Struggles in the Spiritual Life 2024

SISL19 – Conclusion – Struggles in the Spiritual Life with Fr. Timothy Gallagher – Discerning Hearts Podcasts

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Conclusion – Struggles in the Spiritual Life with Fr. Timothy Gallagher O.M.V.

In this episode, Fr. Timothy Gallagher explains how St. Ignatius’ teachings provide practical, clear, and compassionate tools for discerning spiritual movements like consolation and desolation. By understanding these movements and responding to the guidance of the Holy Spirit, individuals can deepen their relationship with God. God’s tender and transformative engagement with humanity, as seen in Jesus’ encounters in the Gospels, is an encouragement to embrace spiritual growth with openness and trust.

Fr. Gallagher reflects on Christian joy, drawing from St. Paul VI’s Gaudete in Domino, which describes true joy as rooted in union with the Triune God, transcending material and natural pleasures. He incorporates St. Thérèse of Lisieux’s wisdom, emphasizing God’s sufficiency and the transformative power of grace to persevere through life’s spiritual struggles.

You can pick up a copy of the book here.

Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions

  1. Understanding Spiritual Movements: How do you recognize and respond to moments of spiritual consolation and desolation in your own life?
  2. God’s Tender Presence: In what ways do you experience God’s gentle and transformative love in your struggles?
  3. Rooted in Joy: How can the joy of union with the Triune God shape your perspective on material and natural joys?
  4. The Power of Grace: What first step is God inviting you to take, trusting in His grace to carry you forward?
  5. Journeying Toward Holiness: How does understanding spiritual struggles as part of your path to sanctity inspire hope and perseverance in your faith journey?

An excerpt from the chapter, “Conclusion”:

“The day was August 8, 1897, the month before her death. Thérèse lay on her sickbed. Her sister Pauline was with her in the room. As she lay there, Thérèse pondered her life. In particular, she remembered the Christmas night eleven years earlier when she received what she had called “the grace of my complete conversion.”  On that “night of light,”  God’s grace and an act of courage liberated her from the nervousness and sensitivity that had oppressed her for years. Thérèse thought, too, of Judith in the Old Testament and of the courage with which she had acted. Thérèse began to speak.

Many, she told her sister, feel that they lack such courage. Then she said, “God never refuses that first grace that gives one the courage to act; afterwards, the heart is strengthened, and one advances from victory to victory.”  That is the message of this book. A path to liberation from discouragement, confusion, and pain in the spiritual life exists.

God has not called us to captivity but to freedom. Clarity regarding the struggle is possible, and remedies are available. Begin. Take the first step. Take it now. And take it knowing that “God never refuses that first grace that gives one the courage to act; afterwards, the heart is strengthened, and one advances from victory to victory.” May that grace and that courage bless our spiritual lives.”

Gallagher O.M.V, Fr. Timothy ; Gallagher O.M.V, Fr. Timothy. Struggles in the Spiritual Life: Their Nature and Their Remedies (p. 144). Sophia Institute Press. Kindle Edition.

To find more episodes from this series, visit the Struggles in the Spiritual Life Podcast

From the book’s description: “Here is a powerful, life-changing book that will help you understand and conquer the struggles you face in your spiritual life. It’s a book for those who love the Lord and desire holiness yet often feel adrift or stagnant in their search for spiritual growth.

All of us encounter valleys on our journey with the Lord — those periods of spiritual desolation that are a painful yet unavoidable feature of our prayer life. Spiritual desolation is as complex as we are, so understanding what is happening and responding to it properly are critical to reaching the heights of holiness.

With warmth and understanding, Fr. Gallagher carefully identifies in this book the various forms of spiritual and nonspiritual desolation and supplies the remedy for each. You’ll learn how to discern whether your struggles derive from medical or psychological conditions or whether those struggles are spiritual and permitted by the Lord for reasons of growth. In each case, you’ll be given the remedy for the struggle. You’ll also learn the forms of spiritual dryness and of the Dark Night — and how to respond to them.

In chapter after chapter, Fr. Gallagher presents a particular struggle as experienced by fictional characters and then provides the advice he gives to those who come to him for spiritual direction about that struggle. You’ll gain confidence as you journey through desolation, and you’ll learn to reject the enemy’s ploys to infect you with a sense of hopelessness.”

Did you know that Fr. Timothy Gallagher has 14 different podcast series on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts?
Visit here to discover more!

SISL18 – Image of God – Struggles in the Spiritual Life with Fr. Timothy Gallagher – Discerning Hearts Podcasts

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Image of God – Struggles in the Spiritual Life with Fr. Timothy Gallagher O.M.V.

Fr. Timothy Gallagher continues the story of Bob to illustrate how the Ignatian spiritual exercises can reveal deeper wounds and foster healing. Bob experiences spiritual desolation while praying about sin and God’s justice, which evokes unresolved feelings tied to his critical relationship with his earthly father. With the guidance of a retreat director, Bob uncovers how he has projected his father’s image onto God. Through persistent prayer, especially with passages like Mark 1:11, Bob begins to see God as a loving Father, distinct from his earthly father, leading to transformative healing.

The podcast highlights the importance of perseverance in prayer, even amid dryness, and the critical role of spiritual direction in fostering growth. Bob’s journey demonstrates how engaging with difficult emotions in prayer can lead to profound encounters with God’s unconditional love, ultimately transforming not only his spiritual life but also his relationships. Father Gallagher encourages listeners to embrace spiritual struggles as opportunities for deeper intimacy with God, trusting that they can lead to lasting peace and renewal.

You can pick up a copy of the book here.

Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions

  1. Understanding Dryness in Prayer: How do you perceive and respond to periods of dryness in your prayer life, and what might God be inviting you to learn during these times?
  2. Identifying Projections onto God: Have you ever noticed yourself projecting qualities or expectations from human relationships onto your image of God, and how does this affect your prayer and trust in Him?
  3. The Role of Spiritual Direction: How might regular spiritual direction or accompaniment help you navigate struggles in your spiritual life and uncover areas in need of healing?
  4. Encountering God’s Fatherhood: In what ways does reflecting on Scripture, such as Mark 1:11, help you to experience God’s unconditional love as a Father, and how might this transform your relationship with Him?
  5. Healing Through Persistence: What personal or spiritual growth have you experienced by staying with challenging themes in prayer, even when they feel difficult or unfruitful?

