Times of Dryness

[denwiles]

Is it normal to go through dry times? I use to feel so close to God but latley actually for the last year I have felt a strange dryness almost like somthing is pulling me away from God. No matter what I do I can’t seem to break this feeling.

 

[Bookcat]

Is it normal to go through dry times? I use to feel so close to God but latley actually for the last year I have felt a strange dryness almost like somthing is pulling me away from God. No matter what I do I can’t seem to break this feeling.

Yes…and it can be the love of God purifying the person…

(or even the beginning of infused contemplation)

book recommend…

frjacquesphilippe.com/books/time_for_god.html

extremely good.

some excerpts…

frjacquesphilippe.com/themes/difficulties_in_prayer.html

 

[OraLabora]

Yes, it’s normal and it’s a normal part of the maturing of our faith, when we become less like Tarzan (thinking we are able to conquer all with faith) and recognize in all humility our own limitations and absolute total reliance on Divine Mercy. It’s when we finally know ourselves and our weaknesses that we are able to move forward.

St. John of the Cross might be a good read in such times.

Prayer is the only solution. My life saver was the Liturgy of the Hours. No need to think up your own eloquent formulas to God. Use the Liturgy of the Hours to attach your prayer to that of the entire Church. Let the Church carry you on its prayer. Praying the psalms several times daily is not new. The Jewish people have been doing it for much longer than we have.

 

[piejesu]

St. John of the Cross might be a good read in such times.

Yes, St John of the Cross for sure. Books I and II of “Ascent of Mount Carmel” are a very good place to start, and of course the book “Dark Night of the Soul”.

Another good book is “Abandonment to Divine Providence” by Fr. Jean Pierre de Caussade. In the 1921 edition which can be read on line, link provided below, there are numerous letters of spiritual direction written by Fr. Caussade. Over and over again the subject of “dryness” comes up.

ccel.org/ccel/decaussade/abandonment.html

 

[EmeraldWings]

spiritual dryness is very normal and happens to everyone, even the great saints had many moments of spiritual dryness,
the reason for this dryness is to test us, God only gives us those good feelings of consolation and spiritual high and whatever else as a means to attract us to Him and the faith, and once we reach a certain point in our spiritual progress, God withdraws His hand from us and sees what we will do without these good feelings,
so the question we must ask ourselves at this time is, do i love God? or do i just love these feelings?

it is very important to keep faithful and loyal to God in all things, in all moods and all conflicts and all sufferings…because that is how you prove your love, it is easy enough to love someone or show your love when you are feeling good…but when those good feelings go away, then your true colors show,
Jesus showed how much He loved us by how much He suffered for us and all His patience and goodness with us…and that is what we should do for Him as well.

and perhaps by this dryness God is trying to ask you to become closer to Him, which we should be striving towards always,
so i think the answer is(as was already mentioned) to pray, pray every day, go to Eucharistic adoration, read good catholic books(like the imitation of Christ, or Divine intimacy)
frequent the sacraments, and just spend time alone with God when you can…

God is not gone and you are not being pulled away from Him, you are simply not feeling His consolations, which we do not deserve in the first place, so we should just be thankful when we have them, and accepting when we don’t, God loves you immeasurably, that will never change, and whatever He does or allows in your life, good or bad, is always done or aloud for your own good, so don’t worry :>

ok, hope this helps, tc.

 

[denwiles]

Very Awesome advice and councel thank you all very much it means alot.

 

[denwiles]

Yes, it’s normal and it’s a normal part of the maturing of our faith, when we become less like Tarzan (thinking we are able to conquer all with faith) and recognize in all humility our own limitations and absolute total reliance on Divine Mercy. It’s when we finally know ourselves and our weaknesses that we are able to move forward.

St. John of the Cross might be a good read in such times.

Prayer is the only solution. My life saver was the Liturgy of the Hours. No need to think up your own eloquent formulas to God. Use the Liturgy of the Hours to attach your prayer to that of the entire Church. Let the Church carry you on its prayer. Praying the psalms several times daily is not new. The Jewish people have been doing it for much longer than we have.

I love the Tarzan Example, because it is so true LOL. Thank you very much!!!

 

[denwiles]

spiritual dryness is very normal and happens to everyone, even the great saints had many moments of spiritual dryness,
the reason for this dryness is to test us, God only gives us those good feelings of consolation and spiritual high and whatever else as a means to attract us to Him and the faith, and once we reach a certain point in our spiritual progress, God withdraws His hand from us and sees what we will do without these good feelings,
so the question we must ask ourselves at this time is, do i love God? or do i just love these feelings?

it is very important to keep faithful and loyal to God in all things, in all moods and all conflicts and all sufferings…because that is how you prove your love, it is easy enough to love someone or show your love when you are feeling good…but when those good feelings go away, then your true colors show,
Jesus showed how much He loved us by how much He suffered for us and all His patience and goodness with us…and that is what we should do for Him as well.

and perhaps by this dryness God is trying to ask you to become closer to Him, which we should be striving towards always,
so i think the answer is(as was already mentioned) to pray, pray every day, go to Eucharistic adoration, read good catholic books(like the imitation of Christ, or Divine intimacy)
frequent the sacraments, and just spend time alone with God when you can…

God is not gone and you are not being pulled away from Him, you are simply not feeling His consolations, which we do not deserve in the first place, so we should just be thankful when we have them, and accepting when we don’t, God loves you immeasurably, that will never change, and whatever He does or allows in your life, good or bad, is always done or aloud for your own good, so don’t worry :>

ok, hope this helps, tc.

Thank you so much for your reply helps alot!!!

 

[Trishie]

“Everyone whose food is milk alone is ignorant of the word that sanctifies, for he is a child” (Hebrews 5:13).

St Paul said: “When I was a child I used to talk like a child, think like a child, reason like a child. When I became a man I put childish ways aside” (1 Corinthians 13:11).

It can be painful to go from innocent consolations to mature faith.