I request that the members of this forum lift me up with your prayer. The unemployment cross has really been crushing lately. I think it's the change in seasons and the beginning of lent that has gotten me more down than usual. I always say next winter my life will be different, next lent, next spring, next birthday, etc and it never is. I've had a few job rejections these last few days and each new rejection makes me feel that much more powerless to change the situation. Don't worry I'm not in despair or anything like that...but I'm beyond worried and stressed about my situation. I've told Jesus I'm completely dependant on Him and I'm clinging now to the promise that He will provide for all of my needs. Trust me, I've stripped every non-essential element out of my life and am down to the bare necessities only. Please ask Him to provide for me with a career job. I've been clinging to what everyone has posted in the past...that He has a plan for my life...a future with hope...there are no mistakes...he hears my prayers, etc. But right now it's hard for me to envision this situation changing and the life I'm living now will be the new normal. Even though I offer up this cross daily for the salvation of the souls of my family and friends I still long for it to be over so I can move forward with my life. So until that happens, I ask for you to lift my spirits with prayer, because I'm miserable right now!!
Hi PotatoeSack, I've only just joined up but I will be praying for you. Its so easy to get down in oneself over the employment situation. The important thing to remember is that God was here before all this happened and He still is. And Yes He has a plan for your life. In my own prayer for such situations I ask God what can I do that would be pleasing to Him and then ask him to close the doors that don't lead to it and open those that do. I have found Paul's prayer in Ephesians 3:14-21 very helpful. I join with St Paul and pray it in the first person. God Bless Border collie
I'm with you PS. You don't have to tell me the despair you're going through. I'm your brother in this regard. Prayers for your intentions tonight.
AMEN! I'm so human, PotatoSack. My prayers for you seem to go in spurts. I'm glad you keep us posted. It's time for another spurt! I will walk the extra mile with you. We worship you and trust in you, God Almighty Father! O Lord, Giver of all gifts, we await your concrete response! Safe in the Refuge of the Two Hearts!
I'm sorry you're going through such hardships, but maybe it means you're God's extra special friend. I say that due to a story from the life of St. Teresa of Avilla. On one particular trying journey, St. Teresa complains to the Lord about her many difficulties. The Lord says, “But this is how I always treat my friends.” St. Teresa's reply, “And that is why you have so few of them.” I don't know if it really happened or not, but it's in her biography. I like to think it's true.
back to prayer for you PS! I can't think of a better time of the year to ask for miracles. I want th :lol: is favour so badly for you I can taste it, may our angels keep this request in front of our eyes. I think at Medugorje Our Lady said, 'People have forgotten that with fasting they can work miracles' Praying for miracles. You have forgotten that with prayer and fasting you can ward off wars, and suspend natural laws".
PS - I sympathise completely - You have great faith and courage - there are no words of comfort in the Garden of Gesthemane. Without faith it would be even worse as many fall into despair - The only thing I would recommend would be to receive the Eucharist as often as possible and do daily Eucharistic adoration/visits to get strength from the Lord. If it is any consolation the Lord is preparing you in advance for what is to come - many, many are going to experience what you are experiencing and worse during the tribulation. May God grant you His peace and His strength.
Potatosack, OH, this unemployment suffering continues, doesn't it? I will offer my fast and a rosary tomorrow for you to find your new employment vocation. Are you sure you should be looking for the same thing you have been all this time? I don't remember if you have considered a different path recently, perhaps that God is calling you to something different but that you can't see it or feel it yet? After I completely changed my direction toward a new profession, some doors are now at least beginning to crack open. It is so scary to start over again at 49 though...and I am still asking God constantly if this is "the right one". Because I REALLY want to do what he wants me to do...and it is so hard for me to "hear" him. I am thinking this is feeling right, but sometimes I am still as confused as I ever was. I felt sure other times in the past too. I am too trying to let go and let God, as they say. On wednesday I am going 4 hours away to a job fair at a University for teachers...never would I have thought I would be doing that 5-6 years ago. In other words, my 5-year plan has taken a totally new turn - is it out of desparation? Is it because I am listening to my daughter? Or is it because I have finally listened to God? I have no idea yet. It depends on how it turns out at this point, I guess. I pray that He makes his plan for you clear now, because when we feel like we can't take it one more day, that seems to be when he finally does reveal something. You are certainly due. Praying, praying, praying.