An excerpt from the chapter, “Image of God”:

“When Bob perceives that his image of God differs from the biblical image of God, his prayer ceases to be dry. He is now free to meet God as He is: loving, close, understanding, merciful, encouraging — the heavenly Father whom Jesus reveals to us. Through no fault of his own, Bob has absorbed an image of God as a demanding Father, quick to note faults, impatient, ready to criticize. Bob is not aware of this image, but it burdens his relationship with God, and so his prayer.

When he prays with Genesis 3, Bob focuses on “all the harm that came from” this sin and “the way their sin was punished.” The message of mercy in that same chapter (Gen. 3:15) and, above all, in the Cross do not speak to him, and his prayer leaves him uneasy. He describes Romans 7:14–25 as “Paul’s struggle about not doing the good that he wants but doing the bad that he does not want,” again overlooking the message of freedom with which the passage concludes (Rom. 7:25). When he tries to pray, Bob writes, “I’m unsettled, I’m distracted, and God seems distant. . . . I try, but nothing moves me very much. It’s discouraging. Maybe I’m not made for this.” Bob’s prayer is dry. His prayer changes when Bob realizes that God is different — more loving, warm, close — than his image of God had led him to believe.

Conversation with his director, prayer on biblical passages that reveal God as a loving Father, and his willingness — not without struggle — to share with God his experience of human fatherhood and the mixture of goodness and pain found in it, begin to set Bob free. Now he can meet his heavenly Father as God really is. Now a relationship based on a true image of the Father can develop. Now he knows himself to be a beloved son of this Father. Now his prayer is not dry.”

Gallagher O.M.V, Fr. Timothy ; Gallagher O.M.V, Fr. Timothy. Struggles in the Spiritual Life: Their Nature and Their Remedies (pp. 123-124). Sophia Institute Press. Kindle Edition. “

To find more episodes from this series, visit the Struggles in the Spiritual Life Podcast

From the book’s description: “Here is a powerful, life-changing book that will help you understand and conquer the struggles you face in your spiritual life. It’s a book for those who love the Lord and desire holiness yet often feel adrift or stagnant in their search for spiritual growth.

All of us encounter valleys on our journey with the Lord — those periods of spiritual desolation that are a painful yet unavoidable feature of our prayer life. Spiritual desolation is as complex as we are, so understanding what is happening and responding to it properly are critical to reaching the heights of holiness.

With warmth and understanding, Fr. Gallagher carefully identifies in this book the various forms of spiritual and nonspiritual desolation and supplies the remedy for each. You’ll learn how to discern whether your struggles derive from medical or psychological conditions or whether those struggles are spiritual and permitted by the Lord for reasons of growth. In each case, you’ll be given the remedy for the struggle. You’ll also learn the forms of spiritual dryness and of the Dark Night — and how to respond to them.

In chapter after chapter, Fr. Gallagher presents a particular struggle as experienced by fictional characters and then provides the advice he gives to those who come to him for spiritual direction about that struggle. You’ll gain confidence as you journey through desolation, and you’ll learn to reject the enemy’s ploys to infect you with a sense of hopelessness.”

Did you know that Fr. Timothy Gallagher has 14 different podcast series on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts?
Visit here to discover more!

SISL17 – A Need to Share – Struggles in the Spiritual Life with Fr. Timothy Gallagher – Discerning Hearts Podcasts

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A Need to Share – Struggles in the Spiritual Life with Fr. Timothy Gallagher O.M.V.

Fr. Timothy Gallagher explores the experience of spiritual dryness in prayer, highlighting it as a potential sign of growth rather than failure. Using the story of a father and son, Fr. Gallagher illustrates how unresolved burdens, such as past sins or secrets, can hinder intimacy with God. God desires us to bring everything—our pain, shame, and struggles—into prayer, where healing and growth can occur.

Spiritual dryness, rather than being discouraging, can be an invitation to deepen trust and intimacy with God. Fr. Gallagher advises seeking guidance from a spiritual director for navigating such struggles and reminds us hat God is infinitely patient, always ready to walk with us in our burdens. This message is one of hope: through honesty and trust, even the most challenging seasons of the spiritual life can lead to profound freedom and renewed connection with God.

You can pick up a copy of the book here.

Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions

  1. Identifying Dryness in Prayer: What areas of your prayer life feel dry or disconnected, and could this indicate an invitation to deeper intimacy with God?
  2. Facing Unspoken Burdens: Are there unresolved struggles or hidden parts of your heart that you have not yet shared with God in prayer?
  3. Seeking Spiritual Guidance: Who in your life could serve as a trusted spiritual director to help you navigate moments of spiritual dryness or doubt?
  4. Embracing Vulnerability: How might greater openness in your relationships with loved ones mirror the vulnerability God invites in prayer?
  5. Reframing Spiritual Struggles: Can you view spiritual dryness not as failure but as a sign of God’s loving call for growth and healing in your life?
  6. Experiencing God’s Patience: How does reflecting on God’s tenderness and patience encourage you to approach Him with your deepest fears and struggles?
  7. Walking in Hope: In what ways can this episode inspire you to see your spiritual challenges as pathways to greater freedom and connection with God?

An excerpt from the chapter, “A Need to Share”:

“Most fundamentally, prayer is a relationship: the human person and the Divine together, in communication. Dryness may arise in prayer when we need to share something with the Lord but have not done so. We may feel ashamed, too angry, too hurt. And so we do not speak of it. Then our prayer feels superficial, dry. We have little to say. Little! The contrary is true: prayer is dry because we have so much to say and have not said it. Father Reed’s question is the right one: “Have you spoken about this with the Lord?”

The Jesus who speaks so sensitively with the Samaritan woman (John 4:4–42), who meets with the nervous Nicodemus by night (John 3:1–2), who invites the two saddened disciples to tell him their burdens (Luke 24:13–35), who approaches the weeping Mary Magdalene and pronounces her name (John 20:16), who heals Peter’s threefold denial with the threefold question about love (John 21:15–17): this Jesus never “bulldozes” into human hearts. He is patient (Matt. 12:20) and gentle (Matt. 11:29). But he loves us too much to leave us alone with our fear and shame. He invites us to share the burden with him, to tell him about it, to allow him to accompany us in it. When we do, this form of dryness will pass, and prayer will flow.”

