Why don't I accept this hardship

[Upgrade25]

The lack of having a warm, fuzzy feeling when I pray. My mind says it’s cause I’m Catholic and Catholicism isn’t Christianity, but that’s hogwash. Saint Teresa didn’t have a fuzzy feeling for some time, and she didn’t attribute it to Luther’s lie. Why do I?

 

[St_Francis]

Having consolations when you begin is as normal as parents’ cheering their babies when they take their first steps.

God does not want us to pray for the consolations, He wants us to pray because we love and seek Him. It is easy to see consolations sad holiness, but holiness is much harder to attain than that.

Be grateful for the consolations you have received, and thank God in every circumstance

 

[Lenten_ashes]

The lack of having a warm, fuzzy feeling when I pray. My mind says it’s cause I’m Catholic and Catholicism isn’t Christianity, but that’s hogwash. Saint Teresa didn’t have a fuzzy feeling for some time, and she didn’t attribute it to Luther’s lie. Why do I?

I didn’t have fuzzy feelings most of the time praying as a protestant. I think the fuzzy feelings come afterwards…when you see the Lord answer in amazing fashion.

Asking the Holy Spirit to change our hearts and minds isn’t something only reserved for protestants… Catholics do it too and should continue to do it. Makes things more “personal” to borrow a protestant term.

 

[pianistclare]

Ah, “feelings”.
This is the way non-Catholic draw others to their churches. they love bomb people, they rely on “feelings” as proof that they are somehow closer to God.
Read the biography of St. Teresa of Calcutta.
Her “feelings” were pretty flat much of the time. But she knew she was doing what the Lord wanted, and didn’t rely on emotional feelings. It’s difficult, yes. Definitely. We so want to please God or get positive reinforcement for our prayers that when there is silence, we have natural doubt.
But God is faithful, ever true. And He does not abandon us even in the confusion of our humanness.
Be at peace, persevere.
All things come to those who are faithful and true.

 

[Zerg]

I, also, have lost that trembling feeling of awe, when praying.
I could blame it on sin, or meds or stress… Nothing in the world is perfect.​

Perhaps you should read this story. When a man asked Mother Teresa to pray for him, she asked “what for?” to which he replied “That I may find clarity.” Mother Teresa then said that you will never find clarity… we Christians live by faith in Christ.

Our entire world functions on trust:
*we accept mathematical formulas by faith
*we place our trust in medical doctors and airline pilots
*trusting people superior to us, because they know what they are doing.

 

[Bonnie]

Ah, “feelings”.
This is the way non-Catholic draw others to their churches. they love bomb people, they rely on “feelings” as proof that they are somehow closer to God.

Very true. Which is why we know Protestants (including my own family) who church hop. Even if you don’t get love bombed, the newness can be exciting. When the newness wears off, it’s time for a new church to get that feeling back.

Learning to dismiss feelings was a hard lesson for me to learn when I became Catholic. I almost left the Church because of that, but fortunately, I did learn.

 

[PelagiathePenit]

Ah, “feelings”.
This is the way non-Catholic draw others to their churches. they love bomb people, they rely on “feelings” as proof that they are somehow closer to God.
Read the biography of St. Teresa of Calcutta.
Her “feelings” were pretty flat much of the time. But she knew she was doing what the Lord wanted, and didn’t rely on emotional feelings. It’s difficult, yes. Definitely. We so want to please God or get positive reinforcement for our prayers that when there is silence, we have natural doubt.
But God is faithful, ever true. And He does not abandon us even in the confusion of our humanness.
Be at peace, persevere.
All things come to those who are faithful and true.

Let nothing disturb you all things pass on

 

[Lenten_ashes]

Very true. Which is why we know Protestants (including my own family) who church hop. Even if you don’t get love bombed, the newness can be exciting. When the newness wears off, it’s time for a new church to get that feeling back.

Learning to dismiss feelings was a hard lesson for me to learn when I became Catholic. I almost left the Church because of that, but fortunately, I did learn.

Amen.

And often feelings get hurt and that triggers another church shopping experience. I’m not sure if this is just a protestant thing or a modern day America thing. We are overly sensitive and demand instant, drive-thru gratification.

And my experience in the non denominational Church, it was 15 minutes of singing followed by a 40 minute sermon, then the closing blessing. So much of it depended upon if the sermon was any good. And so it was always hit or miss. Hardly ever had communion. Even as a newer Christian I could see something was missing there and too much of it was based upon feelings.

 

[Nigel7]

The lack of having a warm, fuzzy feeling when I pray. My mind says it’s cause I’m Catholic and Catholicism isn’t Christianity,

Catholicism IS Christianity. The original Christianity. The REAL Christianity.

Sorry, but it bothers me when Catholics buy the line that they are somehow not Christian. It’s ridiculous.

 

[Church_Militant]

There is nothing in scripture where we are promised emotional solace outside of heaven. We have peace, knowing that God loves us and paid a terrible price to redeem each and every one of us and that He will take us unto Himself in His good time.

Warm fuzzies are no indicator of anything and are deceptive. One cannot measure a life of faith by one’s feelings. There are a lot of n-Cs and faith communities/teachers (prosperity gospel types in particular) who have a real thing about emotions. My hackles go up whenever I hear the phrase, “you can feel the Spirit.” because it is tied to emotions and the Holy Spirit is active in us all the time and not always with any emotional trigger. To rely on feeling and emotions is to allow them to deceive you from God’s presence. Read Job…great faith and not much warm and fuzzy at all.

To borrow from a movie I once saw and embellish…
“Fear is nothing more than a feeling. You feel hot. You feel hungry. You feel angry. You feel afraid. Fear can never kill you.”

Feelings (emotions) have nothing to do with spiritual realities. Reality exists regardless of how I feel at any given moment.

St Faustina understood this and expressed it well with the last optional prayer in the Divine Mercy Chaplet which I often pray all by itself and sometimes as amended in parentheses.

Eternal God, in whom mercy is endless and the treasury of compassion — inexhaustible, look kindly upon us and increase Your mercy in us, that in difficult moments (like this) we might not despair nor become despondent, but with great confidence submit ourselves to Your holy will, which is Love and Mercy itself.

 

[Arizona_Fat_Gir]

You are not alone. I don’t know of many who get warm, fuzzy feelings when they think about God or pray to him.

Warm fuzzies are nice, but don’t depend on them.

 

[plainatheart71]

There is nothing in scripture where we are promised emotional solace outside of heaven. We have peace, knowing that God loves us and paid a terrible price to redeem each and every one of us and that He will take us unto Himself in His good time.

Warm fuzzies are no indicator of anything and are deceptive. One cannot measure a life of faith by one’s feelings. There are a lot of n-Cs and faith communities/teachers (prosperity gospel types in particular) who have a real thing about emotions. My hackles go up whenever I hear the phrase, “you can feel the Spirit.” because it is tied to emotions and the Holy Spirit is active in us all the time and not always with any emotional trigger. To rely on feeling and emotions is to allow them to deceive you from God’s presence. Read Job…great faith and not much warm and fuzzy at all.

To borrow from a movie I once saw and embellish…
“Fear is nothing more than a feeling. You feel hot. You feel hungry. You feel angry. You feel afraid. Fear can never kill you.”

Feelings (emotions) have nothing to do with spiritual realities. Reality exists regardless of how I feel at any given moment.

St Faustina understood this and expressed it well with the last optional prayer in the Divine Mercy Chaplet which I often pray all by itself and sometimes as amended in parentheses.

Eternal God, in whom mercy is endless and the treasury of compassion — inexhaustible, look kindly upon us and increase Your mercy in us, that in difficult moments (like this) we might not despair nor become despondent, but with great confidence submit ourselves to Your holy will, which is Love and Mercy itself.

This helped me so much to read this. I have struggled with prayer most of my adult life. I still do. And I know that much of the reason is because I was Protestant until only 2 1/2 years ago. And we were involved in the Charismatic movement which is all about “feelings” and “feeling the Spirit.” I have equated “feelings” with holiness for so long that I have about given up at times. So thank you so much for posting this. I’m going to actually write down some notes from what you shared here.

 

[LatinRight]

The lack of having a warm, fuzzy feeling when I pray. My mind says it’s cause I’m Catholic and Catholicism isn’t Christianity, but that’s hogwash. Saint Teresa didn’t have a fuzzy feeling for some time, and she didn’t attribute it to Luther’s lie. Why do I?

**Blessings Upgrade,

Luck of joy in our spiritual life is common, practically it is nonexistent among Charismatic Catholics.

THE CAUSE OF OUR LUCK OF SPIRITUAL JOY

Matt.4:4;
But He (Jesus) answered and said, “It is written, Man shall not live by bred alone, but by

every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.”

Rom.10:17;
So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.”

IT IS VERY SIMPLE

If we don’t consume enough physical food, our bodies are starving.

