Why does it seems that God abandoned me?

[thelightoftheworld]

I recently asked Jesus to give me a little sign of his love for me and to give me a bit of joy.
Why does it seems like Jesus does not response to the prayer I made as if he was silent ?
Could you help me either by your experience, writings of the saints or anything ?

 

[Irishmom2]

God never abandons us. I personally don’t believe in asking for signs. It would be too much like I was testing God, and I don’t feel like I would be trusting him completely if I need to ask for signs.

Perhaps instead of asking God to bring you joy, you could try and find a way to bring someone else joy. You will find that in bringing other joy, however small, it will bring you joy as well. Offer up any unhappiness or sadness you are feeling, and do some good for others. A smile, a phone call, an offer to help shop, or cut the lawn. Bake something. Write a letter, send a card. Say a prayer for someone else.

All of these things can bring joy.

 

[Dorothy]

St. John of the Cross, Doctor of Prayer, reminds us that when we have feelings of silence of God it does not mean that God is not responding to us. We need to keep praying and making acts of faith, hope and love…in spite of how we feel. That is one way that we can grow spiritually.

 

[TheLittleLady]

He gives you a significant sign, every day, every hour, when the miracle of Transubstantiation takes place during Mass.

 

[LaughingBoy1503]

We are not supposed to put God to the test by asking for “Signs” He is the Master, not us. But he never abandons us. He is always there, because he loves us. We just do not always get what we want. God wants us to have faith in Him.

You ask for help by sharing a experience. I can honestly say God has, so far, given me everything I want. But, I never got it at the time I wanted it. Sometimes it took years. And you have to ask for the right thing. Instead of asking for a girl to fall in love with me (I did this when I was in my teens) I had to ask for the courage to ask women out and ask for the grace to know who would be a good woman to choose. It took about 6 or 7 years after the time I began praying to find a wife that I met my wife. And it took a lot of heart break and patience and tears (and money, yes, dates cost money sometimes) before my prayer was answered. And then another couple years until my answer was sealed and a for sure thing, because my wife could have ran away the day of the wedding for all I knew. But she did not.

Just once in awhile God gives us a special grace though and we do not have to work for it at all. But it is rare, in my life. For one example… I was having a very tough time quitting getting drunk. I was a alcoholic. And a pretty hardcore one at that. I realized that I could not be a Christian and a drunk. But I realized I could not postpone baptism until I felt ready because that time would never come. SO I decided to go ahead and go through RCIA and Baptism, with my problem with alcohol. I was Baptized and God too away my alcohol problem. Just like that… I no longer wanted to get drunk. When I did have a few drinks I wanted to stop at 2 or 3 beers because I no longer liked the feeling of being buzzed. But I had to go through being a alcoholic for years before this miracle happened. And I can think of at least 2 more examples of God providing graces like this in my life. But, it is rare. Mostly, it takes a lot of work on my end to get what I am asking for.

So, Perhaps there is something you can do yourself instead of asking God to provide it for you. If you doubt Gods love for you then perhaps you need to work on getting closer to Him so that you know He is there and loves you no matter if you feel like he is or not. Perhaps you need to work on your self esteem? Some kind of therapy? Perhaps you cant afford therapy so you need to work hard, go to school, get a good job so that one day you can afford it. Who knows? I do not know you. But I know God is with you and Loves you. I hope you feel better soon. Prayers said for you.

 

[thelightoftheworld]

So, Perhaps there is something you can do yourself instead of asking God to provide it for you. If you doubt Gods love for you then perhaps you need to work on getting closer to Him so that you know He is there and loves you no matter if you feel like he is or not. Perhaps you need to work on your self esteem? Some kind of therapy? Perhaps you cant afford therapy so you need to work hard, go to school, get a good job so that one day you can afford it. Who knows? I do not know you. But I know God is with you and Loves you. I hope you feel better soon. Prayers said for you.

Thanks a lot for the detailed response and the prayers.
The thing is that I totally believe that he is here and loves me but I feel like the relation I have with God is not heart to heart. Meaning that it’s hard for me to feel His presence.
So when I prayed to him that he would bring joy and the feeling of his presence and His graces (and maybe a sign…) I don’t think I was testing Him.
I’m praying a rosary a day and going to church everyday. I just want to come closer to Him but It seems that he is very silent.

 

[Kei]

What a timely question! Mass this week (had to watch at home due to the pandemic!) had the response,
“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
And I remember the reading including,
“Eloi Eloi lama sabachthani”

Why? Well, if one possibility is that this is a chance to grow spiritually by not relying on feelings and what-not that God can give during prayer. Perhaps there is some other reason, but as I am not you nor God, I cannot say for sure why something between you and Him are such a such a way with what info I have.

 

[LaughingBoy1503]

The thing is, you are not necessarily supposed to feel anything at all in your walk with God. Relying on a feeling will always leave you disappointed because feelings come and go.

You are on the right path that you actually care about your relationship with God. Hey, remember St Mother Theresa? Have you ever heard that she did not feel God’s presence in her life for decades? She says she felt his presence I believe once or twice but then never again. Think about that. It did not stop her from becoming a saint

 

[Lion_IRC]

I recently asked Jesus to give me a little sign of His love for me and to give me a bit of joy.
Why does it seems like Jesus does not respond to the prayer I made as if He was silent ?
Could you help me either by your experience, writings of the saints or anything ?

