XIX Posted February 19, 2008 Share Posted February 19, 2008 I have completely lost to capacity to say any kind of prayer except for sitting down somewhere (preferably at adoration or something) and just sort of laying my heart down somewhere, which a blank expression on my face, thinking "ow...ow...ow...ow...ow...ow..." etc. etc. etc. I tried to pull out a Rosary 2 days ago and just could not bring myself to begin it. I could have forced myself maybe, but it would have seemed so fake, so contrived. All I wanted to do was just stay there and be still in my suffering. owwwwwwwwwwww. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Birgitta Noel Posted February 19, 2008 Share Posted February 19, 2008 Been there, done that. Just be. Offer Him your pain. That in itself is a prayer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XIX Posted February 19, 2008 Author Share Posted February 19, 2008 That's all I can do right now. The good news is that I can do that extremely well right now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dismas Posted February 19, 2008 Share Posted February 19, 2008 That would be spiritual dryness alright. It is a challenge for you to grow. It's easy to pray when you have the warm fuzzy feelings of spiritual consolation and mental focus, but we won't progress very far if we don't pray when it's tough. I believe you can tough this one through, and I'm sure you will find greater strength in the graces you receive should you succeed. I've succeeded a couple times myself, and failed plenty as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatherineM Posted February 19, 2008 Share Posted February 19, 2008 That happens to me at times, especially with the rosary. I find myself getting mindless about it, and I never want to approach it that way. I just put it aside for a few weeks until I find myself yearning for it again. In the mean time, I do other things. I like listening to the rosary being sung over the internet from my favorite radio station back home before I go to bed. If I can't say it, I can still listen to it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatholicCid Posted February 19, 2008 Share Posted February 19, 2008 One thing I remember hearing when in times like these... Pray the hardest when you don't want to pray at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GuyWithAFoil Posted February 19, 2008 Share Posted February 19, 2008 I can't seem to find where I read it, but I believe that C.S. Lewis says in his "Mere Christianity" that the prayers we make when we don't feel like it are worth even more to God than those we make when we want to talk with Him. or something along those lines. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brigid Posted February 19, 2008 Share Posted February 19, 2008 [quote name='XIX' post='1465412' date='Feb 18 2008, 09:14 PM']I have completely lost to capacity to say any kind of prayer except for sitting down somewhere (preferably at adoration or something) and just sort of laying my heart down somewhere, which a blank expression on my face, thinking "ow...ow...ow...ow...ow...ow..." etc. etc. etc. I tried to pull out a Rosary 2 days ago and just could not bring myself to begin it. I could have forced myself maybe, but it would have seemed so fake, so contrived. All I wanted to do was just stay there and be still in my suffering. owwwwwwwwwwww.[/quote] ughh. it's not quite that bad for me, but I definitely feel like that right now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aalpha1989 Posted February 19, 2008 Share Posted February 19, 2008 [quote name='XIX' post='1465412' date='Feb 18 2008, 09:14 PM']I have completely lost to capacity to say any kind of prayer except for sitting down somewhere (preferably at adoration or something) and just sort of laying my heart down somewhere, which a blank expression on my face, thinking "ow...ow...ow...ow...ow...ow..." etc. etc. etc. I tried to pull out a Rosary 2 days ago and just could not bring myself to begin it. I could have forced myself maybe, but it would have seemed so fake, so contrived. All I wanted to do was just stay there and be still in my suffering. owwwwwwwwwwww.[/quote] Happens to me all the time. In the last 8 months, anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MC IMaGiNaZUN Posted February 20, 2008 Share Posted February 20, 2008 [quote name='XIX' post='1465412' date='Feb 18 2008, 09:14 PM']I have completely lost to capacity to say any kind of prayer except for sitting down somewhere (preferably at adoration or something) and just sort of laying my heart down somewhere, which a blank expression on my face, thinking "ow...ow...ow...ow...ow...ow..." etc. etc. etc. I tried to pull out a Rosary 2 days ago and just could not bring myself to begin it. I could have forced myself maybe, but it would have seemed so fake, so contrived. All I wanted to do was just stay there and be still in my suffering. owwwwwwwwwwww.[/quote] THIS IS A VERY GOOD SIGN This is a sign that God wants to take you to the next level. This is what St. John of the Cross calls the beginning of a Dark Night. There comes a time, when the things in prayer that give us comfort, like rosaries, formalities, structure, just do not work, because these prayers are not God. We have to get to the God behind all those consolations, instead of depending only on those consolations. This is a good time for you to grow in God's love. God is not a feeling, God is so much more. SHALOM Bro Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
farglefeezlebut Posted February 20, 2008 Share Posted February 20, 2008 I'm currently not praying much,. I can't concentrate and I'm worried about doing it "wrong". Your comments have encouraged me to persevere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prose Posted February 20, 2008 Share Posted February 20, 2008 I would highly suggest reading the new book of letters from Mother Teresa. It really helped me at the time of a similar "faith crisis". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmotherofpirl Posted February 20, 2008 Share Posted February 20, 2008 [quote name='XIX' post='1465412' date='Feb 18 2008, 10:14 PM']I have completely lost to capacity to say any kind of prayer except for sitting down somewhere (preferably at adoration or something) and just sort of laying my heart down somewhere, which a blank expression on my face, thinking "ow...ow...ow...ow...ow...ow..." etc. etc. etc. I tried to pull out a Rosary 2 days ago and just could not bring myself to begin it. I could have forced myself maybe, but it would have seemed so fake, so contrived. All I wanted to do was just stay there and be still in my suffering. owwwwwwwwwwww.[/quote] Maybe God wants to do the talking for a change...since he has rendered you speechless maybe you should just try listening. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissyP89 Posted February 20, 2008 Share Posted February 20, 2008 I'm right there with you, XIX. Lent really is the desert season... Hang in there. We'll both break through the brick walls soon enough... Pax Christi. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XIX Posted February 21, 2008 Author Share Posted February 21, 2008 [quote name='MC IMaGiNaZUN' post='1466259' date='Feb 20 2008, 03:27 PM']THIS IS A VERY GOOD SIGN This is a sign that God wants to take you to the next level. This is what St. John of the Cross calls the beginning of a Dark Night. There comes a time, when the things in prayer that give us comfort, like rosaries, formalities, structure, just do not work, because these prayers are not God. We have to get to the God behind all those consolations, instead of depending only on those consolations. This is a good time for you to grow in God's love. God is not a feeling, God is so much more. SHALOM Bro Mark[/quote] Hmmmm... I dunno if it's quite dramatic enough for it to really be a dark night. I'd have to look into that more and do quite a bit of discernment. This particular stint has only lasted a few days so far. I did have an image yesterday--I was in this small prayer circle, and I had an image where I was just a skeleton and I completely collapsed to the floor. I thought it described me rather well...especially the collapsing part. Thanks everyone for the encouraging replies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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