I want to grow closer to God and get my life in order

[headphones777]

Hi everyone. I am a young male and I am looking for advice on how to grow closer to God and to get my life in order. I am struggling to see clearly what the purpose of my life is. This is mostly seen in my day-to-day life: I have been unemployed for a couple of years now, since being fired from my previous job. I have started a university education, however it is far from being completed even after 8-9 years. Now I am struggling to find the direction that I am supposed to go in. There is no pull toward either of those things at the present moment.
My emotional state is pretty numb and apathetic to most things. I think that I lack motivation and I don't get enjoyment from the things that people normally get enjoyment from. I am questioning whether or not this has something to do with my habitual sins; maybe they have numbed my emotional state?
I am Catholic and I do go to confession and Mass on Sundays. However, sometimes I struggle to sense what the Lord is telling me in prayer. This is a source of frustration for me.
I do believe that the Lord has great plans for me, because when I look back to my spiritual history, there has been some pretty extraordinary signs indicating this. However I am currently struggling to find the direction the Lord wants me to go in. I could use some encouragement and advice.

 

[Unqualified]

Do what you like to do and if there is a market for it there will be a job for you. Eze 18:31

 

[AlexB23]

Hi everyone. I am a young male and I am looking for advice on how to grow closer to God and to get my life in order. I am struggling to see clearly what the purpose of my life is. This is mostly seen in my day-to-day life: I have been unemployed for a couple of years now, since being fired from my previous job. I have started a university education, however it is far from being completed even after 8-9 years. Now I am struggling to find the direction that I am supposed to go in. There is no pull toward either of those things at the present moment.
My emotional state is pretty numb and apathetic to most things. I think that I lack motivation and I don't get enjoyment from the things that people normally get enjoyment from. I am questioning whether or not this has something to do with my habitual sins; maybe they have numbed my emotional state?
I am Catholic and I do go to confession and Mass on Sundays. However, sometimes I struggle to sense what the Lord is telling me in prayer. This is a source of frustration for me.
I do believe that the Lord has great plans for me, because when I look back to my spiritual history, there has been some pretty extraordinary signs indicating this. However I am currently struggling to find the direction the Lord wants me to go in. I could use some encouragement and advice.

Well, I found out that reading the Bible has strengthened my faith. I am a Catholic also, and since March 2024, I have been getting into the Bible more. I will pray for you. If you struggle to get sustenance, as you are currently unemployed, many churches have food banks from what I have heard.

 

[Pop D.]

Pray to be filled with the Holy Spirit, and pay attention to which doors God seems to be opening for you and which ones He keeps shut.

 

[headphones777]

Pray to be filled with the Holy Spirit, and pay attention to which doors God seems to be opening for you and which ones He keeps shut.

I pray, yet nothing happens...

 

[Pop D.]

I know it's hard, but have patience. God works on His perfect timing, not ours.

 

[Diamond72]

I am struggling to see clearly what the purpose of my life is.

God gives us gifts, talents and abilities at or before conception. We need to use what we have to bring Him praise, Honor and Glory. He writes the book of our life every page before we are born. (Psalm 139 16) Our angels read that book and they help us to become the person God is creating us to be.

 

[headphones777]

God gives us gifts, talents and abilities at or before conception. We need to use what we have to bring Him praise, Honor and Glory. He writes the book of our life even page before we are born. (Psalm 139 16) Our angels read that book and they help us to become the person God is creating us to be.

Yes I know, but it is hard to do that sometimes. I set out with that in mind a few years ago, and I tried to achieve my dreams and my destiny, yet everything went in the opposite direction. Now I cannot summon the willpower or the motivation to believe in my dreams or in God's plan for me for that matter.

 

[linux.poet]

Yes I know, but it is hard to do that sometimes. I set out with that in mind a few years ago, and I tried to achieve my dreams and my destiny, yet everything went in the opposite direction. Now I cannot summon the willpower or the motivation to believe in my dreams or in God's plan for me for that matter.

Usually when something like that happens, you need to ask yourself why it happened. There’s a missing problem that needs to be solved that you’re not solving or a spiritual battle that needs to be fought that you’re not fighting. God has pointed out the problem and he’s not talking because you know what needs to be done and you don’t want to do it.

Why did you get fired from your job? What education are you pursuing in university, and why is it incomplete?

 

[headphones777]

Usually when something like that happens, you need to ask yourself why it happened. There’s a missing problem that needs to be solved that you’re not solving or a spiritual battle that needs to be fought that you’re not fighting. God has pointed out the problem and he’s not talking because you know what needs to be done and you don’t want to do it.

Why did you get fired from your job? What education are you pursuing in university, and why is it incomplete?

