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BigRon
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I feel like prayer is a false hope like someone begging the king for mercy and then getting thrown to the lions anyway.
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Mrchatsworth
Guest
Well, ok, if you stop praying does that give you peace and comfort and guidance?
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Polite_Atheist
Guest
My two cents would be that plenty of people who have never prayed a day in their lives live wonderful, full lives with ease.
I guess you need to think about why you pray. Is it because you seek a connection with God, or because you want stuff?
I guess you need to think about why you pray. Is it because you seek a connection with God, or because you want stuff?
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FrancisFan43
Guest
You would run the risk of falling into sloth, which is a capital vice. Remember, we are definitely unworthy of our Master’s love and attention. Thankfully, His love and mercy is so great He gives us attention anyway.
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annad347
Guest
Well said… some people find comfort in prayer, hope… some feel its a chore we are required to do… depends on why you pray.
Remember, God likes it when we pray to Him. He likes it when we seek Him…talk to Him… maybe ask Him why you feel false hope when you pray to the only One who can truly give it to you.
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BigRon
Guest
Most of the time when I have prayed it isn’t because I want something. Sometimes I like praying, other times I like to pray for others in the hope that my prayers can help them. When I have big problem in my life I need help from God but it doesn’t come, this is soul destroying. If He were to tell me why then it would make it easier.
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heidi_storage
Guest
Would your life be different if you ignored your spouse?
God is not a tyrant or a wish-granting genie. We are to pray to him, even if we feel it is useless; our feelings can be wrong.
God is not a tyrant or a wish-granting genie. We are to pray to him, even if we feel it is useless; our feelings can be wrong.
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BigRon
Guest
Funny you should say that, my wife has ignored me since 25th November 2019.
I actually feel I am being ignored by God though not the other way around, I will probably continue to pray just out of fear but won’t enjoy it.
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heidi_storage
Guest
Ah, I’m so sorry. God is not ignoring you. Do you read the book of Job, or the Psalms? This world is a place of suffering, but I find contemplating wisdom literature to be good for my soul.
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BigRon
Guest
I find the book of Job as pretty awful. It’s a long book and also God allowed Satan to practically destroy him to prove Satan wrong. Is that what God is doing with me?
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Annie
Guest
Will you love God only for Himself, or does He have to make your life trouble-free for you to love and talk with Him?
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BigRon
Guest
I love Him anyway but a little help would be nice.
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heidi_storage
Guest
I’ve always found it comforting for the following reasons:
I have prayed for you.
- Awful things happen to Job and he is never told why. This is true to life; sometimes our suffering eludes easy answers. Job’s friends say all the “right” things to Job, but they are not righteous in doing so. But
- God is present throughout the book, and in his own time makes himself known to Job. And this is enough for Job.
I have prayed for you.
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mrsdizzyd
Guest
I have had times in the past where prayer felt dry and tedious, but never like I am begging and being thrown to the lions. Perhaps it is because I am intentional about being sure I reflect on what has gone well and offer prayers of thanksgiving for those things. In this way, I try to remain mindful of all the ways I feel the mercy of God in my life.
Having said that, I can say that I have gone through periods of not praying in my life. Without exception, those times have been downright awful by comparison.
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TheMortenBay
Guest
So, this is gonna be one of those personal experience stories, but bear with me. While I was converting to the Catholic Church I decided I needed a break. I was swept up in trying to live life as a Catholic, and I had to “test” whether it was worth it. I stopped going to Mass a couple of Sundays and I probably didn’t pray about it either.
I used to meet with my parish priest every two weeks for catechesis/ RCIA, so a few weeks passed before I had to make a concrete decision that involved anyone but me. But as soon as I had written the priest that I was not going to come and that I needed a break, that’s when I felt the call back to the Church and I started to pray again. You could say absence makes the heart grow fonder, or that you only know what you have when you give it up. The Church’s teaching on grace on the other hand says that we grow in grace when we practice. I can’t recall what Saint or Doctor said it, but if we’re not growing/ increasing in faith we’re basically going backwards. I believe that was what happened to me. I needed to pray MORE, but the only way I could tell was by praying less.
It if course turned out that my parish priest was praying for me the whole time.
Anyway, I would strongly discourage that you stop praying. Even when we don’t know what to pray for or when we pray for something that goes against the will of God, prayer can never be a sin. God loves any sincere prayer and He does with it what He wills. He wants what is best for you AND Him. And there’s no contradiction in that.
I used to meet with my parish priest every two weeks for catechesis/ RCIA, so a few weeks passed before I had to make a concrete decision that involved anyone but me. But as soon as I had written the priest that I was not going to come and that I needed a break, that’s when I felt the call back to the Church and I started to pray again. You could say absence makes the heart grow fonder, or that you only know what you have when you give it up. The Church’s teaching on grace on the other hand says that we grow in grace when we practice. I can’t recall what Saint or Doctor said it, but if we’re not growing/ increasing in faith we’re basically going backwards. I believe that was what happened to me. I needed to pray MORE, but the only way I could tell was by praying less.
It if course turned out that my parish priest was praying for me the whole time.
Anyway, I would strongly discourage that you stop praying. Even when we don’t know what to pray for or when we pray for something that goes against the will of God, prayer can never be a sin. God loves any sincere prayer and He does with it what He wills. He wants what is best for you AND Him. And there’s no contradiction in that.
