turned to God …]

Oh, it is not easy, saying good-bye to the ways we have got accustomed to, but it is much easier than a frontal attack on the will; and if you cannot with the day in light skirmishes, what success can you expect when it comes to the really difficult part? You must begin by saying No to your inclinations, getting out of bad habits, or they will involve you in worse trouble as time goes on. If you could but realize what a difference it makes, a life well lived, the peace of mind it would bring you, the encouragement it would give to others! I can’t help thinking you would be more deeply concerned about your progress in the spiritual life.
-Thomas a Kempis

 

[ahawk]

So you pray to Jesus and let him do whatever he wants with you?? Nay nay sounds creepy and isn’t Jesus the one who said to pray and beleive in one GOD?? So why would your first instinct be to pray to JEsus instead of GOD?

 

[ready]

Recommend yourself to Mary, and pray your rosary faithfully and fervently every day for all of your needs, spiritual and temporal, if you haven’t been doing so already. God bless you.

 

[soma]

You are aware so that is a good thing. Sit in silence will quiet the mind. Watch your breath and if you want you can think, in breath Lord let, out breath, Thy Will be done.
“Lord let Thy will be done.”

 

[faithfulwannabe]

@JimR, midori_, ready, soma:

Thank you all, for your suggestions. They’re very helpful

 

[ajecphotos]

“Our hearts are restless until they rest in thee O’ Lord.” St Augustine.

Interior prayer is where you’ll come into the presence of God dwelling within and where you will find peace.

Until you have interior peace, it will be impossible to love others as yourself because your own being isn’t in peace.

Peace comes from the transforming grace of God, not from what we try and force ourselves to accomplish.

If you try to force yourself to love, you’ll fail miserably.

True love comes from experiencing divine love, and that can only come through the experience of being in His presence.

I would suggest learning to sit in a quiet place with your eyes closed and to just say the name of Jesus mentally. Repeat His name and as you say His name, keep in mind that you are in His presence, for the Holy Trinity dwells within your very being. When you find yourself thinking of anything else except being in His presence, just return to saying the name “Jesus.” Allow Him to do with you whatever He wants. Don’t expect some sort of mystical experience or profound event to take place. Whatever happens within your soul, is because of what God does, not anything you’re doing. Just resting in His presence is all you need to do.

If you need more help, feel free to PM me.

Centered In Christ
Jim

Brilliant advice. Well said

 

[dianed]

I kind of do the same thing…I ruminate over and over incidences that happened and respond with what I thought I should have said in a situation or argument, and it’s not usually nice words. Like, I could never say those things to a person’s face, but later, the incident will pop up in my head and my mouth runs its course on what I really would have liked to say…usually this occurs in the shower, this rumination (don’t laugh but it’s probably better and a lot safer it occurs there than in reality). Now, I try to say at least one Hail Mary for these people, instead of those “telling that person off fantasies.” I am always sizing people up to “religious expectations.” I am seeking friendships with people who at least are going to Mass on Sundays and Holy Days of obligation…who go to Confession and receive Communion. I am 55 years old, and my generation of folks really don’t do that. I have had a “friend” say its no big deal to miss Mass when I said I happened to miss Mass, and she said she goes when she feels she needs to go. I said you can’t be a Cafeteria Catholic, it’s all or nothing, and saying that hurt the friendship. This same person and I went on a one day bus tour, I let her pick the day and, it was a Sunday. I got very upset and said now I will not be able to attend Mass and sing with my choir. She kind of looked puzzled at me. It does matter to me if I go to Mass or not…I wasn’t always like that either…I had my approximately 18 years being a fallen Catholic. I was in a bad relationship and did not want to go to Mass while in that relationship, which was extremely difficult to get out of. It wasn’t until I felt “empty” that I started to go back to Church. Anyway, depending upon your age group, and what is the “popular thing going on” in your neighborhood…it can be quite lonely being Catholic,. as far as finding like-minded Catholic friends. So, back to subject: say a prayer for those who annoy you. It will replace the negative thoughts you got stuck in your head about it.