Gallagher O.M.V, Fr. Timothy ; Gallagher O.M.V, Fr. Timothy. Struggles in the Spiritual Life: Their Nature and Their Remedies (p. 118). Sophia Institute Press. Kindle Edition.

To find more episodes from this series, visit the Struggles in the Spiritual Life Podcast

From the book’s description: “Here is a powerful, life-changing book that will help you understand and conquer the struggles you face in your spiritual life. It’s a book for those who love the Lord and desire holiness yet often feel adrift or stagnant in their search for spiritual growth.

All of us encounter valleys on our journey with the Lord — those periods of spiritual desolation that are a painful yet unavoidable feature of our prayer life. Spiritual desolation is as complex as we are, so understanding what is happening and responding to it properly are critical to reaching the heights of holiness.

With warmth and understanding, Fr. Gallagher carefully identifies in this book the various forms of spiritual and nonspiritual desolation and supplies the remedy for each. You’ll learn how to discern whether your struggles derive from medical or psychological conditions or whether those struggles are spiritual and permitted by the Lord for reasons of growth. In each case, you’ll be given the remedy for the struggle. You’ll also learn the forms of spiritual dryness and of the Dark Night — and how to respond to them.

In chapter after chapter, Fr. Gallagher presents a particular struggle as experienced by fictional characters and then provides the advice he gives to those who come to him for spiritual direction about that struggle. You’ll gain confidence as you journey through desolation, and you’ll learn to reject the enemy’s ploys to infect you with a sense of hopelessness.”

Did you know that Fr. Timothy Gallagher has 14 different podcast series on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts?
Visit here to discover more!

 

SISL16 – Growth – Struggles in the Spiritual Life with Fr. Timothy Gallagher – Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts

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Growth – Struggles in the Spiritual Life with Fr. Timothy Gallagher O.M.V.

Fr. Timothy Gallagher and Kris McGregor explore the spiritual challenges faced during prayer, using Cathy’s journey as a case study to illustrate how prayer evolves over time.

Cathy initially experiences deep spiritual consolation and healing by using reflective and imaginative methods of Ignatian prayer. However, as her prayer life matures, she finds these approaches less fulfilling and even distracting. This shift leads her to wonder if she’s praying incorrectly. Cathy’s transition to a simpler, quieter form of prayer reflects spiritual growth rather than failure. Drawing an analogy to the deepening intimacy in a long marriage, he emphasizes that prayer, at its core, is a relationship with God, and Cathy’s increasing desire for silent communion signifies a deeper, richer connection with Him.

This simplification of prayer is a natural progression for those who persevere in their spiritual journey. Whether through contemplative silence, liturgical prayer like the Liturgy of the Hours, or cherished devotions like the Rosary, the key is fidelity to daily prayer and attentiveness to the heart’s movement toward God. Changes in prayer experiences are opportunities for growth and invites them to seek guidance, such as through spiritual direction, to navigate transitions. Perseverance remains the essential virtue that ensures continued progress toward a closer relationship with God.

You can pick up a copy of the book here.

Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions

  1. What is the Role of Consolation and Desolation in Prayer? How can experiences of consolation and desolation guide your spiritual growth and reliance on God?
  2. How Does Perseverance Shape Your Prayer Life? In what ways can remaining faithful to prayer, even during dryness or struggle, deepen your relationship with God?
  3. Is Your Prayer Adapting to Your Spiritual Growth? How might God be inviting you to simplify or change the way you pray as your relationship with Him matures?
  4. How Do You Experience God’s Presence in Silence? What can moments of quiet communion with God teach you about trust and intimacy in your spiritual life?
  5. What Role Does Spiritual Direction Play in Your Journey? How could seeking guidance from a spiritual director help you navigate challenges or transitions in your prayer life?
  6. How Does Group Prayer Complement Personal Prayer? In what ways do communal practices like the Rosary or Liturgy of the Hours support and enrich your individual prayer experiences?
  7. Are You Open to Grace in Unexpected Forms? How can you recognize and embrace God’s work in your life, even in moments of dryness or change in prayer?

An excerpt from the chapter, “Growth”:

“Yes, this situation can be confusing. What is happening in Cathy’s prayer? It has become dry. Is this because she lacks formation (chapter 15), has grown negligent (chapter 16), or has permitted an inconsistency between her life and prayer (chapter 17)? None of this appears to be present: Cathy has received formation in prayer, is faithful to it, and shows no sign of inconsistency between her life and prayer. Yet her prayer is dry. Something else, then, is at work, and in this case, something blessed. Cathy finds herself less drawn than before to reflect on or imagine a scriptural text. She esteems this way of praying and has found it fruitful in the past.

Now, however, when she reflects or imagines, she says that “it felt like work, ‘busier’ than I wanted to be in prayer.” On the other hand, at one point “I let the imagining go and just sat with the Lord. That felt better.” Very likely, Cathy’s prayer is simplifying. At times, her heart desires to relinquish the “busyness” of reflecting and imagining and simply be with the Lord, her heart with his heart, with little activity, simply together in a blessed and loving communion. She fears that when she gives her heart this freedom, she is not really praying — not thinking about the meaning of a text or participating imaginatively as it unfolds.

On the contrary! Cathy, and anyone in her situation, needs to know that this silent, loving communion is genuine prayer.”

Gallagher O.M.V, Fr. Timothy ; Gallagher O.M.V, Fr. Timothy. Struggles in the Spiritual Life: Their Nature and Their Remedies (p. 111). Sophia Institute Press. Kindle Edition.

To find more episodes from this series, visit the Struggles in the Spiritual Life Podcast

From the book’s description:

“Here is a powerful, life-changing book that will help you understand and conquer the struggles you face in your spiritual life. It’s a book for those who love the Lord and desire holiness yet often feel adrift or stagnant in their search for spiritual growth.

All of us encounter valleys on our journey with the Lord — those periods of spiritual desolation that are a painful yet unavoidable feature of our prayer life. Spiritual desolation is as complex as we are, so understanding what is happening and responding to it properly are critical to reaching the heights of holiness.

