To my MoG family Please pray me. My life seems to follow a strange scenario. I go along OK for a few months, praying and God is in His Heaven and alls well in my life as I'm able to carry my cross joyfully, and then I feel a great urgency for prayer and I do not really know this at the time, in a sensibile sence (if you know what I mean), however the Lord allows me the time and I become engrossed in prayer and just spend time in prayer, but I don't recoginse this at the time. Example I am given time to say 5 extra rosarys a day, plus many other prayers. I have now analysed his phenonmen and realise that (in the beginning/ or at the start of this phenonem) I am feeling a push from somewhere in my soul which is hardly perceptible but I normally believe that it is just me and I joyously accept this wonderful extra time that the Lord has given me for extra time in prayer, How wonderful!!, however at the time of this extra prayer (I now realise) that inside I am raceing against an unknown and mostly unfelt force. Because after these times, attacks in all areas in my life occur! After this flurry of prayer and devotion I am assulted with the most acute perscutions and the most terrible of situations that I could never have imagined. This has just happened again. And I know many who read this will not understand what I am discribing and thats ok. I am now facing this cycle of the unknown and the incredible suffering again and I don't know what to do? as the attacks are very servere this time. It takes my peace away at times and it always involves new circumstances that I could not have expected to occur in my life. I find I have recourse not only to Our Lord and Our lady and St Joseph but have to call on the Saints and the Holy souls and the Angels for help in formal prayer. I feel really devastated at the moment as the evil one is trying to strip me of all supports, in all areas. If it wasn't so personally heartbreaking it would be hillarious! Have any others on the forum suffered this? as I feel very alone. Please pray me.
Josephite I do understand what you mean and have experienced the same thing. Suffering is allowed by God in your life so that you grow spiritually. I know that this will sound strange but suffering is a gift. I cringe even as I am saying this because I do not want to go through the fire again. It can truly be devastating but it will have the effect of growth if you turn to God. It seems that when the Holy Spirit fills you with peace then prayer is joyful and easy. When the peace is gone it is almost impossible to pray and one wants to give up. When the winter comes or a draught occurs the roots of the trees go deeper - they are forced to. The when the spring comes again there is new growth. It is the same with us. I'll pray for you if you pray for me
Yes, I do understand. It sounds like we are experiencing some similarities. Two weeks ago, I went on a weekend retreat- it was beautiful- prayers. Confession, and Mass. Great fellowship with other Catholics. But, our priest warned us to be prepared for the evil attacks once we went home. He was right. I've shared with you all the great challenges we are going through with two of my kids and now my wife's business partner is back to her ways of being nasty and very disruptive. Last weekend and earlier this week, I felt almost a sense of despair. I turned to the Rosary. Even though I just "said it" with no purpose or real devotion, I sensed Our Lady's precedence. In fact one night this week, I just couldn't sleep- I was filled with anxiety and I simply listened to an on-line version of Rosary and within a few minutes was in peace and then fell asleep through the night. No doubt in my mind that Our Lady was present and all the evil around me fled at her prescience. Now I'm not possessed (now if you ask my wife and kids- they might give you a different answer ) . But I do believe, there is evil trying to pull us away from God. It's a fight- the fight of our lives. So yes, hang in there Josephite. I will pray for you.
It is never God's will for us to lose our peace, because we are then open to stan's attacks. Two very powerful ways to keep one's peace, is to surrender (not resign) our circumstances and will to His divine will and to trust that all He allows in our life has a purpose for our good. He is in control always. I will pray for you.
Today someone gave me a copy of Novena of Surrender. It was given to a mystic priest Fr. Dolindo Ruotolo. It is supposed to be very powerful.
Yes, Josephite, I too am suffering, to the point of sometimes screaming at God for the circumstance I find myself in. I will pray for you.
Praying for you Josephite! I can't tell you how many times I have been in your situation and am going through one right now!
I find your story very similar to my little sister Therese she used the theory of the little ball to explain her feelings a little insight below.. Therese introduces the image of the "ball" into her diary and this would be a feature of numerous pages of her convent life story: "I had offered myself to the Holy Child some time before. I told him not to use me as a plaything for the worthy but as a little ball of no value that he could throw on the ground, kick, pierce, leave in a corner, hold close to his heart, as he wished; in a word, I wanted the Holy Child to play, I wanted to please him, I wanted to abandon myself to his childlike caprices ... In Rome, Jesus did pierce his plaything. He tried to see what was inside it and, having seen, he was happy with his discovery. He let the ball fall and fell asleep . . Dearest Therese please help Josephite in her journey
Prayers going up!! To be honest I feel the opposite at the moment. I feel guilty at times because my life is so full of joy. Sometimes I am so happy I could dance. Since there is such a need of suffering to help sinners I do feel guilty. But God gives the joy as He gives the Cross. His will be done.
Thank you everyone for your generous prayers and thoughts. We are the communion of saints and I know your prayers for me are very powerful. Reading everyone reply, it strikes me that many of us are suffering similar circumstances. God bless you all and I continue to pray for the intentions of the MOG forum and also prayers for individuals as well. I hope to keep you informed especially if there is positive changes to my current circumstances. I love you all. Jesus, Mary and Joseph I love you save souls.
Yes I know what you mean. In my case, when I am prompted to pray extra, I think it is to sustain me through something difficult that is around the corner. For instance I was on my tablet on this forum. I clicked on something but my knuckle must have dragged on a tab that had a novena to the holiday spirit on it because that is what ended up on my screen. I knew I did not click that tab, so I took that as a prompt to say it and worried a bit about why I was prompted to say it. Two days after I finished the novena a situation suddenly emerged that was the incredibly stressful and scary. That is when I posted for urgent prayers on this forum. It is past now but I think I needed that novena to get me through it. And the prayers of the forum too! I will pray for you!
Josephite! I've prayed for you everyday by name ever since you spoke of your family strife in the past. I don't know why some are called to suffer more than others. Mine is strictly mental and emotional (I'm positive all self induced!). Just try to remember that Padre Pio stated that if we knew the value of suffering we would ask God for it! If everything Charlie Johnston states is right then we're on a short leash for suffering. And very shortly this will be over (I pray!). That gives me hope, and if this be true then you know ol' red legs is furiously on the hunt to injure and hurt. So please be patient and persevere. Your reward is great. God Bless!
Josephite, I will try to remember and walk with you for the next week. I find your response beautiful in that when these trying scenarios appear on the horizon, rather then get discouraged to the point of abandoning the Lord for a spell, you double down and lean on Him and his friends even more. Thank you for your faithfulness, even in these heartbreaking circumstances. It shows me that you are truly focused on the pearl of great price! The Lord has allowed this to happen. He will bring you through it once more! As Robert says your roots will have sunk even deeper into the love of God! Ps 30 1 I will extol You, O Lord, for You have lifted me up, And have not let my enemies rejoice over me. 2 O Lord my God, I cried to You for help, and You healed me. 3 O Lord, You have brought up my soul from Sheol ; You have kept me alive, that I would not go down to the pit. 4 Sing praise to the Lord, you His godly ones, And give thanks to His holy name . 5 For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for a lifetime; Weeping may last for the night, But a shout of joy comes in the morning.