If we don’t consume enough spiritual food, our spirits are starving.

As follows, the Catholic Church wonderfully teaches the way of healing of our luck of spiritual joy.

THE LAMB’S SUPPER by Scott Hahn Page 48

Quote: One of the great Scripture scholars of the early church, Origen (third century), urged

Christians TO RESPECT CHRIST’S PRESENTS IN THE GOSPEL as they RESPECT

HIS PRESENCE IN THE HOST.

“You who are accustomed to take part in the divine mysteries know, when you receive the

body of the Lord, how you protect it with all caution and veneration lest any small part fall

from it, lest anything of the consecrated gift be lost.

For you believe, and correctly, that you are answerable if anything falls from there by neglect.

But if you are so careful to preserve His body, and rightly so, HOW DO YOU THINK THAT

THERE IS LESS GUILT TO HAVE NEGLECTED GOD’S WORD THAT TO HAVE

NEGLECTED HIS BODY?” End quote.

It is common knowledge among Christians that we are Catholics far the most Bible

illiterates among all Christian groups.

I believe WE ARE GUILTY OF NEGLECTING THE WORD OF GOD.

Continue**

 

[LatinRight]

**CATHOLIC SENSIBILITY, DEI VERBUM 21

Quote: The Church has always VENERATED the divine Scriptures JUST AS she

VENERATED the body of the Lord, since, especially in the sacred liturgy, she unceasingly

receives and offers to the faithful THE BREAD OF LIFE from the table of BOTH of GOD’S

WORD and of CHRIST’S BODY.

For in the sacred books, the Father who is in heaven meets His children with great love

and speaks with them; and THE FORCE AND POWER IN THE WORD OF GOD IS SO

GREAT THAT IT IS STANDS AS THE SUPPORT AND ENERGY OF THE CHURCH,

THE STRINGS OF FAITH for Her (children), THE FOOD OF THE SOUL, THE PURE

AND EVERLASTING SOURCE OF SPIRITUAL LIFE.

“For the WORD OF GOD IS LIVING AND ACTIVE” (Hebr.4:12) and it HAS THE POWER

TO BUILD YOU UP and give you your heritage among all those who are sanctified. (Acts 20:32) End quote.

THE SCRIPTURES are referred to as the “BREAD OF LIFE” in direct association with a

reference to the Eucharist.

– John 1:1; Matt.4:4; Luke 4:4.

We have access and we are able to eat the “BREAD OF LIFE” in TWO ways: The Church

offers the faithful the bread of life FROM THE EUCHARISTIC table of BOTH of GOD’S

WORD and CHRIST’S BODY.

THE CATHOLIC CHURC UNDERSTANDING OF THE BIBLE by Fr. John Harden SJ.

Quote: “The Scriptures are holy because their main author is the all-holy God. But they

are also holy because they are able to sanctify those who READ the Bible as NO OTHER

LITERATURE in the world is capable of doing.

St. Thomas does not hesitate to speak of the Scriptures as a KIND OF SACRAMENT.

SIMULAR to what happens when we receive BAPTISM or the EUCHARIST.

The same Holy Spirit who first inspired the Bible CONTINUES TO ENLIGHTEN those who

now READ the Bible.”

When in faith, READING or HEARING the Word of God we are consuming the BREAD

OF LIFE, in which He (Jesus), Himself is consumed and we unite ourselves to Christ.

[CCC 108]; Still, the Christian faith is not a “religion of the book.”

Christianity is a religion of the “Word” of God, “not a written and mute word, but incarnate and living.”

If the Scriptures are not remain a dead letter, Christ, the eternal Word of the living God,

must, through the Holy Spirit, “open [our] minds to understand the Scriptures.”

Blessings

LatinRight**

 

[Church_Militant]

This helped me so much to read this. I have struggled with prayer most of my adult life. I still do. And I know that much of the reason is because I was Protestant until only 2 1/2 years ago. And we were involved in the Charismatic movement which is all about “feelings” and “feeling the Spirit.” I have equated “feelings” with holiness for so long that I have about given up at times. So thank you so much for posting this. I’m going to actually write down some notes from what you shared here.

Glory Be To God!

I am humbled to hear that and I understand; having been active in the AoG and even a deacon until we left. I saw it a lot and it was odd to me.

Emotions are no good indicator of holiness or the moving of the Holy Spirit. More often than not I have found that I miss the divine intervention until it is past kind of like the prophet and that still small voice he heard.

Hang in there and take up your cross daily and we can travel on together.