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Wm777
Guest
I honestly feel for you. I think we all do. A lot of us are probably in the same situation, so you’re not alone.
So what to do?
Well, we have two types of prayer: Contemplative and Active.
You didn’t say what mode of prayer you practice. Maybe if you try to cast your net over the other side? Sort of like a mini-break.
What the title of your post suggests is that your prayerful intention is to seek something that will make a positive difference in your life. That means you’re experiencing aridity. You’re seeking some sort of fulfillment.
The CCC would recommend more rigorous prayer, although I can’t recall the citation at the moment.
But maybe just use your gut?
Try moving (i.e. praying/intending) one way or the other (with good intent). We’re not allowed to test God, but St Paul says it’s okay to test the spirits.
Suppose you fail. Suppose you make mistakes. Suppose - God forbid - you even commit a sin…
Although, if you’re intention is good, it’s not really a sin, since malign intent is one of the three requirements for a sin. So it’s enough just to assume you fail. Then what?
Well - at least you tried something new… There’s got to be something different in it, so do an examen to look at the results.
Separate the chaff from the grain, and keep going.
Jesus believed Prayer is ALIVE… To stop praying would mean the weeds would overrun your land… So look for the seeds that carry with them the hope of fulfillment and set to work… That seems to be the cycle of life here on earth, as Christ describes it…
So what to do?
Well, we have two types of prayer: Contemplative and Active.
You didn’t say what mode of prayer you practice. Maybe if you try to cast your net over the other side? Sort of like a mini-break.
What the title of your post suggests is that your prayerful intention is to seek something that will make a positive difference in your life. That means you’re experiencing aridity. You’re seeking some sort of fulfillment.
The CCC would recommend more rigorous prayer, although I can’t recall the citation at the moment.
But maybe just use your gut?
Try moving (i.e. praying/intending) one way or the other (with good intent). We’re not allowed to test God, but St Paul says it’s okay to test the spirits.
Suppose you fail. Suppose you make mistakes. Suppose - God forbid - you even commit a sin…
Although, if you’re intention is good, it’s not really a sin, since malign intent is one of the three requirements for a sin. So it’s enough just to assume you fail. Then what?Well - at least you tried something new… There’s got to be something different in it, so do an examen to look at the results.
Separate the chaff from the grain, and keep going.
Jesus believed Prayer is ALIVE… To stop praying would mean the weeds would overrun your land… So look for the seeds that carry with them the hope of fulfillment and set to work… That seems to be the cycle of life here on earth, as Christ describes it…
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Wm777
Guest
@BigRon - And note that even just by asking - you are (in a sense) praying with us here, even though it is a cyber forum, and not the Prayer Intentions section…
That works to your credit…
That works to your credit…
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Poet
Guest
I feel your pain, Ron. I’ve really, really struggled with these exact same feelings for a long time. Sometimes my whole life feels like a series of bad things happening and I wonder what was the point of all the prayer I’ve done. I see many, many prayers that have not been answered, parts of my life falling apart despite every attempt to do the right thing while others who thumb their nose at God seem to thrive.
But then sometimes while I’m praying, God guides my mind back to all the good that is also happening and the reminders that those ignoring him really are * not* all that happy, that their behavior has caused them a host of health and mental issues. I see my children turning to God and as a result making the choices that will serve them well in this life and in eternity and I believe that has happened as a direct result of years of prayer.
I have gradually seen how prayer has changed me and come to understand that sometimes it’s a very long, slow process.
A friend once told me a story about a man told by God to push a rock every day. He pushed and pushed and pushed and could never budge it and finally got exasperated with God, saying WHY did you tell me to move a rock that can’t be moved?! God replied, I didn’t tell you to move the rock. I told you to push the rock. Look how strong you’ve become by doing so.
That story has helped me a lot for the last 15 years through a lot of pain. I finally see how I myself have changed and grown.
And yes, it’s also about a relationship with God.
But then sometimes while I’m praying, God guides my mind back to all the good that is also happening and the reminders that those ignoring him really are * not* all that happy, that their behavior has caused them a host of health and mental issues. I see my children turning to God and as a result making the choices that will serve them well in this life and in eternity and I believe that has happened as a direct result of years of prayer.
I have gradually seen how prayer has changed me and come to understand that sometimes it’s a very long, slow process.
A friend once told me a story about a man told by God to push a rock every day. He pushed and pushed and pushed and could never budge it and finally got exasperated with God, saying WHY did you tell me to move a rock that can’t be moved?! God replied, I didn’t tell you to move the rock. I told you to push the rock. Look how strong you’ve become by doing so.
That story has helped me a lot for the last 15 years through a lot of pain. I finally see how I myself have changed and grown.
And yes, it’s also about a relationship with God.
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Annie
Guest
I can soooooo sympathize with that! Sometimes I felt like if I just understood why then I would be able to manage better…
But I think that not knowing, not understanding, and having to trust the Lord that even tho everything seems really wrong, God will draw good out of it, it will be good for my holiness (if I let it
), is an additional cross.
And crosses are good because we can offer them up
Abd when things are going really well… i start to feel nervous.
But I think that not knowing, not understanding, and having to trust the Lord that even tho everything seems really wrong, God will draw good out of it, it will be good for my holiness (if I let it
), is an additional cross.And crosses are good because we can offer them up
Abd when things are going really well… i start to feel nervous.
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