With warmth and understanding, Fr. Gallagher carefully identifies in this book the various forms of spiritual and nonspiritual desolation and supplies the remedy for each. You’ll learn how to discern whether your struggles derive from medical or psychological conditions or whether those struggles are spiritual and permitted by the Lord for reasons of growth. In each case, you’ll be given the remedy for the struggle. You’ll also learn the forms of spiritual dryness and of the Dark Night — and how to respond to them.

In chapter after chapter, Fr. Gallagher presents a particular struggle as experienced by fictional characters and then provides the advice he gives to those who come to him for spiritual direction about that struggle. You’ll gain confidence as you journey through desolation, and you’ll learn to reject the enemy’s ploys to infect you with a sense of hopelessness.“

Did you know that Fr. Timothy Gallagher has 14 different podcast series on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts?
Visit here to discover more!

SISL15 – Inconsistency – Struggles in the Spiritual Life with Fr. Timothy Gallagher – Discerning Hearts Podcasts

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Inconsistency – Struggles in the Spiritual Life with Fr. Timothy Gallagher O.M.V.

Fr. Timothy Gallagher continues the story of John and how prayer can reveal inconsistencies in life, such as unresolved relationships or temptations, and how addressing these struggles leads to spiritual growth. Fr. Gallagher highlights the importance of honest self-reflection in prayer, even during periods of dryness or desolation, and encourages seeking guidance from trusted spiritual directors. Through John’s journey, the podcast demonstrates how aligning actions with faith, maintaining consistency in prayer, and trusting in God’s grace foster healing and deeper intimacy with God.

Struggles like temptation or desolation are common in the spiritual life but must not be kept secret. We can use the examples of saints like St. Teresa of Ávila and St. Thérèse of Lisieux, who overcame similar challenges through prayer and spiritual direction. By vulnerably sharing burdens with wise companions and taking concrete steps to address spiritual misalignments, individuals can restore peace and joy in their relationship with God.

You can pick up a copy of the book here.

Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions

  1. Prayer and Self-Awareness: How does your prayer life help you recognize areas of inconsistency or struggle in your relationship with God and others?
  2. Seeking Spiritual Guidance: Do you have a trusted spiritual director or confidant to whom you can turn for support and accountability in your spiritual journey?
  3. Perseverance in Dryness: How can you remain faithful in prayer during times of spiritual dryness or desolation, trusting that God is still at work?
  4. Aligning Life and Faith: Are there actions or habits in your life that conflict with your spiritual commitments, and what steps can you take to resolve them?
  5. Temptation and Grace: When faced with temptation, how do you invite God’s grace and guidance into your struggles to choose a path of holiness?
  6. Transparency and Freedom: What fears or barriers might prevent you from openly sharing your burdens with God or a spiritual guide, and how can you overcome them?
  7. Growth Through Struggles: How might God be using your spiritual challenges as opportunities for deeper intimacy and growth in faith?

An excerpt from the chapter, “Inconsistency”:

“Inconsistencies between our prayer and our lives will cause dryness in prayer: a refusal to forgive, firmly guarded anger, all-encompassing pursuit of material goals, self-centeredness, harmful relationships, and so forth. As these areas of our lives are brought to Christ and healed, dryness in prayer lifts.

Of the time before her profound conversion, Saint Teresa of Avila writes, “I began to return to prayer without, however, removing the occasions of sin. . . . My life was very hard, because in prayer I understood my faults more clearly.”When that conversion occurred, the dryness passed, and her prayer blossomed in a way that continues to bless the Church. The dryness caused by inconsistency between prayer and life is, at root, a loving call from God to healing and to new life.”

Gallagher O.M.V, Fr. Timothy ; Gallagher O.M.V, Fr. Timothy. Struggles in the Spiritual Life: Their Nature and Their Remedies (pp. 105-106). Sophia Institute Press. Kindle Edition.

From the book’s description:

“Here is a powerful, life-changing book that will help you understand and conquer the struggles you face in your spiritual life. It’s a book for those who love the Lord and desire holiness yet often feel adrift or stagnant in their search for spiritual growth.

All of us encounter valleys on our journey with the Lord — those periods of spiritual desolation that are a painful yet unavoidable feature of our prayer life. Spiritual desolation is as complex as we are, so understanding what is happening and responding to it properly are critical to reaching the heights of holiness.

With warmth and understanding, Fr. Gallagher carefully identifies in this book the various forms of spiritual and nonspiritual desolation and supplies the remedy for each. You’ll learn how to discern whether your struggles derive from medical or psychological conditions or whether those struggles are spiritual and permitted by the Lord for reasons of growth. In each case, you’ll be given the remedy for the struggle. You’ll also learn the forms of spiritual dryness and of the Dark Night — and how to respond to them.

In chapter after chapter, Fr. Gallagher presents a particular struggle as experienced by fictional characters and then provides the advice he gives to those who come to him for spiritual direction about that struggle. You’ll gain confidence as you journey through desolation, and you’ll learn to reject the enemy’s ploys to infect you with a sense of hopelessness.“

Did you know that Fr. Timothy Gallagher has 14 different podcast series on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts?
Visit here to discover more!

SISL13 – I Feel Alone- Struggles in the Spiritual Life with Fr. Timothy Gallagher – Discerning Hearts Podcasts

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I Feel Alone – Struggles in the Spiritual Life with Fr. Timothy Gallagher O.M.V.

Fr. Timothy Gallagher illustrates the struggles in the process of discernment with Kathy’s story, a woman who, after experiencing spiritual closeness with God, is confronted by a deeply buried pain triggered during prayer. Kathy feels abandoned by God, prompting her to stop praying and isolate herself emotionally. Guided by her spiritual director, Fr. Reed, Kathy learns that she can openly share her pain and anger with God, drawing on examples from the Psalms and the Book of Job, where people express their raw emotions before God.

Through this honest dialogue, Kathy finds a path back to a real and growing relationship with God, learning that spiritual desolation can sometimes serve as a gateway to greater intimacy with Him. Fr. Gallagher emphasizes that while desolation may make us feel distant from God, the experience can deepen our relationship with Him if we remain faithful, seek guidance, and avoid making drastic changes to our spiritual practices.

You can pick up a copy of the book here.

Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions

  1. Understanding Spiritual Desolation: How have you experienced feelings of isolation or distance from God, and how did you respond?
  2. Seeking Guidance: Who are the trusted individuals in your life whom you could approach for spiritual guidance during times of struggle?
  3. Expressing Raw Emotions to God: In what ways could you bring your true feelings of pain or anger to God in prayer, as Kathy learned to do?
  4. Reflection on Consolation and Desolation: How can you recognize moments of consolation in your spiritual life, and how might they prepare you for future struggles?
  5. Role of Patience and Perseverance: What small steps or practices could help you stand firm in faith during times of spiritual desolation?
  6. Recognizing God’s Presence: How might you grow in awareness of God’s closeness, even when feelings of distance prevail?
  7. Application of Ignatian Tools: Which of the Ignatian tools for resisting spiritual desolation resonates most with you, and how can you integrate it into your daily spiritual life?
  8. Encountering Jesus in Your Pain: Reflect on a past pain or loss; how does the image of Jesus weeping with Lazarus’s sisters offer comfort in your own grief?
  9. Freedom from Stagnation in Spiritual Life: Are there areas in your spiritual journey where you feel “stuck,” and how could sharing with someone help you move forward?
  10. Embracing Growth Through Struggle: How can you view spiritual desolation as an invitation to deeper intimacy with God rather than as a setback?

An excerpt from the chapter, “I Feel Alone “:

“In a final form of spiritual desolation, Ignatius tells us, a person feels “as if separated from his Creator and Lord.” Cathy experiences this strongly in the weeks described: “All that closeness and warmth of God’s love? It’s gone like smoke. . . . I’m sitting in the kitchen as I write, and I feel like I’m here, and God is a million miles away.” I’m here, and God is a million miles away. I’m here, sitting in my kitchen, alone in my apartment, commuting to work, driving to pick up the children, sitting at my computer . . . and you are a million miles away, distant, remote.

Have you ever felt that? Yes, certainly, you have, and I have. Once more: no shame, no surprise; be aware, identify, reject.”

Gallagher O.M.V, Fr. Timothy ; Gallagher O.M.V, Fr. Timothy. Struggles in the Spiritual Life: Their Nature and Their Remedies (p. 89). Sophia Institute Press. Kindle Edition.

 

To find more episodes from this series, visit the Struggles in the Spiritual Life Podcast

From the book’s description:

“Here is a powerful, life-changing book that will help you understand and conquer the struggles you face in your spiritual life. It’s a book for those who love the Lord and desire holiness yet often feel adrift or stagnant in their search for spiritual growth.

All of us encounter valleys on our journey with the Lord — those periods of spiritual desolation that are a painful yet unavoidable feature of our prayer life. Spiritual desolation is as complex as we are, so understanding what is happening and responding to it properly are critical to reaching the heights of holiness.

With warmth and understanding, Fr. Gallagher carefully identifies in this book the various forms of spiritual and nonspiritual desolation and supplies the remedy for each. You’ll learn how to discern whether your struggles derive from medical or psychological conditions or whether those struggles are spiritual and permitted by the Lord for reasons of growth. In each case, you’ll be given the remedy for the struggle. You’ll also learn the forms of spiritual dryness and of the Dark Night — and how to respond to them.

In chapter after chapter, Fr. Gallagher presents a particular struggle as experienced by fictional characters and then provides the advice he gives to those who come to him for spiritual direction about that struggle. You’ll gain confidence as you journey through desolation, and you’ll learn to reject the enemy’s ploys to infect you with a sense of hopelessness.“

Did you know that Fr. Timothy Gallagher has 14 different podcast series on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts?
Visit here to discover more!

SISL12 – I Have No Fervor & I Feel Sad – Struggles in the Spiritual Life with Fr. Timothy Gallagher – Discerning Hearts Podcasts

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I Have No Fervor & I Feel Sad – Struggles in the Spiritual Life with Fr. Timothy Gallagher O.M.V.

Fr. Timothy Gallagher discusses St. Ignatius of Loyola’s insights on handling spiritual desolation with St. Ignatius’ rule to remain steadfast in spiritual practices during desolation and not make changes, using Beth’s experience to illustrate this. Despite feeling no fervor during a Bible study, Beth remains committed, a choice Ignatius encourages as a response to desolation. Recognizing these feelings as a natural part of spiritual growth can prevent discouragement.

Fr. Gallagher also touches on different desolation experiences. Returning to the character of Paul, Paul’s prayer life is subtly disrupted by doubts and comparisons, which cause sadness and diminish his peace, although he can still identify and manage these negative thoughts. Through Paul’s story, St. Ignatius’ counsel is used to recognize and reject discouraging thoughts that intrude during prayer, likening these to “cold air” moments that disturb a peaceful, loving space with God.

The use of Ignatian practices like the examen prayer to gain clarity in these struggles and the importance of knowing personal vulnerabilities in spiritual life. These insights from Ignatius aim to strengthen resilience, helping individuals to hold onto hope and joy in prayer despite ongoing spiritual challenges.

You can pick up a copy of the book here.

Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions

  1. Understanding Desolation: How can you identify moments of spiritual desolation in your own life, similar to Beth’s experience, and resist the urge to change your routine?
  2. Steadfast Commitment: When you feel unmotivated in spiritual practices, what commitments can help you continue faithfully, as Ignatius advises?
  3. Awareness of Discouragement: Can you recognize the subtle ways in which thoughts of comparison or inadequacy, like Paul’s, affect your prayer life?
  4. Using Spiritual Tools: How might the examen prayer or other Ignatian tools help you notice and counteract spiritual desolation?
  5. Personal Vulnerabilities: What areas in your life feel most vulnerable to discouragement, and how can you turn them into places of hope, as Ignatius suggests?
  6. Avoiding Comparison: How does comparing your spiritual journey to others diminish your sense of peace, and what steps can you take to embrace your unique path?
  7. Recognizing God’s Individual Love: How does reflecting on God’s unique love for you help counteract feelings of sadness or inadequacy in prayer?

An excerpt from the chapter, “I Have No Fervor”:

“How should we understand Beth’s experience this Wednesday evening? We have no indication that Beth is at fault. She is faithful. She prepares and attends the class in her usual way. She does her best to participate — so well in fact, that none perceive her lack of enthusiasm. What, then, is Beth experiencing?

