Having Problems with Prayer

[KC Catholic]

Guys -

As you know (or maybe not) I am like many Americans - I am out of work. Severance ends this week and I have one job prospect that is taking for ever to get moving.

I am having an extremely hard time coming to the lord and asking for help getting a job. It's not that I am proud or afraid - every time I try I stop and think "He knows already".

Is this bad? I know I should be on my knees daily praying to God, Jesus, Mary and the Saints, but its like something is holding me back. I'm not sure if its having 5 kids and worrying about what we're gonna do or what.

The Lord has blessed us with several things during this period that I have profusely thanked him for: Tax refund time, Catering opportunties for my wife, friends have given us gift certificates for groceries, the time to spend solid time enjoying my kids and wife.

Yet, I know the money is going to run out and the job market is really blah.

Anyway....why can't I seem to pray?

Please pray for me...

 

[jukesk9]

Praying for you...with all the Angels and Saints.

 

[AngelAmidala]

I am continuing to pray for you KC.

 

[Malachi383]

He knows already

He knows everything already. He is omniscient. If you really think about it this way, we shouldnt pray at all. After all - He knows much better what we need better than we do. Also, why praise Him in prayer? He is God. He is omnipotent. He doesnt need us.

That is not the point. The point is that He wants us to rely on Him. He wants to talk with us. I love the time I spend in adoration. Sometimes I pray, sometimes I just sit in silence. I mean, the point isnt that He already knows, the point is that we ask. The point is that we place Him as number one in our lives. The point is that we make Him apart of day, that we focus on Him, that we spend time with Him.

We all go through dry spells in our prayer life, where we dont feel like it, where we put off, where we make excuses, or where we just arent getting anything out of it. The point is that we still do it, that we are still faithful to God. The point is, that no matter how much we may not be seeing God working in our lives, that we still go to Him. We will always be His children. He will always love us. He will always be there. He knows best, just trust Him. I know it is hard, especially being unemployed and with a family, but in the end, He is our number one priority.

I will pray for you, for you family, and for your prayer life.

God bless

PS: St. Joseph - Patron saint of the Unemployed

 

[chelcb]

KC,

I felt like that at one time to but Jesus says we are to keep asking and it is in persevering that he answers us. There is a plan here in all this and you can not give up hope. Not asking would be the beginning of that.

St. Padre Pio says to pray, hope, and don’t worry.

God, I believe tests our faith at times to see when push comes to shove do we really believe, that will we love him and trust in the bad times as well as the good.

Novenas symbolize the nine days the apostles awaited the coming of the Holy Spirit. They continued to pray and they waited on the lord. You must do the same. Give him all your prayers and offer him up your day for our country and for poor sinners. He will not leave you stranded.

 

[nyj]

Well KC, I can certainly sympathize... not with the unemployment part because I'm a student, but rather, with the finding it hard to pray part.

I'm lousy at prayer. Dismal, pathetic or any other slew of adjectives which would describe horrible. So what do I do? I read. I try to sit down with the Bible (Psalms in particular) or a devotional book (Imitation of Christ) and I set aside time to read, concentrate and meditate on it. I know that God knows that I struggle with prayer, but I still try to set aside some time to fully open myself up to Him and His will. I think He understands. Perhaps you can give this a try too, it works for me, it might for you too. Just a suggestion.

Imitation of Christ - http://www.ccel.org/k/kempis/imitation2/htm/i.htm

I also recommend "On Cleaving to God" by St. Albertus Magnus (the mentor of Thomas Aquinas) which can also be found at ccel.org

 

[Preachers12]

Peace be with you.

Malachai, very well said.

KC, as you well know, the Lord works in mysterious ways. As hard as it is, accept these hard times and seek out the lesson that God is trying to provide for you. God only works good, though sometimes we do not immediately see it.

My prayers go too with you.

God Bless and stay safe.

 

[Wolseley]

We're in the same boat, KC. I've been off work since June of 2001, and Mommy lost her job last November (3 days before Thanksgiving, thank you very much); the job market here in west Michigan is gruesome----huge companies in Grand Rapids (2nd-largest city in Michigan) like Steelcase have been laying off workers by the thousands. Not hundreds----thousands. As you can imagine, work is tight.

Mommy is training with a company, but it's like real estate, you have to have a plethora of licenses and you have to be a self-starter----and so far it hasn't produced any money. We had to cash in my 401K from my previous job to get money to make the house payment and pay the bills for another two weeks.

Unemployment in Michigan is a joke; the local news stations have consistently been filled with reports about how people can't get their unemployment benefits, how it takes too long, how you can't talk to an actual human being, how every call sends you into voice mail where you go round in circles forever; and in the meantime, you get no money, even if you're entitled to it. Mommy is one of those people. I'm convinced that the only way to get anybody's attention on this particular issue is for every unemployed person in the State to gather on the lawn of the Governor's mansion with shotguns, pitchforks, and a rope.

I don't know what's to become of us, either. I continue to search, Mommy does what she can; but if we don't get some cash coming into the kitty pretty soon, we're going to be camping out under a highway overpass. Banks like to get their mortgage payments every month on the dot, and they tend to get a little snotty if they don't.

My prayer life has always been dismal as well; I usually do best when I'm my own captive audience, like when I'm alone in the car and have a rosary with me. But I will say this: God knows your heart, Brian. He knows what's going on, and He knows why you're having trouble speaking to Him, even better than you do. You're worried, and understandably so. It's hard to not worry and have faith when you're in this position---like the old joke of the guy hanging from the cliff, and when God tells him to let go, he says, "Is there anybody else up there who can hear me?"

Just remember that there are many different types of prayer, and there is no specific "right" way to do it. If you find it hard to speak, then simply spending 15 minutes alone in His presence is enough. You don't have to say anything; He will accept the gift you bring Him of just putting that time aside to be with Him, even if you don't know what to say. Even a sacrifice that small, if done with a willing spirit, is precious to Him.

God bless us all, every one;
---Wols.

 

[Stormy]

Maybe it is different for me because I lack religious training through any church. But I have never found it hard to pray to God. He is my best friend. I take everything to him in prayer. Sometimes I just cry ... but he always understands. I really don't worry about if I am praying right or not. I just talk to him and I feel better.

Ask him to help you know what to do. Tell him that you need his help to find a way to support your family.

I will pray for you too, KC. Keep your chin up and try to smile.

I have a beautiful tape of a church sermon. It is about being thankful "in" all things. You do not have to be thankful "for" all things.

But It seems that when you remain thankful "in" all things then God blessings will fall your way.

 

[Lady Grace]

Hi , KC and Wolseley,please know that you are both in my prayers, the job market here is absolutely horrible too.

As for you having a rather tepid prayer life , especially now, don't you think , especially now; that you have so so many pressures, so many things on your mind,that you  just get wiped out and are just plain tired?

I know , I get this way sometimes, and I , like you, figure, "oh well,God hears me, the Blessed Mother hears me, I am just too tired and disgusted to pray again "! At times I feel like a recording,,,,,,,really I do. So. I pray mentally, very short prayers,until I get past my dry spell.

My priest tells me even priests reach a "dry period" at times, and the best thing is to, relax, don't worry , and go on with your routine.  It will come back to you, and it will be better than ever. At least with me it was that way.

God bless you all!

Peace and Love,

Lady Grace

 

 

 

 

 

[Mephster]

Maybe it is different for me because I lack religious training through any church. But I have never found it hard to pray to God.

...*groans at the implications of the statements*.....

Anyway, "prayer" is not always a request or a praise. It can be a raising of one's consciousness toward the Divine. (Doesn't that sound non-Christian?) But it is well accepted by most of the mystic saints (e.g. St. Teresa d'Avila). The point is not of "informing God" that things are awry in your employment, but in continuing to remain close to him. And maybe the best prayer of all is simply: "Thy will be done."

 

[Stormy]

Today at 07:34 PM Mephster said this in Post #11 (http://www.christianforums.com/showthread.php?postid=653815#post653815)

...*groans at the implications of the statements*.....

KC: I was not implying anything other than I may be doing it all wrong. I did not know until coming on the forum that some people think, and maybe some churches teach that we are not suppose to "bother" God. Could be when I get to Heaven I will find that I have been labeled that "little pesty one". But when things are not as they should be... I just keep on praying for help.

 

[KC Catholic]

Today at 10:40 PM Stormy said this in Post #12

KC: I was not implying anything other than I may be doing it all wrong. I did not know until coming on the forum that some people think, and maybe some churches teach that we are not suppose to "bother" God. Could be when I get to Heaven I will find that I have been labeled that "little pesty one". But when things are not as they should be... I just keep on praying for help.

I think you meant this for "mephster".

I wanted to take a minute and thank everyone here for their comments, suggestions, prayers and support.

I prayed the "Virtural Rosary" today and read the daily readings. I then asked Jesus to help me with the job situation and to help me in my prayer life.

Most of the day I was relaxed and at peace while being thankful for "what is".

Thanks for being there for me.

 

[Stormy]

Today at 10:51 PM KC Catholic said this in Post #13 (http://www.christianforums.com/showthread.php?postid=654123#post654123)

I think you meant this for "mephster".

No I meant it for you. I do not care what Mephster thinks, but I did not want you to read his post and think that I was being a jerk, as he indicated.

