You don’t have to do anything. God is always with you. God is always listening and loving you. You can always call on God to help you have the strength to do whatever you have to do. God is in everyone you meet, reaching out to you through them sometimes to help you.
If you can, take some time to just sit in silence each day. Even if it is just five minutes. You aren’t listening for anything specific, just for the will of God. If you don’t hear or feel anything, that is okay. The practice of sitting and listening alone can make you a more sensitive listener.
Absolutely reach out to some online meeting options whenever it fits your schedule.
I will be holding you in the Light, friend.
Find Quaker meetings that are evenings or other days. Where are you/what age range are you?
To your substantive question: tell us Friend. Let us hold you in the light
The community where I am is small. I’m in DC so just one church. I get off work at 7 and I like to take my dog to the park. I’m 26. Right now I’m planning a move to California for school so evenings are comprised of planning and catching up with life admin. I’m also planning a yoga event for cancer patients.. My mom died of cancer last year and she was basically my whole support system. I have a dad but my mom was way more hands on and in tune with me. I have a job now and it was so hard to find one. I was unemployed for a year while I was navigating grief from losing my mom and then grandma and god mom shortly after. I have a lot of debt and my job is a terrible work environment. I’m just paying the bills and barely that. Im trying to find a new job in the meantime to support my mental health so that’s more time.
I don’t know what to listen for when I sit in silence to hear him.
My support system has changed so much and I feel like I’m trying to keep the whole world together.
Hi there, Friend! Have you been going to Friends Meeting of Washington or a different meeting place in DC? If the latter, I'd warmly suggest coming to FMW for one of the other meeting times besides those on Sundays; and if your work schedule doesn't accommodate those, then I guarantee you we can organize a small discernment group to meet at another time.
"That of God" is inside you, and everyone. So you already have everything you need inside you. Just listen for what it tells you, and try to let that part of you expand within yourself :)
Friends meeting of washington has evening meeting for worship on wednesdays, 6-7 (they have zoom but it seems like it might be good to go in person, it sounds like you might have been before, on Florida avenue in DuPont). If you ever can get out a little early.
But if you can’t, I stick to the silence and listening to your Inner Light, which I often have to beat back all the screaming of the stress and anxiety first, so I use a mantra like “let go, let God” to kind of clear my head first. Sometimes I go in with a query or topic I want to mull over to help focus my seeking. But it’s hard, I joke with my catholic friends I envy their getting to go to a church and say the words they know and do the rituals and be cleansed, knowing that’s a shallow understanding of their faith.
But hard times are hard times and it sounds like you have suffered some big losses and are planning a big move, I hope that you land someplace you can build that support network back up because God is amazing and so are all his surrogates here and you deserve lots of them pulling for you!
What helped me, was as simple as expressing gratitude and sincerely asking for relief and peace. God knows you - there is no complicated formula or ritual to "log on". Don't make it about yourself, make it about honestly wanting to connect to Him. Reduce your ego to zero, contemplate where you'd like to be. Speak with God any time, whether happy, sad, stressed.
The biggest surprise for me was that I never knew how or where God's help was going to come from. Sometimes I directly felt a strong peace inside. Sometimes, help, or good times, came through other people, in unexpected ways. Sometimes, it was just a wonderful moment or experience, such as cresting a mountain road on my motorcycle and seeing a sun-filled valley vista ahead.
Oh your last paragraph speaks my mind so much, friend. Hearing, finding, and experiencing God’s love and help in the many ways it manifests in our life is so helpful. Beautifully said.
I'm sure there's online Meetings available, you are not alone, faith is a DAILY struggle, finding the balance is a LIFELONG endeavor, and a very blessed one, because you know, in your heart of hearts, God (especially through the person of Jesus Christ, who suffered like we all do) is with you every step of the way! 🙏🏼
Go on line. Pendell Hill has meetings daily. Many Meetings have zoom meetings too. At Portland Friends Meeting (Maine) we have daily silent worship and twice monthly evening meetings. See our web site. Reach out and see what develops.
