Struggling to feel God in my life

[TalkThatTrash]

Hi. I’m really struggling to feel God’s presence in my life. Every time I pray, I feel like I’m talking to myself and I’m desperate to find a sign of God’s influence in my life. I’m a new believer and not part of the church and It makes it much harder for me. I feel like I’ve been cut off from God’s grace and I feel all alone.

 

[JohnGerard]

Hi. I’m really struggling to feel God’s presence in my life. Every time I pray, I feel like I’m talking to myself and I’m desperate to find a sign of God’s influence in my life. I’m a new believer and not part of the church and It makes it much harder for me. I feel like I’ve been cut off from God’s grace and I feel all alone.

Hey TalkThatTrash,

Feeling God’s presence in our lives can be difficult because our feelings as humans are not that trustworthy. Mine can change depending on how well the burrito went down at lunchtime.

Maybe we should try looking for God’s presence in our lives instead.

Try this…it works for me when I am feeling a bit lost.

Before you fall asleep at night, no matter if you have had a good day or a bad day…go through and audibly count your blessings. Whisper them and tell God thank you for (insert what you are thankful here).

Hopefully, you may notice that you have many things to be thankful for. Those things are God’s blessings to you in your life. Those blessings are the way God is influencing your life. I find that when I do that a peacefulness comes over me and anxiety diminishes.

Try to not become discouraged as a new believer. I think Chris Price had a song out once that had a line that I could relate to “It seems that God is talking to everybody but me.” Many of us have times in our lives when we are praying but we are not sure that He is listening. Trust me. God hears you when you pray. The Devil would like to convince us that He doesn’t hear us…but that is a lie.

Also, get your hands on a bible if you can and read a little bit everyday. Start with the New Testament. That will draw you closer to Jesus. If you seek Him, you will find Him.

Are you planning on getting baptized?

Also, our feelings are finicky. They are really not that trustworthy. God loves us whether we feel like it or not. I know what you are talking about as far as feeling like God isn’t there for you. I’ve felt like that many times in my life. But when I look back on the times in my life when I had felt that…I realize…He really was there…I just didn’t realize it at the time.

I know it can be difficult.

I will pray for you.

 

[MarcoPolo]

Often, when we make strides toward Christ, there will be devilish attacks of discouragement or a “feeling” of faithlessness. The good news is, at the end of the day, “feelings” don’t count. It may take a greater faith to remain steadfast in the face of such feelings, but perhaps God knows you can reach this greater faith, this greater love.

I have always been fond of the following quote from the late actor Ricardo Montalban, a Catholic:“In Mexico, I used to go to Communion maybe once or twice a year, and I confess my sins and I felt so good and clean. And when I would go to Communion, and I have tears in my eyes, of emotion. And now, you know, I go to mass and Communion every Sunday, and now I go and I don’t feel anything. ‘Well, that’s good,’ [the priest said to me]. ‘Now you’re a Catholic of conviction. Before you were a Catholic of emotion which goes up and down according to your mood.’”

 

[Tigre]

Hi. I’m really struggling to feel God’s presence in my life. Every time I pray, I feel like I’m talking to myself and I’m desperate to find a sign of God’s influence in my life. I’m a new believer and not part of the church and It makes it much harder for me. I feel like I’ve been cut off from God’s grace and I feel all alone.

Seek baptism. I was baptized at age 36 and it changed everything. God is calling you. Respond. Baptism and the sacraments of initiation will bestow the graces your heart is crying out for.

 

[tawny]

Praying to the Holy Spirit to give you guidance, direction, strength, fortitude & wisdom in your time of need.

 

[ChibiViolet]

Seek baptism. I was baptized at age 36 and it changed everything. God is calling you. Respond. Baptism and the sacraments of initiation will bestow the graces your heart is crying out for.

This. You cannot have Grace in the first place until Baptism.