Having followed Ignatius thus far, we can guess the answer! This Wednesday evening, Beth experiences a form of spiritual desolation. She feels, to use Ignatius’s words, “totally tepid,” that is, completely without fervor as she performs a spiritual practice. In this form of desolation, we feel spiritually lukewarm, indifferent, unenthusiastic, without affect. When we pray, serve the Lord, live our vocations, take new steps in our spiritual lives, seek holiness, but find ourselves tepid and without fervor as we do these things, we are experiencing spiritual desolation. The adverb “totally” is again expressive.

Have you ever felt this form of spiritual desolation? Yes, certainly, we all have at times. Obviously, the enemy’s goal is that such tepidity cause us to question ourselves, to lose heart, to abandon these helpful practices. Beth responds well when she remains faithful, the right response for us as well.

Once again, no shame! No surprise! Be aware, identify, reject.”

Gallagher O.M.V, Fr. Timothy ; Gallagher O.M.V, Fr. Timothy. Struggles in the Spiritual Life: Their Nature and Their Remedies (pp. 76-77). Sophia Institute Press. Kindle Edition.

 

An excerpt from the chapter, “I Feel Sad”:

“Before Paul — or we — can answer these questions, we need to identify the sadness he feels. Paul is faithful to prayer and has been for years. He loves it, and he feels its fruits. Though the sadness weighs on him, Paul does not let it stop him. In fact, he is progressing in prayer, as his increased awareness of his experience reveals. Paul now notes spiritual movements, even this undramatic, nonclamorous sense of sadness. He can identify the thoughts from which it originates. Paul’s sadness, then, does not derive from negligence on his part.

How, then, should we understand it? Paul experiences a form of spiritual desolation that Ignatius describes as finding oneself “totally sad.” Paul is not yet “totally” sad, but things appear to be moving in that direction.

Once again, no shame, so surprise; be aware, identify, reject. This sadness is distinct from the healthy — even if painful — sadness we feel at the loss of a loved one, the termination of a rewarding occupation, and the like.

This is a spiritual sadness with nothing healthy about it. It arises from lies of the enemy. He tells you that you should be ashamed to bring such “small” things to prayer — to the God who knows when a sparrow falls to the ground and counts the hairs on your head (Luke 12:6–7), the God to whom everything in your life is important. The enemy tells you that you are not really praying — when, in reality, God is calling you to a simpler and richer prayer. The enemy tells you that you have stopped at the threshold of deep prayer — when you have only encountered the dry and distracted moments that all who pray faithfully experience. All this is from the liar and father of lies! The only fitting response is to unmask the lies and reject them.”

Gallagher O.M.V, Fr. Timothy ; Gallagher O.M.V, Fr. Timothy. Struggles in the Spiritual Life: Their Nature and Their Remedies (pp. 81-82). Sophia Institute Press. Kindle Edition.

To find more episodes from this series, visit the Struggles in the Spiritual Life Podcast

From the book’s description:

“Here is a powerful, life-changing book that will help you understand and conquer the struggles you face in your spiritual life. It’s a book for those who love the Lord and desire holiness yet often feel adrift or stagnant in their search for spiritual growth.

All of us encounter valleys on our journey with the Lord — those periods of spiritual desolation that are a painful yet unavoidable feature of our prayer life. Spiritual desolation is as complex as we are, so understanding what is happening and responding to it properly are critical to reaching the heights of holiness.

With warmth and understanding, Fr. Gallagher carefully identifies in this book the various forms of spiritual and nonspiritual desolation and supplies the remedy for each. You’ll learn how to discern whether your struggles derive from medical or psychological conditions or whether those struggles are spiritual and permitted by the Lord for reasons of growth. In each case, you’ll be given the remedy for the struggle. You’ll also learn the forms of spiritual dryness and of the Dark Night — and how to respond to them.

In chapter after chapter, Fr. Gallagher presents a particular struggle as experienced by fictional characters and then provides the advice he gives to those who come to him for spiritual direction about that struggle. You’ll gain confidence as you journey through desolation, and you’ll learn to reject the enemy’s ploys to infect you with a sense of hopelessness.“

Did you know that Fr. Timothy Gallagher has 14 different podcast series on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts?
Visit here to discover more!

SISL11 – I Don’t Have the Energy – Struggles in the Spiritual Life with Fr. Timothy Gallagher – Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 26:28 — 18.3MB) | Embed

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I Don’t Have the Energy – Struggles in the Spiritual Life with Fr. Timothy Gallagher O.M.V.

Fr. Timothy Gallagher and Kris McGregor discuss spiritual desolation and St. Ignatius of Loyola’s guidance on overcoming it. Desolation often manifests as a lack of energy or motivation in one’s spiritual life, as illustrated by Bob’s story—a faithful man suddenly feeling weary in his spiritual commitments and tempted to give up leading a church group.

It’s important to recognize and reject these feelings without making changes during desolation, using St. Ignatius’ principles: “Be aware, identify, reject,” and “in desolation, make no change,” alongside the wisdom of staying connected with others for support. This approach mirrors St. Benedict’s teaching on dismissing negative thoughts quickly to prevent them from taking root.

We’re meant to face spiritual struggles with others. This unity in faith is essential for spiritual resilience in a challenging cultural environment.

Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions

  1. Identify Your Desolations: When have you experienced a lack of motivation or heaviness in your spiritual practices?
  2. Recognize Patterns of Resistance: Do you notice any recurring situations where you feel drawn away from prayer or other commitments?
  3. Acknowledge External Support: Who in your life acts as a spiritual companion, helping you recognize and resist spiritual desolation?
  4. Discern in Desolation: Have you ever made changes to your spiritual life during times of spiritual dryness, and what were the outcomes?
  5. Rely on the Community of Faith: How can you strengthen connections with others in faith to support your journey and resist isolation?
  6. Trust in Spiritual Tools: Which Ignatian principles, such as “Be aware, identify, reject,” could help you face future spiritual challenges?
  7. Embrace God’s Timing: How does the reminder to “make no change in desolation” encourage you to trust God’s timing over impulsive decisions?
  8. Invite Jesus into Struggle: In what areas of your life could you open the door more fully to Christ, allowing him to be the “divine physician”?

