Struggling with my spiritual life - what to do?

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Kima

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Good day, fellow Catholics.

I´ve been a faithful for all of my life. I´ve been practicing for all my life, but more than anything after I converted three years ago. In these days, where I don´t even have the church to go to, I feel like I´m stumbling even more in the faith. I´ve been firm, stable and trying to be a good Christian for so long, and now, it feels like I´m being tested.

I have occasionally been tempted in my prayers. Thinking that I´m only sitting there talking to myself and feeling tempted of mockery in my thoughts. I do certainly believe in God and I do not doubt His existence nor presence even the slightest, but these thoughts do arise. Know, when thinking about this to a deeper level, I do think it might be that these thoughts are temptations from the evil one, trying to lead me astray and into sin.

I have for a long time been struggling to pray. I do pray every day, but oftentimes I find myself neglecting my spiritual life in favor of comfort. That meaning, I struggle to prioritize prayer over secular and non-important stuff which contributes to leading me further from God. In addition to what I´ve mentioned, I´ve also experienced that my prayer life is kind of dry. Even when I do actually make it to prayer.

Usually, I go to confession frequently in order to sustain and strengthen my spiritual life. Nowadays, confession is pretty hard to arrange due to the pandemic so I don´t get to go as often as I preferably do. I also benefit from having the Mass and adoration available, which for now, is not to be found outside of the internet.

So I feel like I struggle. I´m on my bare feet and I don´t have my regular habits like going to Mass one or two times a week, going to confession forthnightingly and so on.

So what should I do? How should I approach this all? Please let me know. Also, thank you so much for taking the time to read through all of this.

God bless and protect you all during this pandemic!
 
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Beg the Lord - the source of all grace - for the grace to increase your faith and fidelity. Normally, I would encourage you to go before Christ in the Blessed Sacrament. However, if you can leave home, park in the lot of the Church and pray - you know that Christ is just on the other side of that wall.
 
Thank you. I will certainly try to do that. I don´t know if I´ll be able to go to church, but I´ll definitely beg the Lord in prayer.
 
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Going to quote myself from a different thread. 😉

“There is a saying: “ If you feel far away from God, who moved?”

Not God. What are you doing to move closer to him? Just attending mass was never enough. Are you still learning about the faith through reading, either online or through books? What is your prayer life like? Do you ever sit in silence and listen for God? I don’t mean for you to answer any of these here, just something to think about.

Start a prayer Journal.

Read up about the Spiritual and Corporal works of Mercy. Then act upon them when you can.”
 
Kima said:
I have occasionally been tempted in my prayers. Thinking that I´m only sitting there talking to myself and feeling tempted of mockery in my thoughts.
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Please know that God considers your “will” to pray and not the distracting thoughts that plague you. St. Teresa of Avila taught us that very often while the will is in prayer, the understanding, imagination and memory can be all over the place wreaking havoc. She said pay no attention to these, as if they were a madman.

Truth be told, I was just reflecting on a precious grace God gave many years ago when I had trouble praying the Office of the BVM. It was so tedious to me and I was about to give up completely. After a difficult time praying it, I said to God, “Is this really pleasing to You?” At that very moment, my room filled with a strong smell of incense. There is a psalm that says “let my prayer come before you like incense.” I think it pleases Him when we try our best, even when it is full of distractions.
 
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Yes I do. Fortunately, my parish are giving us a subscription. Do you have any recommendations?
 
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You, me and the rest of us are all in the same boat. I’ve been struggling with prayer too. And yes, I’ve felt like I was talking to myself too.

A priest told me a long time ago that even if you say an Our Father & Hail Mary for your morning & evening prayers it’s still a start. Sometimes I can’t even get through the Our Father. I have to force myself to get through it.

Suggestion: If you don’t wear the Brown Scapular, see if you can get a blessed Brown Scapular (at least 2 so you have an extra one) and wear the Brown Scapular all the time. Ask Our Lady to help you. Also good spiritual reading - a good Catholic Bible, lives of the Saints, or anything written by St. Francis de Sales. St. Alphonsus de Liguori says that without good spiritual reading it will be morally impossible to save our souls (Source: My Divine Friend)
Good spiritual reading helps me refocus on prayer.

Hope these help you.
 
They offer the book “Deep Conversion, Deep Prayer” that had a great influence on me. Search for “Peace”, try the Lectio resources, Bible studies, good audio books.

“With God in Russia” is a book that helps us appreciate having Mass offered even if we can’t attend.
 
Also, reach out by phone to the Catholics in your parish. Your Sponsor, the parish office can give you names and numbers of other parishioners who would talk and pray with you over the phone. After Holy Week, reach out to your priest.

Remember to watch your local parish if they are online, watch your Bishop’s Facebook page and website.
 
I will consider that. It would be helpful.
Thank you very much for taking your time!
 
‘If you withdraw yourself from unnecessary talking and idle running about, from listening to gossip and rumors, you will find enough time that is suitable for holy meditation.’ - The Imitation of Christ
 
Remember God is always looking at us
He loves us as we are
Through prayer, living a pure life, doing good deeds we can develop a closer relationship with God
God is loving and kind.
I like to go outside an look up at the clouds and know that God is looking at me and then I tell him I love Him and how great He is.

If you are tempted by sin - cut it out of your life
Be ruthless with it
Also have a picture of Our Lord and Our Lady with you- especially in those places or the times where you might fall into temptation. If you are tempted you could say “Get behind me Satan”, and then say the Hail Mary.

The Rosary is great prayer to help- starting a regular pray routine helps
ie - praying the Joyful mysteries in the morning, then the sorrowful at lunch-time and the glorious before bed time. I follow the Rosary on YouTube. It makes sure that I stay on track
 
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Dear friend, I think that it is normal for all of us to go through different phases. I think that these phases of dryness and loneliness help us strenghten our faith.
We need to trust in God, love Him and others.
We need to do our best to keep away from sin and repent from it, and draw near to Him and keep close to ourselves all that is good and holy and pure.
I also sometimes had such phases, but I am 17 only, so I think I have a large journey ahead of me.

You know what I think? We say many prayers, we can do many practices and devotions, we can be active in our parishes and go to Mass weekly or daily, but without faith, hope, love and honesty present in our works, our deeds just aren’t fruitful as they could be. So, in all things, let us try tk have faith, hope, love and honesty.

Peace be with you! And, remember, perseverance, perseverance and perseverance! We fail at it many times, I admit I fail by uncountable times, but there is no giving up. Just as Christ didn’t give up on us in his Passion and Crucifixion, so we shouldn’t give up on Him or others. Let us deny ourselves, take up our crosses and follow Him.
 
Thank you. I am too 17 years old. I will keep your words close to my heart in this season of my life.
 
Being older now 67th year, I can relate to your struggles,
when I was younger(about 40 years ago up to 60 y.o.)
I often struggle w/ praying and holding on to my faith
thru prayer and fasting and having thots of doubt and
confusion. Now this I want you to know, you have to
pray the Serenity Prayer, “God grant me the Serenity to
accept the things I cannot change, the Courage to change
the things I can and the Wisdom to know the difference.
Amen.” and keep in mind the Parable of the footprints in
the Sand… God is carrying us in the dark times, He never
leaves us unless we WANT Him to. Just keep faithful to
Him in thot, word and deed. And keep in mind that altho
we cannot fellowship w/ others in corporate woship, we
have the fellowship of the Spirit w/ ALL His Holy Church,
AND the Cloud of Witnesses, those Champions of the Faith,
who OVERCAME the tempter’s snares and wickedness. see
Heb. 12:1 and Phil. 2:1
 
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