| Author | |
Angie Mc
Board Moderator
Joined: Jan 31 2005
Location: Arizona
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 11400
|
| Posted: March 02 2006 at 4:16pm | IP Logged
|
 |
|
I look forward to coming back to this thread when I have some time for uninterrupted reading. In the mean time, I want to post off-the-cuff thoughts on the topic.
I believe that it was Peter Kreeft who brought to my attention the idea of God hiding from me at times in order to strengthen my faith. Makes sense. When I'm wrapped in His obvious embrace, it doesn't take much faith to love Him, does it? My job is to trust God's judgement that I am able to handle His hiding and look at it as a time to grow in spiritual strength. I'm very visual so I like to picture in my mind a curtain billowing or a mountain edge behind which I know He is. I also tell myself, "Wow, He trusts me enough for this?"
Another thought. I'm a bit cautious about spritual feelings and experiences. I hope I'm not misunderstood here. When God blesses me with lovely feelings and experiences, I am grateful for them! Yet, I have seen many a person misguided by a desire for spritiual highs. In a way, spiritual dryness seems more authentic to me.
A joke. A friend and I were discussing this very topic a while back and got to laughing. We decided that God must shake his head a lot at us. On one hand, if we feel spiritually dry, we panic. On the other hand, if we feel a spiritual high, we question, "Am I so spiritually weak that God needed to give me His lavish attention?" So human! Thank Goodness, God's ways are not ours  .
Love,
__________________
Angie Mc
Maimeo to Henry! Dave's wife, mom to Mrs. Devin+Michael Pope, Aiden 20,Ian 17,John Paul 11,Catherine (heaven 6/07)
About Me
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Willa
Forum All-Star
Joined: Jan 28 2005
Location: California
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 3881
|
| Posted: March 02 2006 at 8:19pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Angie Mc wrote:
| Another thought. I'm a bit cautious about spritual feelings and experiences. I hope I'm not misunderstood here. When God blesses me with lovely feelings and experiences, I am grateful for them! Yet, I have seen many a person misguided by a desire for spritiual highs. In a way, spiritual dryness seems more authentic to me. |
|
|
My background is evangelical Protestant and we'd get altar calls at vacation bible school and at camp... basically the sermon would drum up emotions and then they'd challenge us to make a commitment to Jesus. I'd wonder why the spiritual effects seemed to last for such a very short time after I got back home. I thought it was something wrong with me 
Consequently, the Catholic religion has been "consoling" to me in its very lack of insistence upon "consolations". I remember reading someone's conversion story. He said he never felt LESS spiritually high than when he went to receive Holy Communion for the first time. That was a relief to me -- it gave me permission to detach my faith from sheer emotion and pin it instead to my will and intention and of course, a reliance on Grace whether I am sensing it or not.
I guess that up until I became Catholic (16 years ago this Easter!) or even after, I thought you HAD to be receiving spiritual consolations in order to know you were on the right track. So when I wasn't getting those graces, I'd get discouraged and let my devotions slip. I'm still working on changing that habit.
The analogy to a marriage relationship is a very interesting one. .... gives me something to think about.
__________________
AMDG
Willa
hsing boys ages 11, 14, almost 18 (+ 4 homeschool grads ages 20 to 27)
Take Up and Read
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Willa
Forum All-Star
Joined: Jan 28 2005
Location: California
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 3881
|
| Posted: March 03 2006 at 8:18pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Rachel May wrote:
Today I came across this one in James 1:2-4 "My brothers, count it pure joy when you are involved in every sort of trial. Realize that when your faith is tested this makes for endurance. Let endurance come to its perfection so that you may be fully mature and lacking in nothing."
That goes right back to the 1 Corinthians 13:11 that Theresa mentioned. I do want a more mature faith, but as I've mentioned elsewhere in reference to labor, I'm a big chicken about pain.  |
|
|
Rachel,
It's interesting because I read James 1 to my teenage son this morning, and planned to comment on it here, not even remembering that you had quoted it!
I know it's hard to be joyful about suffering and I know I don't manage to do well about that -- but the part about "count it as joy" doesn't seem quite the same as FEELING joy, if you know what I mean. If we talk about labor, probably none of us thinks labor is fun, but we still "count it as joy" to be transitioning from pregnancy to having a little newborn in our arms.
So I wish I could REMEMBER this when I am in dry spiritual times, but it's so hard to keep that faith and trust.
__________________
AMDG
Willa
hsing boys ages 11, 14, almost 18 (+ 4 homeschool grads ages 20 to 27)
Take Up and Read
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
jdostalik
Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 15 2005
Location: Texas
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2935
|
| Posted: March 07 2006 at 8:17am | IP Logged
|
|
|
I've really enjoyed all the discussions we've had on spiritual dryness. This book is a treasure trove...Do you think we might try another chapter to discuss? I'm chomping at the bit to read some more and discuss with you great ladies! 
