I feel I have lost my faith and that God is not happy with me. Sometimes I open books looking for words of consolation but the messages I seem to get of late can be disconcerting. Would appreciate prayers in this difficult time as I have a fearful rather than loving relationship with God at the moment and am afraid. Thank you.
Definitely praying for you. Turn to Our Lady in the meantime, She reflects the White Light of God and softens Its harshness; maybe try reading The Glories of Mary by St. Alphonsus de Liguori, among other similar works that touch on Our Lady's protection and advocacy.
Thanks RW. I only completed the Consecration to her last Pentecost Sunday. I started it on the Feast day of Saint Louis de Montfort. Perhaps I am being tested. I hope so.
I'll also pray for you Sanctus. May you soon know the consolation of God. One book I like is "The Practice of the Presence of God." I try to remember that each day. God loves us enough that he sent Jesus, His son, to live like us and die for us. That love never fails. Even in our darkest days, He loves us.
I can think of some scriptures that might be good to repeat as short prayers. "He who comes unto Me I will in no way cast out." "He who calls upon the Name of the Lord will be saved." "He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and save us from all unrightousness." "Come unto Me all you who are burdened and I will give you rest." I find that claiming these words from scripture is very helpful in the midst of darkness. I say "Jesus Your Word says...." and I quote the scripture. Perhaps the best of all is the Jesus prayer: "Jesus Son of God have mercy on me a sinner." Praying for you Sanctus.
But for the grace of God...... keep the faith....God will never...ever fail you. We have to accept what this life deals us, but we were not born for this life. Only the next. Our goal...heaven. Anyone looking for happiness in life is forgetting the words of St. Bernadette.... “ Our Lady said we will not find happened in this life, only in the next”. It’s so true..... Try to remember, all suffering is redemptive if you choose to offer it up.....the rewards are incalculable! God bless!
I will add your name to my prayer group intentions. I'm not sure if I posted this prayer before..it's very heart warming.. PRAYER FOR WORRY, FEAR AND DOUBT: Eternal, Holy God, I come to You burdened with worries, fears, doubts and troubles. Calm and quiet me with peace of mind. Empty me of the anxiety that disturbs me, of the concerns that weary my spirit, and weight heavy on my heart. Loosen my grip on the disappointments and grievances I hold on to so tightly. Release me from the pain of past hurts, of present anger and tension, of future fears. Sometimes it’s too much for me Lord, too many demands and problems, too much sadness, suffering, and stress. Renew me spiritually and emotionally. Give me new strength, hope, and confidence. Prepare me to meet the constant struggles of daily life with a deeper faith and trust in You. Let your love set me free, for peace, for joy, for grace, for life, for others, forever. Amen. I also have this one which you may want to pray every day; O Holy Spirit of God, please come down upon me this day and fill my soul with Your Holy presence. Illuminate me, sanctifying me, console me, guide me, enlighten me, and strengthen me. In these days of so much confusion, I need you to show me the way. Let the scales fall from my eyes, let my eyes see with your eyes, let my mind be enlightened with your thoughts, let me speak with your words, let my heart radiate your love, let me live in Your Will. Never abandon me, my God. I love you. Amen
Thanks for the prayers everyone. Sometimes God can hide His face and the Night seems a little more darker, but He is still there.
Pray the Prayer of Gazing, Sanctus. Just gaze at this picture - this is Christ’s Tomb in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. No words needed.
When I have been thrown into despair, my go to thought is this. I picture in my mind Jesus standing silently before Herod, and Pilate prior to his crucifixion. I contemplate why? Why did he stay silent. In all his glory he could have changed everything and everyone, but he didn't. Yet he suffered mentally and physically. He is everything without me and I am nothing without him. I repeat this over and over, Then I asked for his will to be done not mine, and ask Him to show me the way. Structured prayer is hard for me. Talking to God from your heart is what we have to do.
You mean opening books at random, and believing that's what you're meant to read? I personally don't trust that method. Fell to it as a teenager during a very dark time in family/life. I also got "disconcerting" results too often, which I came to believe were not meant to be (discouraging, alarming, troublesome ... when I needed assurance, peace, inspiration). Since then I've gone with deliberate, planned reading.
Thanks everyone for prayers. Hopefully it is just a dark spell. Feeling the urge to pray to Saint John Vianney because I believe I have a vocation in the future.
