| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Diana Holberg |
Posted - 03/25/2010 : 15:34:16
Re-posted from a thread in the Spirituality section:quote:
Originally posted by God4me
quote:
Originally posted by Diana Holberg
Hi folks... I have a Baptist friend who is struggling with her walk and is experiencing burnout from serving in too many ways at her church. She's experiencing a kind of "dark night" and I'm wanting to share with her the richness that Catholic tradition has to offer in this area. However, she's not college educated, and I do not believe she would bear with the likes of St. John of the Cross or St. Teresa of Avila. Does anyone know of readings to recommend that would be equally challenging spiritually but not require an extensive vocabulary?
I've considered trying to paraphrase the writings of these Saints myself, but I know I couldn't do them justice......
Your Baptist friend Needs to know that God wants her to burn bright for Him, and not burn out.
Uh, I think she already knows this.quote:
Jesus said in Matt 11:30. "My yoke is easy and My burden light".
Tell your friend she needs to find out what her calling is and do it.
She needs to wait on God in prayer and study for her Ministry, She need to focus on that and not a lot of other things, The reason she is burnt out is because she is doing things she thinks is for Jesus, Instead of IN JESUS,
I find it interesting that you see fit to make such a judgment of my friend. I know fewer people who operate more in the Holy Spirit than this wonderful woman of God. She knows that her ministry is to women, and she has worked diligently in that ministry the entire time I've known her -- some 12 years or so. And every ministry she has touched has borne fruit. What does the Bible say? You will know them by their fruit? But you decide that it's okay to make such statements without any knowledge whatsoever of this woman's achievements in the ministries she has felt privileged in which to serve. Why not offer people the benefit of the doubt in future?quote:
The differene is, When you do something in Jesus you have the Anointing to do it, And if your doing something you think is for Jesus, You are doing it in your own strengh and will soon get exhorstead.
I don't think 12+ years is "soon", do you?quote:
By the way, What "Richness" do catholics have in this area??
I'm having to edit myself very carefully, because it's attitudes like the one reflected in your post which made it much harder than it should have been for me to follow my Lord as He led me to the Catholic Church. Thankfully my pastor was wise enough to tell me, "I trust the Holy Spirit to lead you." God bless him.
As for Catholic richness, I suggest you look into St. John of the Cross, St. Teresa of Avila, or any of the numerous other Saints who have written extensively about the phenomenon of spiritual dryness. I'll try to find time to post excerpts here in coming days.
Oh, and P.S.... the reason Astralis didn't suggest she read the Bible is that he knows me well enough to know that a friend of mine would already be in the Word. Or, more simply put, he gave her the benefit of the doubt. |
| 15 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Taipanus |
Posted - 04/20/2010 : 05:26:14
I had a look at the "more" and I'm a bit confused as to whether your question concerns "burnout" or "dark night of the soul". In her case I think it's burnout, doing too much. I'm a bit the same myself, in the sense I take on too many things rather than doing what I should be doing, and doing it well.
The "dark night of the soul", as far as I can make out, is a deep spiritual dryness, a darkness, in which God seems to have disappeared altogether.
On the other hand, there are those who say this "darkness" or more accurately, "nothingness" may be God, the completely Other. It's like an endless well into which one can fall forever without touching bottom, deep, mysterious, profound, and frightening.
I'm not sure I can put it much better than that.
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| Astralis |
Posted - 04/13/2010 : 07:31:53
As if no one in the Catholic Church has ever read the Book of Acts before the 1500s. What illogic. |
| mikejuli |
Posted - 04/13/2010 : 04:44:29
quote:
I do the same things as the original Church, Read the Acts of the Apostles, You'll see the catholic church is nothing like the first Church.
actually is is very much like the first church. and i'm pretty sure that all of us have read the book of acts. |
| Faith_at_Large |
Posted - 04/12/2010 : 21:03:35
If you got that from any of the discussions on this forum, then you are seriously deluded.
Satan burns darkly within you, let him go and cling to God. Vengance belongs to God alone, hatred is a sin. He who hates his brother is a murderer
1 John 3:15 "Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him."
Do not sacrifice your immortal soul over the sins of others. Those that do wrong will pay for their sins, but hatred is just as much a sin and it eats away at one's soul. The price is too high. |
| baby3 |
Posted - 04/12/2010 : 19:48:07
Tonight i found out what Spiritual dryness really is: I found out that children getting is not as important as the sinner to you people. The sinner means much more and the woman and children of abuse are neglected I guess they should offer their suffering up to the Lord and just let it go, for the sake of piece and LOVE!I guess i am a bad person i really do HATE allot of MEN. Those who hurt gods children and make slaves of woman are the filthiest thing this side of the septic tank!God knows my hatred is real and that they are going to burn for what they do. I am going to view them burn that to me will be a great reward in heaven. |
| Faith_at_Large |
Posted - 04/11/2010 : 12:47:50
Actually, if you have read the Acts of the Apostles you have seen the Catholic Church in action. It has not changed all that much. We're just bigger now. |
| God4me |
Posted - 04/11/2010 : 12:10:59
quote:
Originally posted by Faith_at_Large
quote:
Originally posted by God4me
quote:
Originally posted by Faith_at_Large
The Bible gave us numerous saints as examples and every expectation that we would have many more - read the Hall of Faith discourse in Hebrews 11.
Start getting a little more familiar with the Bible before you go off making idiotic statements.
And if you think that the Holy Spirit would lead anyone out of the Catholic Church, to which of the 40,000 different contradictory denominations would the Holy Spirit lead them to?
So far the biggest draw has been to the Jehovah's Witnesses and I think the Mormons are a close second. I guess that proves it. We should all join the JWs.
[1] There are no catholics in Heb 11's Hall of fame.