Hi everyone, Well I had a great, long post yesterday on this thread, but the system logged me out so I lost it. I’ll try to replicate it now. First thanks very much for all of your prayers. It truly did lift me up! Part of why I was feeling down was lent was starting and I was reading all the beautiful posts on the Lent thread about going into the desert for 40 days but all I could think of was "I’ve been in the desert for the last 2 years now…what more do you want from me??" But after reading your posts I now have a plan for lent with a lot of fasting and prayer. And as was recommended, making it to mass at least a few times a week and staying with Jesus a little while in front of the tabernacle. My way through this has to be embracing the 5 stones with a heavy focus on prayer and fasting that will strengthen me to endure this. The March 2nd message was very inspiring to me. I’m trying to change my attitude from this is a cross to this is a trial so that I may be an apostle of light. I’ll post more on this in the message thread. I do believe what I am experiencing is the dark night of the soul. Has anyone else ever experienced this? Basically I’ve never prayed harder for anything in my life or spent so much regular time with Jesus in adoration bringing this problem to him and thought so much about God’s will and what I should be doing, removed sin from my life and I just long so much to see him working in my life…and I don’t feel Him at all. The feeling of powerlessness to change the situation is especially hard. I know I’m doing all the right things to get a job and I’m knocking on lots of doors…but they all close in my face. If this is not the dark night of the soul, I never want to experience it because this has been brutal and it has been long. But in the past week or so I’ve gotten a few glimmers of hope that this will be over soon. When I was pleading with Jesus to guide me on how to pay my bills with the money that I have I felt him say to my heart “now you are completely dependant on Me”. Earlier this week the phrase “burned by the fires of love”from a song has been repeating and repeating in my head. I know it’s a U2 song but I’ve always felt God tries to reach me through music. And I can’t tell you the last time I heard that song, yet I can’t get the line out of my head. Anyway, it’s made me think a lot about purgatory where the souls there long for God so deeply but they are separated from Him which causes them much pain and suffering and they are completely powerless to change the situation…and well that’s the way I have felt for some time. So maybe these are signs my dark night will be over soon…or another part of me is saying to brace yourself because something else bad will happen to you (like an illness, etc.). I’m hopeful it’s my first initial feeling but I’m afraid to get my hopes up. Anyway, I appreciate you reading through this long post and thank you for your prayers. Your prayers and advice do help me to endure, as I wasn’t even motivated to do anything for lent before your posts. And let me know if you feel you have experienced the dark night of the soul.
PotatoSack, I think Padraig is the one to talk with concerning the dark night of the soul. Your analogy of purgatory is very good in my opinion. The dark night has been discussed in various threads (i.e. Prayer Question); try the search. I have not experienced it, but my favorite book on the subject is, When the Well Runs Dry by Thomas Green, SJ. I'll continue to keep you in prayer. Safe in the Flames of the Sacred Heart!
I'm still praying for you Potatosack! Please perhaps pray for me too that I am able to find a teaching position so I can enter the summer program at EIU and start a new chapter in my journey. It is scary to start over again. I am sooo in tune with your dark feelings. If it weren't for the joy of my grandbabies through all this I would probably be in a very dark place too. But they have brought me out of it, and actually have given me a reason to thank God for this time without a real job. I have been able to be with them a LOT more than I would have otherwise, though my money dwindling fast, I too am learning that I have to depend on God. I never did that before. It is really hard! I will say a prayer for you right now as I go to bed.
Potatosack: The dark night of the soul is so hard to endure but you are an inspiration. I'll keep you in my prayers. Coming out of the night into the light again is an amazing feeling so pursue, pursue, pursue (pray,pray,pray). Fasting is the way to concor the darkness- which is such an interesting thing that by depriving ourselves we deprive the devil of us by creating such strength against his deeds. I marvel at that. my heart and prayers go out to you, Kath
Well you are very much in my prayers PS. We are nver closer to Jesus than when we hang with Him on the Cross. I'll keep praying for you through Lent. I am heading to Poland next week to Kracow for St Patiricks Day so I'll pray for you specially at the Shrine of Mary, The Black Madonna at Czestecowa. ] We go thorugh many Dark Nights through life, sometimes very,very dark indeed in which we truly embrace the cricified Christ but the Dark night of the Soul is a once only event. I am inclined to think this is a Dark Night, no matter how terrible rather than THE Dark Night, but I may be wrong in this as in much else. Here is a book cheers me up, by a Jewish Rabbi and full of wisdom:
