True love for God

[Pianofish]

I’m not sure how else to describe a struggle I’ve been dealing with, but here goes…

I returned to the Church a little over a year ago and have been diligent about learning what I can about the faith after feeling as if I had missed out on so much growing up, even as a cradle Catholic. The issue is I feel that my yearn to learn more and grow in the faith is superficial. Superficial because I say I love God and that I love Christ, but I struggle with really feeling and living that love. I’m afraid that I am trying to live the faith so that I can avoid hell instead of because God deserves all my love and more. I’m a very selfish person, so my natural inclination to pride seems to confirm for me that I do not love God out of true devotion but out of necessity to avoid the ultimate punishment.

I want to truly love God. I want to truly realize the sacrifice that was made for us. How do I cultivate my love for God? I go to mass. I pray regularly. I went to adoration at least once a week for quite some time, though I’ve recently moved and now need to find adoration at a new parish. Once I do, I’ll attend adoration regularly again. I read from the saints. I ask for help. I ask God to help me love Him more. I don’t know what more to do to make sure that I am trying to be holy for the right reasons.

Has anyone else on here experience this? Does anyone have any suggestions for me?

 

[Im_believing]

I’m not sure how else to describe a struggle I’ve been dealing with, but here goes…

I returned to the Church a little over a year ago and have been diligent about learning what I can about the faith after feeling as if I had missed out on so much growing up, even as a cradle Catholic. The issue is I feel that my yearn to learn more and grow in the faith is superficial. Superficial because I say I love God and that I love Christ, but I struggle with really feeling and living that love. I’m afraid that I am trying to live the faith so that I can avoid hell instead of because God deserves all my love and more. I’m a very selfish person, so my natural inclination to pride seems to confirm for me that I do not love God out of true devotion but out of necessity to avoid the ultimate punishment.

I want to truly love God. I want to truly realize the sacrifice that was made for us. How do I cultivate my love for God? I go to mass. I pray regularly. I went to adoration at least once a week for quite some time, though I’ve recently moved and now need to find adoration at a new parish. Once I do, I’ll attend adoration regularly again. I read from the saints. I ask for help. I ask God to help me love Him more. I don’t know what more to do to make sure that I am trying to be holy for the right reasons.

Has anyone else on here experience this? Does anyone have any suggestions for me?

Pianofish,

Sounds like you may have too much doubt and the evil one has diminished your ability to fully “Trust in Jesus”. You might try some daily rebuke prayers to rebuke doubt and stubborn doubt. They should get your day started free from Satan’s influence. How Satan diminishes our trust in Jesus.

 

[Mardi_M]

You want to feel love for God, but feelings are less important than intentions and choices, especially the choices you make. When Jesus explained the judgement of souls in Matthew 25, verses 31-46 He showed that the choices we make and act upon are what causes Him to judge us for heaven or hell.

Jesus doesn’t mention feelings at all, but the kind actions of people.
Holiness isn’t just about making ourselves personally devout, it also requires charitable decisions towards other people which Jesus accepts as charitable deeds done to Him. Great or small acts of charity towards the people in your life is a part of holiness that cannot be neglected. This does require unselfishness, because it can be hard to be thoughtful and generous to others whether we feel like it or not.

And yes, you’re always likely while on earth to be imperfect, we all are, but we need the humility to accept that we are human, and that we must try the best we can manage with God’s grace. If we faily, we must have the humility and trust in God to try again, to love God, to love others as ourselves.

 

[brad90956]

Has anyone else on here experience this?

Yes, I struggle with this too. I go to mass every weekend, adoration once a week and confession once a month. I pray to God and read the Bible every day. But I struggle with and I am ashamed that I am doing all this just to avoid hell. Don’t get me wrong, I love God for all the blessings He has bestowed upon me, for my family, my health, ect, but I have an intense fear of hell.

I have found that saying the Divine Mercy Chaplet while meditating on Christ’s Passion helps. I think about all He went through for us. The beatings, ridicule, scourging, crown of thorns and finally the crucifixion…all for us and our sins so that we may be able to to have eternal salvation. You can’t help but love Him for sacrificing so much for us.

 

[peter26]

In addition to regular confession, I’d recommend a brief examination of conscience followed by some sort of penitential rite every day before you go to bed

Here are two very good ones that I use (from the BCP, which we favour in the Ordinariate)

Almighty God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Maker of all things, Judge of all men: We acknowledge and bewail our manifold sins and wickedness, Which we from time to time most grievously have committed, By thought, word, and deed, Against thy Divine Majesty, Provoking most justly thy wrath and indignation against us. We do earnestly repent, And are heartily sorry for these our misdoings; The remembrance of them is grievous unto us; The burden of them is intolerable. Have mercy upon us, Have mercy upon us, most merciful Father; For thy Son our Lord Jesus Christ’s sake, Forgive us all that is past; And grant that we may ever hereafter Serve and please thee In newness of life, To the honour and glory of thy Name; Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Almighty and most merciful Father, We have erred, and strayed from thy ways like lost sheep, We have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts, We have offended against thy holy laws, We have left undone those things which we ought to have done, And we have done those things which we ought not to have done, And there is no health in us: But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us miserable offenders; Spare thou them, O God, which confess their faults, Restore thou them that are penitent, According to thy promises declared unto mankind in Christ Jesu our Lord: And grant, O most merciful Father, for his sake, That we may hereafter live a godly, righteous, and sober life, To the glory of thy holy Name. Amen.