An excerpt from the chapter, “I Don’t Have the Energy”:

In this form of desolation, we feel spiritually sluggish, indolent, lazy, lackadaisical. The adverb “totally” is powerful: in time of spiritual desolation, we may feel totally sluggish, lazy, and slothful as regards various aspects of our spiritual lives. We feel no energy for prayer, for God’s service, for involvement in our parish, for holiness in our vocations, and the like. The feeling of slothfulness in spiritual desolation may contrast sharply with the energy we more habitually feel for these same things when not in desolation.

There is no shame in experiencing this form of spiritual desolation. We all do at times. What is important — Julie is on target with this — is to be aware of it, understand it for the tactic of the enemy that it is, and firmly reject it. For Bob, this means that he should not renounce leadership of the group until he has greater clarity about his spiritual situation (rule 5: in time of desolation, never make a change). That change will not resolve his lack of energy; identifying and rejecting the desolation will. Bob may further apply the means Ignatius offers to resist and overcome the desolation: prayer of petition, meditation, examination, suitable penance, and the rest.

Gallagher O.M.V, Fr. Timothy ; Gallagher O.M.V, Fr. Timothy. Struggles in the Spiritual Life: Their Nature and Their Remedies (pp. 72-73). Sophia Institute Press. Kindle Edition.

To find more episodes from this series, visit the Struggles in the Spiritual Life Podcast

From the book’s description:

“Here is a powerful, life-changing book that will help you understand and conquer the struggles you face in your spiritual life. It’s a book for those who love the Lord and desire holiness yet often feel adrift or stagnant in their search for spiritual growth.

All of us encounter valleys on our journey with the Lord — those periods of spiritual desolation that are a painful yet unavoidable feature of our prayer life. Spiritual desolation is as complex as we are, so understanding what is happening and responding to it properly are critical to reaching the heights of holiness.

With warmth and understanding, Fr. Gallagher carefully identifies in this book the various forms of spiritual and nonspiritual desolation and supplies the remedy for each. You’ll learn how to discern whether your struggles derive from medical or psychological conditions or whether those struggles are spiritual and permitted by the Lord for reasons of growth. In each case, you’ll be given the remedy for the struggle. You’ll also learn the forms of spiritual dryness and of the Dark Night — and how to respond to them.

In chapter after chapter, Fr. Gallagher presents a particular struggle as experienced by fictional characters and then provides the advice he gives to those who come to him for spiritual direction about that struggle. You’ll gain confidence as you journey through desolation, and you’ll learn to reject the enemy’s ploys to infect you with a sense of hopelessness.“

Did you know that Fr. Timothy Gallagher has 14 different podcast series on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts?
Visit here to discover more!

SISL10 – I Don’t Feel God’s Love – Struggles in the Spiritual Life with Fr. Timothy Gallagher – Discerning Hearts Podcasts

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 21:53 — 15.1MB) | Embed

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I Don’t Feel God’s Love – Struggles in the Spiritual Life with Fr. Timothy Gallagher O.M.V.

Fr. Timothy Gallagher and Kris McGregor discuss the spiritual journey, focusing on the experience of spiritual consolation and desolation using  the story of Kathy, a participant in a six-week parish prayer program, as an example of how these experiences manifest in the life of prayer.

Kathy begins her prayer journey with moments of spiritual consolation, feeling God’s presence and love. As she engages deeply with scripture, she experiences a growing intimacy with God. However, as time progresses, she faces spiritual desolation, feeling abandoned and struggling with past pain, specifically related to her experience of cancer and the loss of the ability to have children. This leads to feelings of anger toward God, and she questions why she should continue praying.

Such desolation is a normal part of spiritual growth and not a sign that something is going wrong. Rather, it is often an invitation to deeper healing, as God touches painful areas of the soul that need to be addressed. In times of desolation, one should seek guidance from a spiritual director or a trusted companion in the faith to help make sense of the experience.

Spiritual desolation, while difficult, can lead to significant spiritual growth, helping individuals become more rooted in their relationship with God and opening them to new forms of healing and grace.

You can pick up a copy of the book here.

Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions

  1. How do you handle spiritual desolation?
    Reflect on how you respond when you feel distant from God, and whether you seek guidance or attempt to push through on your own.
  2. Are you open to spiritual growth through challenges?
    Consider if you view spiritual desolation as an opportunity for growth and healing, even when it feels painful.
  3. Do you seek spiritual support when needed?
    Think about whether you reach out to spiritual directors, friends, or companions during times of desolation to help understand what God may be doing in your life.
  4. Can you recognize God’s presence in both consolation and desolation?
    Reflect on whether you are able to see God’s hand at work during moments of consolation and desolation, understanding that both are part of the spiritual journey.
  5. Do you maintain faith during difficult spiritual moments?
    Consider if you hold on to trust in God’s love and purpose even when you feel abandoned, and how you might cultivate resilience in your prayer life.

An excerpt from the chapter, “I Don’t Feel God’s Love”:

“This is yet another form of spiritual desolation: times when we feel no sense of God’s love, of His closeness, of warm love for others in God, but rather, we feel a kind of spiritual distance and coldness. As we’ve said so often, there is no shame in experiencing this. To feel this form of spiritual desolation does not mean that God does not love us, that we do not love Him, or that we do not desire to love others.

It simply means that God is permitting us to undergo a time of spiritual desolation because of the growth we gain when we go through it well (see the final paragraph of chapter 8). Cathy’s spiritual desolation as she prays with the calming of the storm is actually a sign that her prayer is progressing richly. For ten years, a wound in her heart has remained unhealed. God loves her too much to allow this to continue unaddressed. Almost inevitably, as she grows closer to God in prayer, this wound is touched. When it is, spiritual desolation results: pain, anger, a sense of distance from God, and an absence of all warmth. If Cathy finds wise counsel to help her understand this and if she does not stop praying, then, for the first time in ten years, deep spiritual healing can occur. Like the disciples in the boat and like Lazarus’s sisters, she will find that if Jesus slept and if he delayed two days, it was because he loved them and had a greater gift to give.”