__________________
God Bless,
Jennifer in TX
wife to Bill, mom to six here on earth and eight in heaven.
Let the Little Ones Come
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
momwise
Forum All-Star
Joined: March 28 2005
Location: Colorado
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1914
|
| Posted: March 07 2006 at 8:43am | IP Logged
|
|
|
I'm ready for another chapter too 
__________________
Gwen...wife for 30 years, mom of 7, grandma of 3.....
"If you want equal justice for all and true freedom and lasting peace, then America, defend life." JPII
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
lapazfarm
Forum All-Star
Joined: July 21 2005
Location: Alaska
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 6082
|
| Posted: March 07 2006 at 12:35pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Me too!
__________________
Theresa
us-schooling in beautiful Fairbanks, Alaska.
LaPaz Home Learning
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Rachel May
Forum All-Star
Joined: June 24 2005
Location: Kansas
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2057
|
| Posted: March 07 2006 at 8:16pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
I was trying to see how much everyone had to share before we moved on. But if we are ready, what do you think of distractions during prayer? For me that goes hand in hand with dryness. Or do you have something else in mind? I remember Theresa had mentioned a different chapter before....
__________________
Rachel
Thomas and Anthony (10), Maria (8), Charles (6), Cecilia (5), James (3), and Joseph (1)
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Rachel May
Forum All-Star
Joined: June 24 2005
Location: Kansas
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2057
|
| Posted: March 07 2006 at 8:18pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
WJFR wrote:
I know it's hard to be joyful about suffering and I know I don't manage to do well about that -- but the part about "count it as joy" doesn't seem quite the same as FEELING joy, if you know what I mean. If we talk about labor, probably none of us thinks labor is fun, but we still "count it as joy" to be transitioning from pregnancy to having a little newborn in our arms.
|
|
|
I've been thinking about this a lot this week. It's a great idea to meditate on. As I was reading something about natural childbirth it was mentioning that Americans fear pain, especially labor pain and want it gone. And other cultures view labor pain as productive and good. They don't find it enjoyable, but maybe they "count it as joy"? I'm trying to approach this desert and my labor with that thought in mind.
__________________
Rachel
Thomas and Anthony (10), Maria (8), Charles (6), Cecilia (5), James (3), and Joseph (1)
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
momwise
Forum All-Star
Joined: March 28 2005
Location: Colorado
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1914
|
| Posted: March 07 2006 at 8:42pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Rachel May wrote:
| But if we are ready, what do you think of distractions during prayer? For me that goes hand in hand with dryness. |
|
|
That is exactly the chapter I started on!
__________________
Gwen...wife for 30 years, mom of 7, grandma of 3.....
"If you want equal justice for all and true freedom and lasting peace, then America, defend life." JPII
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
jdostalik
Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 15 2005
Location: Texas
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2935
|
| Posted: March 08 2006 at 10:07am | IP Logged
|
|
|
I will try to read the chapter on distractions and post later today or tomorrow. Sick kids here today! 
__________________
God Bless,
Jennifer in TX
wife to Bill, mom to six here on earth and eight in heaven.
Let the Little Ones Come
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
lapazfarm
Forum All-Star
Joined: July 21 2005
Location: Alaska
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 6082
|
| Posted: March 08 2006 at 10:24am | IP Logged
|
|
|
Distractions it is! I will try to read it soon, but will be going to Miami for a wedding tomorrow, so may noy get to post until next week.
__________________
Theresa
us-schooling in beautiful Fairbanks, Alaska.
LaPaz Home Learning
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Rachel May
Forum All-Star
Joined: June 24 2005
Location: Kansas
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2057
|
| Posted: March 08 2006 at 1:40pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Wow, that was easy. I'll read it quickly and start a new thread ASAP.
__________________
Rachel
Thomas and Anthony (10), Maria (8), Charles (6), Cecilia (5), James (3), and Joseph (1)
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Rachel May
Forum All-Star
Joined: June 24 2005
Location: Kansas
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2057
|
| Posted: March 09 2006 at 7:47pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
I apologize for forgetting to add this link to Helen's internet journal earlier. I read and enjoyed it and I hope you will too even if we are moving on....
Thurs March 2
__________________
Rachel
Thomas and Anthony (10), Maria (8), Charles (6), Cecilia (5), James (3), and Joseph (1)
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Jen L.
Forum All-Star
Joined: Oct 18 2005
Location: Virginia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2148
|
| Posted: March 14 2006 at 10:50am | IP Logged
|
|
|
If you are looking for the "Distractions" thread:
Here it is!
We'd love to have you join us...
__________________
Jen
dh Klete,ds (8/95),dd (12/97), dd (11/00), and ^2^ in heaven
"...the best state in which to glorify God is our actual state; the best grace is that of the moment..." St. Peter Eymard
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
4Real Forums : Domestic Church
Topic: Saintly Solutions--Spiritual Dryness
