God is good. I've have definitely been in this period of aridity and dryness. I'm not sure if part if the reason us just all the depressing news or something else. I was becoming worried if it was a sign of lukewarm ness . Thankfully I came upon this article. I know I need to continue to work through it- and I'm in the struggle , but I'm trying and still reaching for God. I'm wondering if any others have been dealing or have gone through this in the past? What helped you through it? http://blog.adw.org/2015/06/on-the-purpose-of-aridity-in-the-spiritual-life/
Although this is difficult and hard to appreciate Miker. You have been given a gift. Jesus endured the aridness of the desert for 40 days and 40 nights. Abandon yourself to the Divine Will, keep praying and you will find peace. Keep 'doing' the things you are meant to do - prayer, Mass, Confession. But most of all praise God and adore Him. Even though He will seem a million miles away He is so close to you in your aridness. You have to force your will to do these things. But the proof of Love of God is that you continue to show Him love even though your heart is like a barren desert. Read the Psalms and see how David went through the parched times. You are experiencing Psalm 42.
Looking back on my own spiritual path ; I have never been closer to Christ than when I have felt furthest away. We never are closer to Jesus than when we hang with Him on the Cross. Love is not about emotions. Love is of the heart and the heart beats ever quicker in the Darkness of the Death of Sense.
8 Listen! My beloved! Look! Here he comes, leaping across the mountains, bounding over the hills. 9 My beloved is like a gazelle or a young stag. Look! There he stands behind our wall, gazing through the windows, peering through the lattice. 10 My beloved spoke and said to me, “Arise, my darling, my beautiful one, come with me. 11 See! The winter is past; the rains are over and gone. 12 Flowers appear on the earth; the season of singing has come, the cooing of doves is heard in our land. 13 The fig tree forms its early fruit; the blossoming vines spread their fragrance. Arise, come, my darling; my beautiful one, come with me.”
Interesting link on Spirit Daily@ http://blog.adw.org/2015/06/on-the-purpose-of-aridity-in-the-spiritual-life/
Adoration helps, even if you just sit there and feel as if you are alone in the chapel. Maybe you can get a rosary prayer app or podcast where the hail Mary's are already being recited out loud and you just focus on the meditation.
miker, St. Ignatius of Loyola pointed out 3 kinds of aridity. 1) The first is caused by our holding on to subtle patterns of sin that may be just below our radar. A habit of regular examining our conscience is a key remedy for this. 2) A second aridity is caused by illness or maybe weariness caused by too hectic a schedule. The culprit in this situation is the close link between body and soul. Take care of the body and the soul will respond. 3) The third type of aridity is allowed by God who desires us to pursue Him and not consolations, so He removes the latter in hope that we more readily yearn for him. One sign that the aridity is from God can be ascertained by our response. If we remain faithful to prayer and the sacraments in the midst of aridity, and still bear the fruit of good works, this is great. If we return to our old sinful habits in the midst of aridity, then we can be sure Joe Jerk has a hand in our struggle. Faithfulness is the true sign of love. Fr. Thomas Greene, SJ calls for perseverance when we're miserable in not experiencing God, but the alternatives don't attract us, either. Then we're doubly miserable! A good spiritual director (hard to find) is helpful in such a situation. There is the temptation to think we might be in the Dark Night of the Soul, but I believe God tests us first by turning the faucet off and on over a period of years. At least that has been my experience. I had to smile when a few years ago Padraig thought I might have entered the Dark Night, but such was not the case. The fact remains that my spiritual life has been dry for the most part the last four years. Safe in the Flames of the Sacred Heart!
Garabandal, Excellent point. I wouldn't have blabbed so much above if I had read you first! Safe in the Hearts of Jesus and Mary!
Thank you all for your advice and thoughts. I was blessed to be at Adoration last night for First Friday. The words of Psalm 42 touched me greatly: 1 As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God. 2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God? 3 My tears have been my food day and night, while people say to me all day long, “Where is your God?” 4 These things I remember as I pour out my soul: how I used to go to the house of God under the protection of the Mighty One[d] with shouts of joy and praise among the festive throng. 5 Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. 6 My soul is downcast within me; therefore I will remember you from the land of the Jordan, the heights of Hermon—from Mount Mizar. 7 Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls; all your waves and breakers have swept over me. 8 By day the Lord directs his love, at night his song is with me— a prayer to the God of my life. 9 I say to God my Rock, “Why have you forgotten me? Why must I go about mourning, oppressed by the enemy?” 10 My bones suffer mortal agony as my foes taunt me, saying to me all day long, “Where is your God?” 11 Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.
Sometimes ,Especially when I am outside my usual schedule this psalm pierces my heart. I usually go to mass very early in the morning. This leaves the rest of the day, no Church. But in the monastery we went to the Office of the Church several times a day and I also got to spend several hours a day in front of the Blessed Sacrament. So I had not got much to pant about!! But now I am a lay person, I often feel such a hunger for the Lord. Not in the mornings, for then there is the wonderful mass. But sometimes in the late afternoon and evenings such a great hunger comes upon me....especially when I am camping and have time for deeper prayer. It reminds me of the sweet hunger we get say from listening to deeply spiritual music: The longing for heaven
It's strange but I have found the more God gives us t satisfy our hunger for Him, the more we hunger. As St Augustine said, 'Our hearts are restless till they rest in thee'. But in this life, I believe there is a continual restlessness, God gives Himself , yet we desire ever more.
The longing for heaven... Who else have I in heaven, but thee... Bring me home, O Lord, whom I love so poorly, yet am loved so completely by You! Into Your unapproachable Light draw me , my Sovereign Liege! The longing for heaven... and there is none upon the earth whom I desire besides Thee! Even now sweet Lord, draw me into Your dwelling place within, that I may I may exhibit pleasing fruit without! Safe in the Flames of the Sacred Heart!
Blessed are those who hunger for heaven, who hunger for righteousness.... For they shall be satisfied! This hunger is the birth pangs of immortality.
