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I’m wondering if anyone has had experiences similar to mine and if anyone has some pointers for me. For the last year or so I have been spiritually numb, and the best way I can describe it is that I feel burned out. My lonely search for truth and the constant frustration at church has left me exhausted, to the point that when I do go to church, or try to pray, or even think about opening my scriptures, I feel exhausted, unmotivated, and erect a metaphorical 10-foot concrete wall around myself, to the point where I feel absolutely nothing. I want to have a relationship with God and feel the wholeness and happiness I used to feel. But I shun all means by which I have been taught to connect with Him, and I don’t know exactly why, I just know my emotions shut off whenever I try. I’m stuck. I’ve heard “fake it till you make it” or “do it until you feel like it” and those don’t work for me. Has anyone else been through the same thing, or have any ideas about how I can move past this? Certainly I have. Been in the rut for awhile now. Mine may be similar, I feel like I’m in spiritual apathy, it seems cyclic. There’s an ebb and a flow to all things in life, and I will come out of this and I hope that you will too. Words like just pray more just fall flat. I find reading helps though, and for me it is reading more of the metaphysical/spiritual Eastern philosophy texts. Anything that makes me think deeply, I am currently not reading anything right now, which I should be, but I have to really want to get out of the rut. Apparently I don’t care to get out of the rut yet.
I have experienced burn out. I don’t know if there’s a cure. I have figured out how guilt/fear figures in though. Letting go of guilt/fear makes a difference. I’ve felt the burn out. Today was not a good day in Church for me. What helps, I’ve found, is to seek for Spirituality elsewhere. The Dalai Lama XIV got me through Sunday School today. I think if we can disassociate “truth” from “goodness” (which the Church makes very hard to do), we’ll get “burned out” less often.
One cure for spiritual burnout for me, doing something good for someone who “falls through the cracks”. And do it anonymously. It could be:
– a community charity.
– a nursing home.
– making friends with someone at church who blends in & doesn’t draw attention.
– an elderly neighbor.
It can be a one time event or a commitment for a specific amount of time.
Stop questioning and searching for a while. Seek spirituality that is unconnected from the church — spirituality from relationships, spirituality from touching movies, moving literature (non-church), exercise, meditation where you connect with God, independent of any LDS teachings. Pray about things that matter, and serve others for its own sake. Find your own well spring — and it doesn’t have to be a church inspired/approved one.
If you can start with the premise that God exists in some form, that’s all you need to get started feeling the Spirit again. We don’t need all these other details…to just feel spiritual.
I have felt the spirit in church services for some other Christian churches. I understand that for most people the last thing they want is more church. Perhaps plan to visit a different church once a month or once a quarter – that way it doesn’t become too onerous. It has been eye opening to see how differently (and refreshingly) other churches can read the same verses of scripture. It can be like reading the same old bible with new eyes! My family was much more active in the programs of the local Christian churches when my kids were below the age for YW and cub scouts. I do not believe the LDS church offers very much for boys before cub scouts and for girls before YW. Now my kids are at the age where they are involved with these programs and that helps us consolidate our time with just the Mormon congregation.
If I just had myself to think about I would probably look to more solitary upliftment – hikes in nature, podcasts, and the like.
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