 

[littlestsouls2]

• Jesus to St. Bridget of Sweden: “… receive and venerate the sacraments of My Church.” (Bk 4, Ch 129)

 

[TalkThatTrash]

Hey TalkThatTrash,

Feeling God’s presence in our lives can be difficult because our feelings as humans are not that trustworthy. Mine can change depending on how well the burrito went down at lunchtime.

Maybe we should try looking for God’s presence in our lives instead.

Try this…it works for me when I am feeling a bit lost.

Before you fall asleep at night, no matter if you have had a good day or a bad day…go through and audibly count your blessings. Whisper them and tell God thank you for (insert what you are thankful here).

Hopefully, you may notice that you have many things to be thankful for. Those things are God’s blessings to you in your life. Those blessings are the way God is influencing your life. I find that when I do that a peacefulness comes over me and anxiety diminishes.

Try to not become discouraged as a new believer. I think Chris Price had a song out once that had a line that I could relate to “It seems that God is talking to everybody but me.” Many of us have times in our lives when we are praying but we are not sure that He is listening. Trust me. God hears you when you pray. The Devil would like to convince us that He doesn’t hear us…but that is a lie.

Also, get your hands on a bible if you can and read a little bit everyday. Start with the New Testament. That will draw you closer to Jesus. If you seek Him, you will find Him.

Are you planning on getting baptized?

Also, our feelings are finicky. They are really not that trustworthy. God loves us whether we feel like it or not. I know what you are talking about as far as feeling like God isn’t there for you. I’ve felt like that many times in my life. But when I look back on the times in my life when I had felt that…I realize…He really was there…I just didn’t realize it at the time.

I know it can be difficult.

I will pray for you.

Thank you.

Seek baptism. I was baptized at age 36 and it changed everything. God is calling you. Respond. Baptism and the sacraments of initiation will bestow the graces your heart is crying out for.

Thank you. Where I live, It takes 2 or 3 years minimum to get baptized so I’m afraid I won’t be able to get baptized soon. I live in a different city and I think I’m won’t be a catechumen this year. I’m extremely worried.

 

[Tigre]

Thank you.

Thank you. Where I live, It takes 2 or 3 years minimum to get baptized so I’m afraid I won’t be able to get baptized soon. I live in a different city and I think I’m won’t be a catechumen this year. I’m extremely worried.

Call/email the church and make an appointment to visit the priest. Tell him what you are telling us. 2 to 3 years is the blink of an eye. God’s hand is reaching out to you. Grab it. For now, all that means looking up the church’s contact info and pressing a few buttons. Baby steps my friend. I am praying for you.

 

[TalkThatTrash]

Call/email the church and make an appointment to visit the priest. Tell him what you are telling us. 2 to 3 years is the blink of an eye. God’s hand is reaching out to you. Grab it. For now, all that means looking up the church’s contact info and pressing a few buttons. Baby steps my friend. I am praying for you.

Thank you, I needed this. That’s the first thing I’m gonna do when I’m there.

 

[Tigre]

Thank you, I needed this. That’s the first thing I’m gonna do when I’m there.

Will you do this for me? Update this thread with the date of your appointment. Sometimes the phone can weigh a thousand pounds. Don’t let this pass you by. Prayers sent.

 

[TalkThatTrash]

Will you do this for me? Update this thread with the date of your appointment. Sometimes the phone can weigh a thousand pounds. Don’t let this pass you by. Prayers sent.

I won’t be there until October. I’ll make sure to leave an update when I visit the church. It’s a small church and it doesn’t seem to be very busy so I’ll just pay a visit as soon as possible. Thanks for the support! I’ll pray for you, as well.

 

[MarcoPolo]

I won’t be there until October. I’ll make sure to leave an update when I visit the church. It’s a small church and it doesn’t seem to be very busy so I’ll just pay a visit as soon as possible. Thanks for the support! I’ll pray for you, as well.