I got fired because my employer thought I was mismanaging my duties. This was 6 years ago, however. It was only partially true, because I did not do it intentionally. It had a devastating effect on my career.
If what you're saying is true, I still have no idea what God would be trying to tell me in regard to the problem that I haven't solved.
I have been studying computer science for a long time now, however I have done so only half-heartedly and part-time, and it is shown in my results. It is incomplete because I never wanted to study this program from the beginning, also my mental health began to decline back when I started studying. Also I had a lot of conflicts with my parents when I still lived at home.

 

[Lord I Believe]

Either go to a community college and get a degree in RN, RT, Radiation Tech or Ultrasound.

Or go to trade such as HVAC, Electrician, Carpenter or Plumber and start your own business.

Create a 4 year plan and finish all this in 4 years.

Volunteer at your church on Sundays and be of good cheer in everything you do.

Take care of yourself. Get sleep, drink water and workout 3x per week.

Get rid of all immoral filth of the world such as music, social media and movies.

 

[Diamond72]

Or go to trade such as HVAC, Electrician, Carpenter or Plumber and start your own business.

I did carpentry, electrical, drywall and plumbing. I would avoid painting if I could. I called myself a handyman. I thought that was more humble than to call myself a carpenter. Although that is what I really was.

 

[headphones777]

Either go to a community college and get a degree in RN, RT, Radiation Tech or Ultrasound.

Or go to trade such as HVAC, Electrician, Carpenter or Plumber and start your own business.

Create a 4 year plan and finish all this in 4 years.

Volunteer at your church on Sundays and be of good cheer in everything you do.

Take care of yourself. Get sleep, drink water and workout 3x per week.

Get rid of all immoral filth of the world such as music, social media and movies.

I have no desire to do either of those things. I have no incentive to do them.

 

[Lord I Believe]

I have no desire to do either of those things. I have no incentive to do them.

Get rid of all immoral filth of the world such as music, social media and movies.

 

[headphones777]

Get rid of all immoral filth of the world such as music, social media and movies.

How would that help me? I've lost my life force, my will to live...

 

[Diamond72]

I have no desire to do either of those things. I have no incentive to do them.

Everyone has gifts, talents and abilities. What do you like to do? You can work for someone and let them train you. Then you can start your own business with what you learn and hire people to work for you. I know I have work that needs done around my house and it is difficult to find people willing to work. It is not unusual to pay people $100 dollar an hour to do things like fix the furnace or the plumbing.

 

[linux.poet]

How would that help me? I've lost my life force, my will to live...

I disagree with the approach of the other messages. Ordering people around isn't the answer when someone is hurting.

I wish I knew how to transplant my "I deserve to live" voice into other people's heads. It's like

Christ died for me, I deserve to live
Live for Him, this I do
Dying is letting Him down
You don't deserve to kill me
You can't kill us, we'll always be back
The Body of Christ will take you out

Basically, Christ's death on the cross is a unilateral declaration that every human being has value. What that value is can be hard to see sometimes, but it is there, and sometimes we have to take on faith that it exists in order to start searching.

I have been studying computer science for a long time now, however I have done so only half-heartedly and part-time, and it is shown in my results. It is incomplete because I never wanted to study this program from the beginning,

Why have you been studying computer science? Were you looking for money? Did someone put you up to it? Why have you been causing yourself such misery?

If I gifted you an all-expenses-paid education to the university of your choice, where would you go to school and what would you study? I will not judge you for the answer to this question.

 

[Diamond72]

If I gifted you an all-expenses-paid education to the university of your choice, where would you go to school and what would you study?

Can you afford Harvard? Oh wait, I can attend classes there on YouTube. Never mind. If people want to study and learn they can do it all online. My niece is an RN and got her masters degree online so now she is an administrator. It is difficult for some people so they do not want to do it because it is difficult. But I think of my son when he got a degree in computer engineering. Half of his class flunked out and I think they only needed a 70% to stay in the program. Yet he was able to graduate with honors. Even got a 4.0 and made the presidents list once.

 

[linux.poet]

If people want to study and learn they can do it all online. My niece is an RN and got her masters degree online so now she is an administrator. It is difficult for some people so they do not want to do it because it is difficult.

I disagree with the insensitive approach this post takes to this situation. Suffering from depression and a lack of a will to live is not laziness and entitlement. Would you expect a guy with a broken leg to run a marathon? Then why would you expect someone with a mind wounded by depression to finish college?

I am asking honest questions, and the last question in my post was intended to pose a hypothetical to @headphones777 to help him think.

 

[Diamond72]

Suffering from depression and a lack of a will to live is not laziness and entitlement.

Depression is due to negative thinking. If you want to NOT be depressed you need to be a positive person. You need to draw positive energy. My brother is a psychologist. He says one third get better, one third stay the same and one third get worse. There is nothing he can do to change that. But I think things like the law of attraction can make a difference.