Why This Lonliness?

[InLight247]

I can relate well to what you are saying. I have a great family, and I do have a few friends. But none of them could be my spiritual companion.

Spiritual loneliness is not unusual. I have prayed for years for a spiritual companion but God’s answer was no. Then I realized the Holy Spirit wanted to guide me himself. Loneliness did push me closer to God. What I did to quench my desire of spiritual companion was constant prayer and constant spiritual reading, with every possible free moment, that is. By doing so, I have actually developed a good intimacy with God.

At certain point of my spiritual journey, I felt I must have a spiritual director. I felt I couldn’t go on without one. I asked in my prayer and God led me to my current SD.
I am reading Saint Faustina’s diary. She too, prayed for a spiritual director for long time and finally got one. I trust God always knows what we can and cannot take.

 

[fin]

hi, InLight247.

i too absolutely love to pray and talk to God. at the same time, i’d like to have someone to talk to. Coz’ when i go here at CAF or watch EWTN, i enjoy seeing Catholics so enthusiastic and talking about the Faith among the. i tell myself, “wow, i’d like to have friends like these too.”.

 

[InLight247]

hi, InLight247.

i too absolutely love to pray and talk to God. at the same time, i’d like to have someone to talk to. Coz’ when i go here at CAF or watch EWTN, i enjoy seeing Catholics so enthusiastic and talking about the Faith among the. i tell myself, “wow, i’d like to have friends like these too.”.

Fin, Have you ever thought about joining the small church group at your parish?

I belong to one of our parish’s small church group. Though the group is only 6-week during Advent and 6-week during Lent, we sometime get together during ordinary time also. My group is very good. All members get along well. We discuss our faith and share our life experience during our meetings.

Spiritual loneliness is unavoidable. It is very hard to find someone who are at the same point of the spiritual journey. There is always some feelings and reflections one can share it with no one but the Lord only. Nevertheless, joining some Catholic faith group is a big help. And CAF is good too. That’s probably why we spend much time here.

 

[fin]

hi again. well, i really don’t attend the nearby parish, i go to a chapel.so technically i don’t have someone i can talk to about the faith for the moment. i also think that even if I join a parish group, they don’t have that zeal for the faith in general.
maybe God will introduce a person in my life, someone i can relate to in matters of faith.

 

[InLight247]

Pray about it, ask God to lead and provide. I hope you will find such a friend. God bless!

 

[Greg27]

The Celtic Christians in Ireland said every Christian needs an anam-chara, or soul friend. This person helps us and builds us up on our faith journey, though God will usually send such a person into our life at the right time.

The modern fragmentation of community in urban society often leads to people being isolated, alone and alienated, and deprived of support. The decline in Churches is something that makes this worse.

Prayer for God to give guidance and support from others is a good way to deal with this sort of lonliness.

 

[chevalier]

Hello all. I have just been wondering, I have been praying lots etc. but why do I feel so alone sometimes??? It is a lonliness that is almost painful, and I cannot explain it. I pray my daily Rosary etc, but still. It’s a sort of INNER lonliness, and I have had it for years. It brings me to sadness at times, and when alone, the feeling of wanting to weep, but at times I don’t.
Any advice?? Has anyone here ever felt the same? Or experienced the same thing??? Please tell me, am I the only one??

Heya. :tiphat:

Yup, I know the feeling. It comes from the inside and while it’s not unaffected by the number of people around and the “intensity” of their presence, it may well kick in when I’m surrounded by people or even in the middle of a more intimate (not in “that” way) meeting with a loving person. I’ve got used to it in some degree and it’s a part of me, but the greater intensities are painful. Sometimes this means physical pain - tension in my face muscles, especially jaw, which leads to headaches. Proper headaches on their own, too, sometimes chest pains or breathing problems - it meshes with asthma and something else… same as I get asthma attacks or chest pains from emotional quarrels. So perhaps this is an emotional thing but I don’t realise this. Don’t get me wrong, I can be ecstatically happy (I don’t mean in the clinically euphoric sense, though), like a child, or inexplicably optimistic, driven, etc, trusting… But always (almost) marked by a certain kind of melancholy that people close to me feel bad for being unable to dispel. Sometimes I can just catch myself, “oh, chev, you’re in that again, cheer up, smile,” and it works. A bit like I can tell myself to change my mood (yes, I have that kind of willpower… I have the willpower to keep running when I’m spitting blood, but let’s leave this alone).

BTW, do you notice any difference when you’ve slept well, have properly rested, properly fed, hydrated, have enough light around you, enough oxygen and all? Those are the seemingly little things that have a surprisingly big potential for messing people up. I generally become much more productive when I make sure the room looks nice, clean and tidy, well-lit and aired, get myself a nice tea or actually spend some time making the froth for coffee that I make for my guests but don’t normally consider my old self worth the effort and ceremony. Spending some time outside helps. Getting physically exhausted from work or exercise works like charm. Generally having more structure in life and giving out more energy tends to help a lot.