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DAY 21
Loneliness
Loneliness is part of my life and not something that I am going to experience only at my death. I have been overcome with loneliness even in times while being surrounded by people who love me. But there is a loneliness that is terrifying – when it feels as if even God is not there.
John of the Cross, an old mystic, said that this place where I feel Godforsaken is an important part of my faith journey. As a follower of Christ it’s the dark night of my soul.
It is a place of loneliness, darkness, chaos, doubt and even fear, where I am invited to stand steadfast in faith, even if I am feeling and thinking differently.
It is as if my thoughts and feelings are stripped of a sense of God’s presence. God withdraws Himself from my consciousness, an experience that He uses powerfully in my life, through which I am purified.
Suddenly my ideas about God and my thoughts about faith do not benefit me at all. God is far above what I can pray, think and dream. My faith is not just a warm fuzzy feeling of certainty about what I believe. No, God is ‘far different’ – a mystery! And my faith is a gift beyond my mind and my feeling.
I wish there were a different way, an easier way. But I am going to suffer losses, experience disappointment and rejection. Life is still going to happen to me with feelings of despair that overwhelm me. And like Jesus, I too will feel lonely at times and ask: “Why?”
But this is the path I have to take – a purifying journey on which I follow Jesus in his last hours and being led through the dark night of the soul.
EXERCISE
• In your prayer time of prayer you are invited to, with gratitude, become aware of where you are now in your life.
• Become aware of the times in your life where you experienced something of the dark night of the soul and you felt as if God was not with you.
• Ask God for what you need for what lies ahead of you.
• You are also invited to sit in silence with God (silent prayer*).
Loneliness
Loneliness is part of my life and not something that I am going to experience only at my death. I have been overcome with loneliness even in times while being surrounded by people who love me. But there is a loneliness that is terrifying – when it feels as if even God is not there.
John of the Cross, an old mystic, said that this place where I feel Godforsaken is an important part of my faith journey. As a follower of Christ it’s the dark night of my soul.
It is a place of loneliness, darkness, chaos, doubt and even fear, where I am invited to stand steadfast in faith, even if I am feeling and thinking differently.
It is as if my thoughts and feelings are stripped of a sense of God’s presence. God withdraws Himself from my consciousness, an experience that He uses powerfully in my life, through which I am purified.
Suddenly my ideas about God and my thoughts about faith do not benefit me at all. God is far above what I can pray, think and dream. My faith is not just a warm fuzzy feeling of certainty about what I believe. No, God is ‘far different’ – a mystery! And my faith is a gift beyond my mind and my feeling.
I wish there were a different way, an easier way. But I am going to suffer losses, experience disappointment and rejection. Life is still going to happen to me with feelings of despair that overwhelm me. And like Jesus, I too will feel lonely at times and ask: “Why?”
But this is the path I have to take – a purifying journey on which I follow Jesus in his last hours and being led through the dark night of the soul.
EXERCISE
• In your prayer time of prayer you are invited to, with gratitude, become aware of where you are now in your life.
• Become aware of the times in your life where you experienced something of the dark night of the soul and you felt as if God was not with you.
• Ask God for what you need for what lies ahead of you.
• You are also invited to sit in silence with God (silent prayer*).
धर्मशास्त्र
About this Plan
Lent is a time when we prepare ourselves for Easter. Lent Journey consists of 38 devotions to accompany us on this journey. We are invited to the undertake the journey with Jesus and thereby prepare ourselves for the two big events that are the pillars of our belief system - the crucifiction and the resurrection.
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