And worry not, there are different kinds of graces that we receive prior to baptism. The very movement toward God is powered by His grace, just as with those in the Old Testament before baptism was installed as a sacrament:The sin of the first man has so impaired and weakened free will that no one thereafter can either love God as he ought or believe in God or do good for God’s sake, unless the grace of divine mercy has preceded him. We therefore believe that the glorious faith which was given to Abel the righteous, and Noah, and Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and to all the saints of old, and which the Apostle Paul commends in extolling them (Heb. 11), was not given through natural goodness as it was before to Adam, but was bestowed by the grace of God. (Council of Orange, 529 AD)

 

[Tigre]

Please do update us on your visit. You are not alone. And, in truth, you have never been alone. MarcoPolo is right. It is grace that brought you to belief, brings you to pray, and inspired you to start this thread. One day you will update this thread with news of your baptism too. Thank you for your prayers.

 

[TalkThatTrash]

I’m back. I talked to the parish secretary. She says I have to attend church regularly for about three months to be a catechumen. Then at least three years later, if everything goes well, I can be baptized. Now all I can do is to go to mass every sunday. It’s gonna be great!

 

[Tigre]

Fantastic!!! You have responded. The biggest revelation for me early on was this: all of the time I thought I was looking for God (and He was hiding from me) it was actually Him seeking me out. Your journey out of the desert is beginning. I am so happy for you. Just put one foot in front of the other. That means Sunday Mass for a few months until your catechumenate is official. In the meantime keep this in mind:

CCC 1259 For catechumens who die before their Baptism, their explicit desire to receive it, together with repentance for their sins, and charity, assures them the salvation that they were not able to receive through the sacrament.

Keep us posted. Thank you for the update. I will keep you in my prayers TTT God is so good, it is unreal.

 

[JohnGerard]

I’m back. I talked to the parish secretary. She says I have to attend church regularly for about three months to be a catechumen. Then at least three years later, if everything goes well, I can be baptized. Now all I can do is to go to mass every sunday. It’s gonna be great!

Hey TTT,

You are receiving really good advice from Tigre and others…and I admire the excitement you are showing. It would be cool if more of us were as excited as you are. Your last post (above) is both inspirational and convicting.

God bless you.

 

[TalkThatTrash]

Thank you all for your responses. I really appreciate your advices. It was really stressful on the way to the church, I’ve never been so afraid before. Every church visit was really hard. But no matter how scared I was, that never stopped me. Maybe my struggles won’t end soon, but at least I know what I gotta do. Thank you all for your help I’ll keep you in my prayers.

 

[Godalllove]

You are in good company.
Mother Teresa says she didn’t feel God’s presence for the last thirty or more years of her life.

.

Why do we feel like this? I am feeling much detachment from my faith lately, I am praying a lot and still having lots of doubts and questions on my mind, it’s really hard having such feeling of loss, like you are losing someone you truly love or a good relative, a painful feeling how to over come over this and why would Mother Teresa feel in such a way when she was saint, I am sinful not perfect.

 

[JohnGerard]

Why do we feel like this? I am feeling much detachment from my faith lately, I am praying a lot and still having lots of doubts and questions on my mind, it’s really hard having such feeling of loss, like you are losing someone you truly love or a good relative, a painful feeling how to over come over this and why would Mother Teresa feel in such a way when she was saint, I am sinful not perfect.

I don’t know why we feel like this. Maybe because we are all human? Maybe because it so often feels like the world is going crazy?

I know this, though…having “feeling of loss, like you are losing someone you truly love or a good relative, a painful feeling…” isn’t all bad. Can you imagine what it would be like to actually drift away from God and NOT feel those things? Like, feel like everything is still just hunky-dory?

I’m not saying that you are drifting away from God…I guess I’m just saying it is good to miss Him. Even if we don’t understand our feelings or the whys. Missing someone we love means we love that person and want to be close to them, perhaps. Those are good things.