prayer and procrastination

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i am in a rut and have been evading God's prassence for some time now. i talk to Him during the day, i know HE directs my paths but i stuggle with self discipline and distractions. It is very like being a student and knowing your books are under your table unopened and knowing it would all be so much better if you just opened them and made a start on your revissions but you just sit there looking at them and procrastinate. I am not just talking about a little prayer time before bed. My desire is a heart to heart union with God. i feel like i am in the wilderness and for some reason God has also denied me the comforts of Christian fellowship as i have not made any close relations with the people in my church community. i feel that God has not given me this because He wants me to draw near to Him for comfort an not rely on human love. although i have may non christian friends i really hunger for frienships with those i can share my heart and spirituality with. I sometimes think that a large degree of this struggle is God willed and other times feel it is a spiritual struggle with opposing forces. of couse my lack of discipline and lazyness play a part. Please pray that God rescues me form my self

-- tara moore (tiarateewee@hotmail.com), March 26, 2004

Answers

Hi Tara,

God knows your heart's desires. He is calling out to you. He seeks to draw you close to Him for He loves you more than you can imagine. Whether you know it or not, just thinking of God is a form of prayer. Trust in Him.

I was once in a similar situation. I started praying the rosary and reading Scripture. This led me to join a Catholic Bible study. The Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus by Fr John Croiset also helped me realize the depth of Christ's love for us all. In time, doors started opening. I found a whole community of believers that helped strengthen me. I started spending fifteen minutes a day with Christ in the Eucharist and attending Mass daily whenever possible. Soon I had a hunger to learn more about Christ. Your path may be different, but the key is to submit to Christ, and to persevere in prayer even when it seems he does not hear you. And trust in Him. You will see doors start to open and you will desire God more. He will abide in you and prompt you to love Him even more. The changes may be gradual, but God will answer you. He is calling you to love Him more. Persevere in prayer and live your faith in love. Talk to Him as you would a LOVING FATHER for that is exactly what He is. Ask the Holy Spirit for guidance.

It may help to just start out everyday telling Jesus with your heart of hearts that you trust in Him and that you love Him, and that you seek to do his will. Try to keep this in mind throughout the day. God will answer you, if you but listen. Sometimes His answer is a gentle breeze rather than a strong wind.

I will pray for you this very minute.

By the way, did I already say to trust in Him? :)

-- Andy (asmere@earthlink.net), March 26, 2004.


Dear Tara you write:

"i feel like i am in the wilderness and for some reason God has also denied me the comforts of Christian fellowship as i have not made any close relations with the people in my church community."

The situation you are going through the spiritual writers call it a "period of aridity". Many a Christian goes through those periods. But it must nos discourage anyone, knowing that even the great Saints experienced them. God allows this to happen, so that when you find the sweetness of His presence in your life again it so much happier an hour that you won't even remember the tough period you went through. I am talking from experience.

Keep on praying and the light will shine again soon.

Enrique

-- Enrique Ortiz (eaortiz@yahoo.com), March 26, 2004.


Dear Tara,

What a wilderness you are going through ! but know that God has an understanding of it and knows about it. If God is allowing this - then you can rest assure that He will help you through it, He wont let you go - Sometimes he allows these things for a reason that we dont understand until later :) TRUST IN HIS PROVIDENCE Trust in His wisdom

and sometimes, things often do not go the way we think, perceive or want them to. Tell me about it.

Its that same old lesson of trust "The more a soul trusts, the more it will receive" (Jesus in Divine mercy) Its the lesson for me, too.

Thanks for your prayers, Tara.. I will pray for you, too. God will never let you go -

Love Dora, your friend in Christ

-- Dora W (dvw28@hotmail.com), March 27, 2004.


Tara, you said a couple things that i would like to respond on...

I sometimes think that a large degree of this struggle is God willed and other times feel it is a spiritual struggle with opposing forces.

you're more or less right in both counts. Satan tries to tempt you and make you fall away. By the same note, God allows you to be tempted, but not more than you can bear. But why does God allow you to be tempted? Because you are not just a member of the church, you will one day be a soldier in the Army of Christ. God wants you to be the spiritual "toughy" that you will need to be in order to serve Him.

Please pray that God rescues me form my self

I will pray that God grants you the strength, compassion, wisdom, and discipline to find your own way out of this and to him. God is your savior, but He works in great ways, as opposed to just the obvious...

-- paul h (dontSendMeMail@notAnAddress.com), March 27, 2004.


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