A very moving post. (((hugs)))

There are so many beautiful acts of courage and love going on in the world right now. Yes, also some ungodliness. But the love and kindness of others is surely a sign that God’s light in this world is still bright enough to see. And while I don’t know your personal circumstances, I’m sure that if we were acquainted in real life we would, as fellow Christians, be able to help lift each other up and know that God has ‘got this’.

We trust Him. Our prayers can be for others - that He send a sign to them, not to we who need it less than they.

When I see Our Lord on the Cross praying/singing Psalm 22:1 it seems to me that even in His final breaths He is teaching us how to deal with those times when it seems like God has abandoned us. It seems clear to me that (at Matthew 27:46) Jesus is saying remember Psalm 22. Even in your (seemingly) darkest hour.

 

[Lion_IRC]

Jesus sent me back to Psalm 22 and I found;

…You are enthroned as the Holy One; You are the one Israel praises.

In You our ancestors put their trust; They trusted and You delivered them.

To You they cried out and were saved.

In You they trusted and were not put to shame.

 

[Dan_Defender]

God knows the heart and he is much much wiser than us. We all suffer in one way or another. The key is to accept it with humility. Why should I, a miserable sinner, receive any joy? It is just that I undergo many trials and tribulations until the end of my life for the times I offended God.
Lord, grant us what you will, as much as you will, when you will.

 

[Justin_Mary]

I recently asked Jesus to give me a little sign of his love for me and to give me a bit of joy.
Why does it seems like Jesus does not response to the prayer I made as if he was silent ?
Could you help me either by your experience, writings of the saints or anything ?

I don’t know.

However, when I think about asking for such I imagine my Lord weeping at how ungrateful I am. What “sign” is better than the fact that I am?

I exist is proof, to me, that He exists. & I can’t find joy in that?

I was told a while ago, can’t remember by who, pray for what you want then act as it’s already been granted.

 

[Dorothy]

Why? Well, if one possibility is that this is a chance to grow spiritually by not relying on feelings and what-not that God can give during prayer.

So true! That is what the Doctors of the Church on Prayer teach us! Just keep on loving with your will and accept the loneliness one feels without any consolations. The Lord can work in you powerfully this way, if we let Him. He is very close to us at such times.

 

[petra22]

One time I asked God what I could do for Him, and I got this weird inclination to write about beauty. The thing was I thought I was so far away from beauty that I couldn’t do it. So I started out slowly, looking around me at the flowers, at the colors, at nature…that year I filled up one notebook… I discovered so much. God made us all and he made us all beautiful!!! It helps to write down the things you notice. It sort of puts it inside you, in your heart. I don’t think you will ever feel alone again if you try it…God is always with you and you will see things…

 

[oldgraymare2]

I recently asked Jesus to give me a little sign of his love for me and to give me a bit of joy.
Why does it seems like Jesus does not response to the prayer I made as if he was silent ?
Could you help me either by your experience, writings of the saints or anything ?

I have found from my own experiences that God acts in ways that are unexpected.

In other words, it’s better if we keep an open mind and not try and put limits and expectations on anything that He might do for us.

He often works through other people for us–on the other people that we encounter in our lives.

He could show us His love for us, through the loving relationships that we have with others.

The same could be said for joy. When you think of someone that you love or something that brings you happiness, it can bring you joy, too.

I think that sometimes we can be busy focusing on answers to prayers, and we can be missing what could be an answer to a prayer that could actually be right around us, or right in front of us.

Sometimes it’s not always obvious until some time passes and we look back on a situation and see that God was actually there at the time, but that we didn’t see Him being present in a particular situation.

God bless you, and I wish you peace.

 

[GLam1761]

Our EMOTIONS get in the way of receiving the CONSOLATIONS
from God, we need to PRAISE God, not FOR the feelings of
abandonment, but b/c HE is GOD!! Many prayers in the OT
BEGINS with acknowledging that GOD is Sovereign!! And
recalls His PAST faithfulness in delivering and supplying our
needs for surviving and enjoying life!!

 

[thelightoftheworld]

Thanks a lot for the response. God bless !

 

[ForumPoster]

Sometimes it won’t always feel like Christ is present in our lives, however you can take confidence in knowing that our spiritual condition is in no way tied to our emotional state. In fact, considering that you said this:

I’m praying a rosary a day and going to church everyday.

There’s a possibility that your emotions are specifically being diabolically manipulated to create distance between you and Jesus. You have to realize that this is simply a tactic, and in no way reflects a change in your relationship with God. Continue to pray your rosary, attend Sunday Mass, and continue to cultivate your love for Christ and others. Never forget that it is only because of Christ’s love and mercy that you concern yourself with such matters to begin with, for the love of God is not a trait that is inherent to us, and unless it was for the Holy Spirit operating in your life, you wouldn’t care whether or not Jesus loved you, or if God had “abandoned” you.

I recently asked Jesus to give me a little sign of his love for me

You asked Jesus for a sign that He loves you, and here you are, distraught because you feel that you don’t have enough of Him. If that isn’t an adequate sign of His involvement and love in your life, what is?

 

[Katherine438]

Well I don’t think there is anything wrong with asking our Lord for a sign that He is hearing us … I did just that many years ago and got a resounding yes … which shocked me to my core … and helped my faith in dark times that followed … I have had many dark times since that time when the Lord let me know that He was hearing me … and I have always been able to go back to that sign and understand that even in the darkest hours of my life He is there for me.

Not saying that our Lord will answer everyone’s request for a sign, but sometimes He chooses to … for me it was at a very scary time in my life … and I guess He just took mercy on me.

 

[Onepr]

I recently asked Jesus to give me a little sign of

You will learn and experience more if you pray for other people.