[2] The Holy Spirit leads people into the truth, Not 40,000 different contradictions, Try reading the Bible and you'll see the Holy Spirit leads us into the truth.
There is only one God and one truth.
1. Technically no Christians either, except for the examples given from Maccabbees, Paul chose examples from that book that actually did look forward to the Resurrection of the Body through the King of the World to come. But you reject that example, so your Bible only has non-Christians as faith examples, and it seems that you reject the possibility that faith would continue to produce examples under the New Covenant - interesting take from someone who claims to be Christian.
2. Then why have you chosen to side with the 40,000 plus group instead of the original Church?
There is Only One Lord, One Faith and One Baptism, but while you accept One God, you allow for multiple faiths (even if you think that only your particular brand is true), and at accept at least three baptisms.
I do the same things as the original Church, Read the Acts of the Apostles, You'll see the catholic church is nothing like the first Church. |
| ortho |
Posted - 04/02/2010 : 14:32:34
quote:
Originally posted by Faith_at_Large
Matthew 27:46
Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?
ain't that the truth |
| Faith_at_Large |
Posted - 04/01/2010 : 22:44:53
Matthew 27:46
Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? |
| baby3 |
Posted - 04/01/2010 : 21:16:49
God4me,
Your friends burnout is proof that she is doing to much that isn't of God, or she isn't doing what God called her to do, otherwise she would have the power to do it without the burnout, Either God is right or you are.
Being burned out isn't one of the fruits, Your friend needs to get refreshed Spiritualy. Your attitude will onlt hinder your friend, She needs to know the truth.
To say your richness is found in Saint so and so. is very strange, It should come from the Bible and the Holy Spirit. The saints you mentioned will know about spiritual dryness, because they are spiritualy dry.
God never led you to the catholic church, The Spiritleads us int truth, not error. When your Pastor said
"I trust the Holy Spirit to lead you" What he meant was, He is trusting the Holy Spirit to lead you out of the catholic church and into a Christian Church.
You say that being burned out isn't one of the fruits of the spirit, Would you feel burned out if you suffered and was beat and whipped for ungrateful like you are?We except our sufferings and offer them up to the Lord because he suffered and was burned out for us! I am not afraid to suffer for the Lord and offer my sufferings up tom him for all he has done for me. Happy Easter! |
| Pupil of Socrates |
Posted - 03/31/2010 : 15:43:12
Hi Diane,
There seems to be a spiritual dryness, for me, during Lent. As a matter of discernment, I cannot discern whether this event is my salt (i.e. faith) losing its' flavor or the shadow of the soul? On the other hand, this spiritual dryness could be both conditions of salt and the this sort of shadow of a doubt. This experience has been leading me to reflect and meditate on Jonah's encounter with a whale, Job's fateful spell with the devil, and doubting St. Thomas the Apostle. These relfections have been my most profound need for prayer. That is, I feel like the paralytic, the blind man, and the Canaanite woman asking and waiting throughout this moment in Lent. Perhaps, your friends' condition is a blessing and encounter of this Lent.
As for the comments of her busy life being a sort of contribution to her low moments, I would look at Martha's experience. She wasn't rebuked by Our Lord for working hard. Rather, she was overwhelmed by her self-sufficient attempts to do everything people demanded of her. And, Mary chose the better in order to relay the Real Presence as the source, summit, and sustenance for everyone. Recall, Martha said, (I may be paraphrasing) "Lord, do you not care? Send my sister to help me." She wasn't able to see the true sustenance right in front of her. She wanted Him to direct her sister to work for her. Thus, Martha tried to get unlmited sustenance out of a finite and limited being (a human being.) And, Our Lord offered pure and supernatural grace to her.
As a last thought, Blessed Mother Theresa of Calcutta had encountered a priest who was "too busy." Mother Theresa could see this priest was overwhelmed with the tasks of Missionary work at hand. And, she asked him, "Father, do you spend time to pray?" He replied, "No mother. I'm too busy." Mother Theresa replied, "Then, father, you're too busy." Additionaly, Mother Angelica (founder of EWTN) has recited stories of simple prayer making all the difference in her busy life. So, your friend may need to make a simple prayer in every circumstance and demand in her life. And, as Pope Benedict XVI announced in an Ecumentical Dialogue to Lutheran's in Rome, too simply "trust in God."
God Bless and may Our Lady intercede for us, for He is the God of the Living rather than the dead,
Pupil of Socrates |
| philial |
Posted - 03/30/2010 : 12:51:37
Spiritual dryness is one of the great gifts of the Holy Spirit. Among other things, it teaches us humility, leads us to a greater dependancy on God , attacks out pride & puffed up-ness, and helps to reiterate our sinful state and the necessity of frequent healing.
We are but frail humans. We attempt to take the cross, but stumble so often beneath its weight.
Following Jesus has never been about having a good time and feeling fuzzy all over. We should experience the harsher realities as we journey through Him, with Him, and in Him. |
| baby3 |
Posted - 03/28/2010 : 09:08:47
God4me, please go to Mikejuli's thread about herisees, and you might be able to understand why you believe what you do. |
| Faith_at_Large |
Posted - 03/27/2010 : 19:28:23
Oh, and God4me, please don't tell anyone here to "try reading the Bible". I think that you will find after a while is that we all are very well read on the scriptures.
Where we disagree is on the matter of interpretation, not the written Word of God.
I not only read it, and have since my youth, I also proclaim it regularly at Church. |
| baby3 |
Posted - 03/27/2010 : 19:13:15
quote:
Originally posted by Faith_at_Large
God bless you and your family. I trust that God has good plans for you regardless of how they might unfold. Death is only the gateway to eternity, and no matter how soon or how late it comes, life is very short by comparison.
 Thank you and God Bless! |
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