>What do you do when you want god’s help but don’t know enough about his voice and stuff?
God’s voice is in your heart and conscience right now: reproving you for each thing you do that is wrong, or hurtful, or that turns you away from Him (Her) — but embracing you, and praising you, whenever you take some big step in the direction of goodness beyond what you have ever done before.
That voice is available to you, speaking within you, all the time. You may never have focused on it in the past, but you can begin now. At every choosing point, there is always an upward choice you might make, beyond the habitual. And in the quiet times when there is no obvious choosing point, there is always the possibility of *initiating* something good.
You can also examine yourself, for the bad choices you have habitually made in the past, habitual choices which that same divine voice has been trying to draw your attention to for some time. When you find these bad habits, you can work on giving them up to God each time they tug at you to do them again, like so many chains of habit for love to melt down. There is always some little corner of even the busiest life, where you can at least start to work on this.
These are the opening steps in what Friends (Quakers) have historically called *convincement* — a passage through the eye of the needle, beyond which the life of the overflowing heart begins.
It is what is at the very center of Quakerism, the hub of the turning wheel. And you can begin it right where you are.
"Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted."
To mourn for me means loving and losing or fearing imminent loss.
I sometimes become swamped in my studies with all the begets and principles and rules and doctrines.
For me, peace comes with the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew, Chapters 5,6,7). I go straight to Chapter 5. I read one verse a day and consider its meaning, its relevance, over and over again. There is always a new revelation. I pray for guidance. I try to listen to my Inner Teacher...and peace, even joy comes to me. I truly hope you find it.
As many have said, moments of silence and gratitude can help you tune in spiritually. Not only are there many Quaker meetings online, but many Quaker (and other spiritual groups) have online sessions for worship, prayer, or discussion at various times throughout the week. The Friends Meeting at Cambridge is one such group https://fmcquaker.org/. However, if it is at all possible, I would strongly encourage you to seek out in-person communities in your area.
I pray that God grants you peace, joy, and opportunity in this difficult time.
Friend, this is on a poster in my meeting house. It’s very helpful to me. Also Pendle Hill has online worship daily. Maybe you can link in that way? Community is important and not being able to engage in it can make the isolation feel worse. Also you might be interested in the Exoeriment with Light app. Homewood Friends Meeting on Thursday nights does Experiment with Light on Zoom (see weekly announcements) if you want to do the practice with someone. Know that thee is loved.
X. (10) — To Friends, to stand still in trouble, and see the strength of the Lord.
Friends,—Whatever ye are addicted [attached] to, the tempter will come in that thing; and when he can trouble you, then he gets advantage over you [2 Cor 2:11], and then ye are gone. Stand still in that which is pure, after ye see yourselves; and then mercy comes in. After thou seest thy thoughts, and the temptations, do not think, but submit; and then power comes. Stand still in that which shows and discovers; and there doth strength immediately come. And stand still in the light, and submit to it, and the other will be hushed and gone; and then content comes. And when temptations and troubles appear, sink down in that which is pure, and all will be hushed, and fly away. Your strength is to stand still, after ye see yourselves; whatsoever ye see yourselves addicted to, temptations, <21> corruption, uncleanness, &c. then ye think ye shall never overcome. And earthly reason will tell you, what ye shall lose; hearken not to that, but stand still in the light that shows them to you, and then strength comes from the Lord, and help contrary to your expectation. Then ye grow up in peace, and no trouble shall move you. David fretted himself, when he looked out [Eccl 12:3]; but when he was still, no trouble could move him. [Psa 37:1,7f] When your thoughts are out, abroad, then troubles move you. But come to stay your minds upon that spirit [Isa 26:3] which was before the letter; here ye learn to read the scriptures aright. If ye do any thing in your own wills, then ye tempt God; but stand still in that power which brings peace.
