We must be patient in prayer and wait for God to restore our spiritual energy

Published: November 2, 2019

By Sister Mary Clare Bezner, OSB
Minister for Religious

There are many times in life when we feel weary as Christians. Christian author Bill Hybels addresses this and the following concepts poignantly in his book, “Who You Are When No One’s Looking.”

Sometimes we feel physically weary, but many times we feel spiritually weary. We may know that we need to pray but do not feel we have the energy or possibly even the desire. We may even purposely avoid prayer — because of some inner emotion we may or may not be able to name — causing the feelings of weariness to increase.

Sometimes you may even get to a point in your life when you feel like you are spiritually ready to quit. It may feel as though you’ve been doing what you were “supposed to do” for many years, and yet you can’t feel God in your life.

This occasional weariness is a part of our human experience, something we will undergo while on this earth. Sometimes it arises in the absence of feelings or emotions we once experienced in prayer. Maybe you felt God very strongly at some point in your past, but for some reason, the emotion you associated with God is eluding you. It is very important to realize that this experience is common for anyone who is serious about pursuing their relationship with Christ.

What is the best response to this? What can you do to regain your spiritual zeal? There are several approaches.

• First, place yourself around others who live the ways of God. When you surround yourself on a regular basis with people who are searching for and trying to do God’s will rather than the ways of the world, your thoughts and actions will be moved along with theirs. Christian friendship can become a natural conduit to helping you see and feel God’s presence in your life. He is able, if allowed, to help you see how he lives and moves in the lives of others and can even use them to show himself to you.
• A second approach to spiritual weariness is to pray for wisdom. We read James 1:5, “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” If we are habitually asking God for wisdom, he will grant it.
• Third, seek spiritual direction or counsel. Many times we need the help of a guide to help us discern what is really going on in our spiritual lives.

Is it spiritual fatigue or the absence of consolation in prayer that is causing me to be discouraged? Is there a physical component — perhaps health related — that could be impacting my spiritual life? Often times the wisdom we are praying for comes to us through a wise spiritual guide.

• Finally, never give up. Never stop praying or persevering in your faith.

We need to look at prayer as though it is our greatest work or activity, trusting that God will give us what we need to keep going. We have to be patient in prayer and wait for him to restore and revive our spiritual energy.

Sometimes praying and waiting for God’s response to be fulfilled is the hardest work. But remember that no matter where you are, God promises not to leave you there. “We are all being transformed into his image with ever increasing glory.” (2 Corinthians 3:18)

Sister Mary Clare Bezner, an Olivetan Benedictine sister from Holy Angels Convent in Jonesboro, is the minister for religious for the Diocese of Little Rock. This article was originally published in Arkansas Catholic Nov. 2, 2019. Copyright Diocese of Little Rock. All rights reserved. This article may be copied or redistributed with acknowledgement and permission of the publisher.