I am happy that you are feeling better. I admire your faith. I want the best for you.

 

[seebs]

Yesterday at 11:09 PM KC Catholic said this in Post #1 (http://www.christianforums.com/showthread.php?postid=652280#post652280)
I am having an extremely hard time coming to the lord and asking for help getting a job. It's not that I am proud or afraid - every time I try I stop and think "He knows already".

Sounds good to me!

In your place, actually, I'd be going mad trying to figure out if that was my own doubts plaguing me, or whether that was God reassuring me.

Yet, I know the money is going to run out and the job market is really blah.

I know the feeling. While looking around, I've gotten lucky, though - I found a lawyer who will take my junk faxes. I have a fax machine that gets junk faxes all the time, and there's a law against 'em - $500 per fax of statutory damages. I found a lawyer familiar with the law and the case, and willing to pursue them on a contingency basis. I just gave him 610 pages of faxes. I don't exactly expect to get money from all of 'em - frankly, 10% would be a big surprise - but it's a nice idea, isn't it. A little daydreaming never killed anyone, 'less he was driving at the time.

 

[seebs]

Today at 10:40 PM Stormy said this in Post #12 (http://www.christianforums.com/showthread.php?postid=654112#post654112)

KC: I was not implying anything other than I may be doing it all wrong. I did not know until coming on the forum that some people think, and maybe some churches teach that we are not suppose to "bother" God. Could be when I get to Heaven I will find that I have been labeled that "little pesty one". But when things are not as they should be... I just keep on praying for help.

Of our cats, it's the little pesty one that gets petted the most. Draw what conclusions you will.

 

[Reformationist]

My family and I will be praying for you my friend.

God bless

 

[KC Catholic]

Today at 12:52 AM Reformationist said this in Post #

My family and I will be praying for you my friend.

God bless

Thank you sir, I can use all the prayers I can get.

 

[KC Catholic]

Yesterday at 11:06 PM Stormy said this in Post #14

No I meant it for you. I do not care what Mephster thinks, but I did not want you to read his post and think that I was being a jerk, as he indicated.

I am happy that you are feeling better. I admire your faith. I want the best for you.

No, I didn't think you were being a jerk based on Mephsters post. I enjoyed your post and I appreciate you being here!

Thanks again and have a good weekend.

 

[chelcb]

Yesterday at 01:25 PM Wolseley said this in Post #8

We're in the same boat, KC. I've been off work since June of 2001, and Mommy lost her job last November (3 days before Thanksgiving, thank you very much); the job market here in west Michigan is gruesome----huge companies in Grand Rapids (2nd-largest city in Michigan) like Steelcase have been laying off workers by the thousands. Not hundreds----thousands. As you can imagine, work is tight.

Mommy is training with a company, but it's like real estate, you have to have a plethora of licenses and you have to be a self-starter----and so far it hasn't produced any money. We had to cash in my 401K from my previous job to get money to make the house payment and pay the bills for another two weeks.

Unemployment in Michigan is a joke; the local news stations have consistently been filled with reports about how people can't get their unemployment benefits, how it takes too long, how you can't talk to an actual human being, how every call sends you into voice mail where you go round in circles forever; and in the meantime, you get no money, even if you're entitled to it. Mommy is one of those people. I'm convinced that the only way to get anybody's attention on this particular issue is for every unemployed person in the State to gather on the lawn of the Governor's mansion with shotguns, pitchforks, and a rope.

I don't know what's to become of us, either. I continue to search, Mommy does what she can; but if we don't get some cash coming into the kitty pretty soon, we're going to be camping out under a highway overpass. Banks like to get their mortgage payments every month on the dot, and they tend to get a little snotty if they don't.

My prayer life has always been dismal as well; I usually do best when I'm my own captive audience, like when I'm alone in the car and have a rosary with me. But I will say this: God knows your heart, Brian. He knows what's going on, and He knows why you're having trouble speaking to Him, even better than you do. You're worried, and understandably so. It's hard to not worry and have faith when you're in this position---like the old joke of the guy hanging from the cliff, and when God tells him to let go, he says, "Is there anybody else up there who can hear me?"

Just remember that there are many different types of prayer, and there is no specific "right" way to do it. If you find it hard to speak, then simply spending 15 minutes alone in His presence is enough. You don't have to say anything; He will accept the gift you bring Him of just putting that time aside to be with Him, even if you don't know what to say. Even a sacrifice that small, if done with a willing spirit, is precious to Him.

God bless us all, every one;
---Wols.

Woosley,

I just saw your post, I am going to really pray for you [and KC] and offer sacrafices, believe me I have plenty to go around to.