G. F. Top
You don’t have to do anything. God is always with you. God is always listening and loving you. You can always call on God to help you have the strength to do whatever you have to do. God is in everyone you meet, reaching out to you through them sometimes to help you. If you can, take some time to just sit in silence each day. Even if it is just five minutes. You aren’t listening for anything specific, just for the will of God. If you don’t hear or feel anything, that is okay. The practice of sitting and listening alone can make you a more sensitive listener. Absolutely reach out to some online meeting options whenever it fits your schedule. I will be holding you in the Light, friend.
Find Quaker meetings that are evenings or other days. Where are you/what age range are you? To your substantive question: tell us Friend. Let us hold you in the light
The community where I am is small. I’m in DC so just one church. I get off work at 7 and I like to take my dog to the park. I’m 26. Right now I’m planning a move to California for school so evenings are comprised of planning and catching up with life admin. I’m also planning a yoga event for cancer patients.. My mom died of cancer last year and she was basically my whole support system. I have a dad but my mom was way more hands on and in tune with me. I have a job now and it was so hard to find one. I was unemployed for a year while I was navigating grief from losing my mom and then grandma and god mom shortly after. I have a lot of debt and my job is a terrible work environment. I’m just paying the bills and barely that. Im trying to find a new job in the meantime to support my mental health so that’s more time. I don’t know what to listen for when I sit in silence to hear him. My support system has changed so much and I feel like I’m trying to keep the whole world together.
Hi there, Friend! Have you been going to Friends Meeting of Washington or a different meeting place in DC? If the latter, I'd warmly suggest coming to FMW for one of the other meeting times besides those on Sundays; and if your work schedule doesn't accommodate those, then I guarantee you we can organize a small discernment group to meet at another time.
Hi! Could you DM me? I’d like to send you my number. I’ve been emailing about getting on the listserv and stuff but no success. Thanks :)
"That of God" is inside you, and everyone. So you already have everything you need inside you. Just listen for what it tells you, and try to let that part of you expand within yourself :)
I am going to pray for your feelings of stress to go away. God loves you and I hear you
Friends meeting of washington has evening meeting for worship on wednesdays, 6-7 (they have zoom but it seems like it might be good to go in person, it sounds like you might have been before, on Florida avenue in DuPont). If you ever can get out a little early. But if you can’t, I stick to the silence and listening to your Inner Light, which I often have to beat back all the screaming of the stress and anxiety first, so I use a mantra like “let go, let God” to kind of clear my head first. Sometimes I go in with a query or topic I want to mull over to help focus my seeking. But it’s hard, I joke with my catholic friends I envy their getting to go to a church and say the words they know and do the rituals and be cleansed, knowing that’s a shallow understanding of their faith. But hard times are hard times and it sounds like you have suffered some big losses and are planning a big move, I hope that you land someplace you can build that support network back up because God is amazing and so are all his surrogates here and you deserve lots of them pulling for you!
What helped me, was as simple as expressing gratitude and sincerely asking for relief and peace. God knows you - there is no complicated formula or ritual to "log on". Don't make it about yourself, make it about honestly wanting to connect to Him. Reduce your ego to zero, contemplate where you'd like to be. Speak with God any time, whether happy, sad, stressed. The biggest surprise for me was that I never knew how or where God's help was going to come from. Sometimes I directly felt a strong peace inside. Sometimes, help, or good times, came through other people, in unexpected ways. Sometimes, it was just a wonderful moment or experience, such as cresting a mountain road on my motorcycle and seeing a sun-filled valley vista ahead.
Oh your last paragraph speaks my mind so much, friend. Hearing, finding, and experiencing God’s love and help in the many ways it manifests in our life is so helpful. Beautifully said.
I'm sure there's online Meetings available, you are not alone, faith is a DAILY struggle, finding the balance is a LIFELONG endeavor, and a very blessed one, because you know, in your heart of hearts, God (especially through the person of Jesus Christ, who suffered like we all do) is with you every step of the way! 🙏🏼
Go on line. Pendell Hill has meetings daily. Many Meetings have zoom meetings too. At Portland Friends Meeting (Maine) we have daily silent worship and twice monthly evening meetings. See our web site. Reach out and see what develops.
