Ever feel like God is silent when you need Him most?

In this episode of The Catholic Gentleman, John Heinen, Sam Guzman and Devin Schadt discuss the challenges of depression and spiritual desolation. The saints understood suffering well, and they shed light on their wisdom to help you tell the difference and find strength through faith!

In times of spiritual darkness, St. John of the Cross has one of the best lessons to help us. His ‘Dark Night of the Soul’ teaches that God sometimes removes comforts to grow our faith, leaving us feeling empty but drawing us closer to Him. “You just feel like you’re hanging in empty space with like nothing to grasp on to, but in those moments, you have to operate on pure faith,” Sam says. St. John reminds that God is always there, even when it feels like He isn’t.

Unlike the Dark Night of the Soul, St. Ignatius teaches that spiritual desolation is different, and comes from bad spirits aiming to shake our relationship with God. Recognizing this can help us resist despair, knowing it’s not God abandoning us. Devin explains that “for Ignatius, it was important that he could discern between these things and to determine how he was supposed to react, and it was from this St. Ignatius grew to be a spiritual warrior.”

Persevering through any spiritual darkness ultimately requires patience and steadfastness. Sam says that these virtues can actually become a profound asceticism during dark times. “Just put one foot in front of the other and entrust yourself to God.”

Rather than giving up, continuing with even small acts of faith can help sustain us. ”Increase your prayer, don’t decrease it,” John implores. Embracing this endurance, just as the saints did, helps us hold onto hope even when comfort feels distant.

The gentlemen say that embracing these lessons will help you navigate your spiritual trials!

Watch this episode below 👇

“O Lord, God of my salvation: I have cried out, day and night, in your presence.”🙏

Credit: George Ryan via ChurchPOP
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