Gallagher O.M.V, Fr. Timothy ; Gallagher O.M.V, Fr. Timothy. Struggles in the Spiritual Life: Their Nature and Their Remedies (pp. 66-67). Sophia Institute Press. Kindle Edition.

To find more episodes from this series, visit the Struggles in the Spiritual Life Podcast

From the book’s description:

“Here is a powerful, life-changing book that will help you understand and conquer the struggles you face in your spiritual life. It’s a book for those who love the Lord and desire holiness yet often feel adrift or stagnant in their search for spiritual growth.

All of us encounter valleys on our journey with the Lord — those periods of spiritual desolation that are a painful yet unavoidable feature of our prayer life. Spiritual desolation is as complex as we are, so understanding what is happening and responding to it properly are critical to reaching the heights of holiness.

With warmth and understanding, Fr. Gallagher carefully identifies in this book the various forms of spiritual and nonspiritual desolation and supplies the remedy for each. You’ll learn how to discern whether your struggles derive from medical or psychological conditions or whether those struggles are spiritual and permitted by the Lord for reasons of growth. In each case, you’ll be given the remedy for the struggle. You’ll also learn the forms of spiritual dryness and of the Dark Night — and how to respond to them.

In chapter after chapter, Fr. Gallagher presents a particular struggle as experienced by fictional characters and then provides the advice he gives to those who come to him for spiritual direction about that struggle. You’ll gain confidence as you journey through desolation, and you’ll learn to reject the enemy’s ploys to infect you with a sense of hopelessness.“

Did you know that Fr. Timothy Gallagher has 14 different podcast series on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts?
Visit here to discover more!

SISL9 – I’ll Try, but Nothing Will Come of It – Struggles in the Spiritual Life with Fr. Timothy Gallagher – Discerning Hearts Podcasts

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 22:48 — 15.8MB) | Embed

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I’ll Try, but Nothing Will Come of It – Struggles in the Spiritual Life with Fr. Timothy Gallagher O.M.V.

Fr. Timothy Gallagher and Kris McGregor explore the theme of spiritual desolation and the power of spiritual companionship in overcoming discouragement. They discuss a man named Bob who meets with a priest, Father Reed, to discuss tensions in his marriage and his struggles in his spiritual life.

Bob feels discouraged due to unresolved tension with his wife, leading him to question his worth as a husband and father. Father Reed listens and helps Bob recognize that these feelings are spiritual desolation, which Fr. Gallagher explains is the enemy’s tactic to induce self-doubt and hopelessness. By reflecting Bob’s own words back to him, Father Reed helps him to see his love for his family and his commitment to his spiritual growth.

Spiritual desolation should not be faced alone: this includes having support systems such as a spouse, spiritual director, or faith group. By sharing his struggles, Bob finds clarity, hope, and a renewed commitment to his spiritual practices, such as Ignatian principles, like the need to resist making changes during desolation and to stay accompanied through spiritual friendships and community support.

These struggles can deepen one’s relationship with God and others. Through grace, individuals can grow in charity, which enhances all relationships—both with God and within one’s community and family.

You can pick up a copy of the book here.

Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions

  1. Identify Moments of Discouragement: When have you experienced discouragement in your spiritual life, and what thoughts accompanied it?
  2. Reflect on Support Systems: Who are the spiritual companions in your life that help you stay grounded in faith, and how do they support you?
  3. Recognize God’s Role in Desolation: How might God be using your current struggles to draw you closer to Him?
  4. Examine Your Vocation and Relationships: In what ways can your spiritual growth strengthen your relationship with your spouse or loved ones?
  5. Challenge Hopelessness with Truth: What negative self-talk do you need to reject, and what truths can you embrace about God’s love and grace?
  6. Commit to Staying Accompanied: Who can you reach out to when you feel spiritually isolated, and how can you deepen these connections?

An excerpt from the chapter, “I’ll Try, but Nothing Will Come of It”:

“With Father Reed’s help, Bob recognizes a tactic of the enemy, another form of spiritual desolation. Ignatius describes this as “lack of hope.” When we experience this form of desolation, our thoughts are like Bob’s: we lose hope of any real progress in loving God, in prayer, in holiness, and in living our vocation well. If we think like this, we will be tempted, like Bob, to give up — precisely the enemy’s goal.

All of this is a lie! If ever you feel “defeated before you begin” in your spiritual life, recognize the lie of the enemy and reject it. Do not relinquish your efforts to grow spiritually. God’s love and the power of his grace are with you in these efforts. Compared with this, the enemy’s lies are a very small thing. Further, we can prepare to reject such lies even before the enemy brings them (Ignatius’s rule 10). After this attack by the enemy, for example, Bob can prepare himself to reject similar lies should the enemy bring them again.”

Gallagher O.M.V, Fr. Timothy ; Gallagher O.M.V, Fr. Timothy. Struggles in the Spiritual Life: Their Nature and Their Remedies (pp. 59-60). Sophia Institute Press. Kindle Edition.

To find more episodes from this series, visit the Struggles in the Spiritual Life Podcast

From the book’s description:

“Here is a powerful, life-changing book that will help you understand and conquer the struggles you face in your spiritual life. It’s a book for those who love the Lord and desire holiness yet often feel adrift or stagnant in their search for spiritual growth.

All of us encounter valleys on our journey with the Lord — those periods of spiritual desolation that are a painful yet unavoidable feature of our prayer life. Spiritual desolation is as complex as we are, so understanding what is happening and responding to it properly are critical to reaching the heights of holiness.

With warmth and understanding, Fr. Gallagher carefully identifies in this book the various forms of spiritual and nonspiritual desolation and supplies the remedy for each. You’ll learn how to discern whether your struggles derive from medical or psychological conditions or whether those struggles are spiritual and permitted by the Lord for reasons of growth. In each case, you’ll be given the remedy for the struggle. You’ll also learn the forms of spiritual dryness and of the Dark Night — and how to respond to them.

In chapter after chapter, Fr. Gallagher presents a particular struggle as experienced by fictional characters and then provides the advice he gives to those who come to him for spiritual direction about that struggle. You’ll gain confidence as you journey through desolation, and you’ll learn to reject the enemy’s ploys to infect you with a sense of hopelessness.“

Did you know that Fr. Timothy Gallagher has 14 different podcast series on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts?
Visit here to discover more!