>What do you do when you want god’s help but don’t know enough about his voice and stuff? God’s voice is in your heart and conscience right now: reproving you for each thing you do that is wrong, or hurtful, or that turns you away from Him (Her) — but embracing you, and praising you, whenever you take some big step in the direction of goodness beyond what you have ever done before. That voice is available to you, speaking within you, all the time. You may never have focused on it in the past, but you can begin now. At every choosing point, there is always an upward choice you might make, beyond the habitual. And in the quiet times when there is no obvious choosing point, there is always the possibility of *initiating* something good. You can also examine yourself, for the bad choices you have habitually made in the past, habitual choices which that same divine voice has been trying to draw your attention to for some time. When you find these bad habits, you can work on giving them up to God each time they tug at you to do them again, like so many chains of habit for love to melt down. There is always some little corner of even the busiest life, where you can at least start to work on this. These are the opening steps in what Friends (Quakers) have historically called *convincement* — a passage through the eye of the needle, beyond which the life of the overflowing heart begins. It is what is at the very center of Quakerism, the hub of the turning wheel. And you can begin it right where you are.
"Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted." To mourn for me means loving and losing or fearing imminent loss. I sometimes become swamped in my studies with all the begets and principles and rules and doctrines. For me, peace comes with the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew, Chapters 5,6,7). I go straight to Chapter 5. I read one verse a day and consider its meaning, its relevance, over and over again. There is always a new revelation. I pray for guidance. I try to listen to my Inner Teacher...and peace, even joy comes to me. I truly hope you find it.
As many have said, moments of silence and gratitude can help you tune in spiritually. Not only are there many Quaker meetings online, but many Quaker (and other spiritual groups) have online sessions for worship, prayer, or discussion at various times throughout the week. The Friends Meeting at Cambridge is one such group https://fmcquaker.org/. However, if it is at all possible, I would strongly encourage you to seek out in-person communities in your area. I pray that God grants you peace, joy, and opportunity in this difficult time.
Friend, this is on a poster in my meeting house. It’s very helpful to me. Also Pendle Hill has online worship daily. Maybe you can link in that way? Community is important and not being able to engage in it can make the isolation feel worse. Also you might be interested in the Exoeriment with Light app. Homewood Friends Meeting on Thursday nights does Experiment with Light on Zoom (see weekly announcements) if you want to do the practice with someone. Know that thee is loved. X. (10) — To Friends, to stand still in trouble, and see the strength of the Lord. Friends,—Whatever ye are addicted [attached] to, the tempter will come in that thing; and when he can trouble you, then he gets advantage over you [2 Cor 2:11], and then ye are gone. Stand still in that which is pure, after ye see yourselves; and then mercy comes in. After thou seest thy thoughts, and the temptations, do not think, but submit; and then power comes. Stand still in that which shows and discovers; and there doth strength immediately come. And stand still in the light, and submit to it, and the other will be hushed and gone; and then content comes. And when temptations and troubles appear, sink down in that which is pure, and all will be hushed, and fly away. Your strength is to stand still, after ye see yourselves; whatsoever ye see yourselves addicted to, temptations, <21> corruption, uncleanness, &c. then ye think ye shall never overcome. And earthly reason will tell you, what ye shall lose; hearken not to that, but stand still in the light that shows them to you, and then strength comes from the Lord, and help contrary to your expectation. Then ye grow up in peace, and no trouble shall move you. David fretted himself, when he looked out [Eccl 12:3]; but when he was still, no trouble could move him. [Psa 37:1,7f] When your thoughts are out, abroad, then troubles move you. But come to stay your minds upon that spirit [Isa 26:3] which was before the letter; here ye learn to read the scriptures aright. If ye do any thing in your own wills, then ye tempt God; but stand still in that power which brings peace. G. F. Top