Lost in idolatry?

[Wryetui]

Hi guys. I have a problem that I didn't realize until now. I do not know hot to think at God. When I pray, when I talk to Him I don't know how to think of Him, how to imagine Him. I find jews and muslims to have a much lesser work, because they strictly have a monotheistic depicture of God, but I cannot stop thinking of God as a haotic abstract idea, either I imagine God as what is depicted in the icon, either I find myslef praying to three different Gods...

Can you help me?

 

[Winchester]

I guess that you as an Orthodox Christian know that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and therefore God himself. So if you have some trouble with the Trinity try to think of God only in the person of Jesus Christ. Praying to Jesus and prayers to God have both the same recipient.

 

[ArmyMatt]

can we help? no, but God can. and it's okay "not to get it all." Jews and Muslims have compartmentalized God into something their rational minds can grasp, which is how you know they are in error. the fact that you acknowledge the mystery shows that you get it to some degree.

 

[Wryetui]

I am thankful for your advices. Before when I thought of God I thought only of The Father and I only prayed to Him. so if I think or pray to anyone of the trinity is like I am praying to all of them?

Ps: I am posting this while I am waiting for confession

 

[ArmyMatt]

well, you can pray to one of the Persons (the Our Father, the Jesus Prayer, Oh Heavenly King), but when He acts it's all Three Persons that answer the prayer.

 

[Wryetui]

So I can pray to anyone on the trinity because they won't get mad at me, and They will help me together as one?

 

[Dewi Sant]

I am thankful for your advices. Before when I thought of God I thought only of The Father and I only prayed to Him. so if I think or pray to anyone of the trinity is like I am praying to all of them?

Ps: I am posting this while I am waiting for confession

It isn't 'like' you're praying to Trinity, you are!
The Trinity is undivided, the persons though distinct are not separate. 'Mutual Indwelling', what the Greeks call 'perichoresis.

Many allegories, such as water in three states, though always being (ice, water, steam)

 

[Wryetui]

So if I feel more comfortable praying to the Father is it ok?

 

[ArmyMatt]

So if I feel more comfortable praying to the Father is it ok?

well, I would talk to your priest about this, but I see no issue. when Christ taught us to pray, he told us the Our Father.

but again, best to ask your priest something like this.

 

[~Anastasia~]

So I can pray to anyone on the trinity because they won't get mad at me, and They will help me together as one?

I think ArmyMatt is giving you very fine advice but just a little point - no, you aren't going to offend Christ by praying to the Father, or offend the Holy Spirit by praying to the Trinity, etc. it's all ok.

It's good I think to speak to your priest about how you conceptualize God. But you aren't offending God by not perfectly understanding (thank God, or we'd all be offensive!) nor by directing your prayers to any one or all of the Trinity. (And there's probably something technically wrong with how I said that, but basically, you don't need to worry that God is offended. You are praying, that's what's important!).

Blessings to you!

 

[Wryetui]

Ok guys so you answered well, thank you I have just one thing for you to answer me, in what do you think while praying? Which is the image or what do you keep constantly on your mind?

 

[~Anastasia~]

Ok guys so you answered well, thank you I have just one thing for you to answer me, in what do you think while praying? Which is the image or what do you keep constantly on your mind?

I think that's a good question, and one I had planned to ask. We are encouraged to pray before icons, and may be looking at them. And yet several writings on prayer I have read are very adamant that one should imagine NOTHING in the way of an image.

I have found that when I am praying my best (for me, I'm not saying this IS the best, it's just the best I've managed) ... During times like that, the prayer kind of takes over. It is the WORDS and what they mean that fill my heart. To be honest, there really aren't any visual images in my mind. It's the power and meaning of the words, the liveliness of my heart toward them, what feeling may come from that - and that is about all. No sights, sounds, smells, etc. that I focus on in the natural or imagine in my mind. The words themselves point to God, so that is where my focus is.

I don't know if that's good or not. But I wish I could do it every time.

I have been very moved by the images in icons when I pray, but that sort of prayer feels slightly "bound" in a way. Still good in its own way.

But I would really love to hear some answers on this. Because I've wondered for quite a few months now, but don't think I've ever asked yet.

 

[Dewi Sant]

I'm with you on image less prayer.

I don't use icons as a central focal point, but rather as reminders and witnesses to a heavenly reality. Oh how do I explain it without writing pages?

The icons are real. I do not imagine images in prayer.
This is how my mind is constructed, we are all different and I find it very difficult to keep a strong or even discernable faith at the moment so I am not writing as a yogi.