--- title: "1 Prayer Feel Quotes By R. Thomas Ashbrook" description: "1 Prayer Feel quotes by R. Thomas Ashbrook. Plus more from R. Thomas Ashbrook and more Prayer Feel sayings from other authors." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d7/r-thomas-ashbrook-40522_bad-advice_even-though-we-have-all-had-experiences_157807.jpg" --- > [“Even though we have all had experiences of feeling distant from God, the Dark Night of the Senses is a particular experience with identifiable symptoms, described by John of the Cross. Although not every person necessarily experiences all these symptoms,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-thomas-ashbrook/even-though-we-have-all-had-experiences-of-feeling-distant-from-god/) [R. Thomas Ashbrook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-thomas-ashbrook/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d7/r-thomas-ashbrook-40522_bad-advice_even-though-we-have-all-had-experiences_157807.jpg) ## More by R. Thomas Ashbrook > [“Even though we have all had experiences of feeling distant from God, the Dark Night of the Senses is a particular experience with identifiable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-thomas-ashbrook/even-though-we-have-all-had-experiences-of-feeling-distant-from-god/) [R. Thomas Ashbrook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-thomas-ashbrook/) > [“The enemy’s attacks also increase during prayer. Disguised as our own thoughts, the enemy sends many memories of past sins, shameful thoughts, and messages…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-thomas-ashbrook/the-enemy-s-attacks-also-increase-during-prayer-disguised-as-our-own/) [R. Thomas Ashbrook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-thomas-ashbrook/) > [ “For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the reveal- ing \[through conversion and transformation\] of the sons of God. For the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-thomas-ashbrook/for-the-anxious-longing-of-the-creation-waits-eagerly-for-the-reveal/) [R. Thomas Ashbrook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-thomas-ashbrook/) > [“Our defense against the devil, made possible by Jesus’ death and resurrection and the Holy Spirit’s presence in us, comes in three ways: 1.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-thomas-ashbrook/our-defense-against-the-devil-made-possible-by-jesus-death-and/) [R. Thomas Ashbrook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-thomas-ashbrook/) > [“The very fire of love which afterwards is united with the soul, glorifying it, is that which previously assails it by purging it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-thomas-ashbrook/the-very-fire-of-love-which-afterwards-is-united-with-the-soul/) [R. Thomas Ashbrook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-thomas-ashbrook/) > [“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-thomas-ashbrook/for-our-struggle-is-not-against-flesh-and-blood-but-against-the-2/) [R. Thomas Ashbrook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-thomas-ashbrook/) > [“Reading and teaching about contemplative prayer and spiritual warfare in prayer are essential. Although sermons and books and mentors can be very helpful, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-thomas-ashbrook/reading-and-teaching-about-contemplative-prayer-and-spiritual-warfare/) [R. Thomas Ashbrook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-thomas-ashbrook/) > [“And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-thomas-ashbrook/and-we-know-that-god-causes-all-things-to-work-together-for-good-to/) [R. Thomas Ashbrook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-thomas-ashbrook/) > [“Two primary tactics used on us are pride and distractions. The enemy will attempt to convince us that we are really important, mature, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-thomas-ashbrook/two-primary-tactics-used-on-us-are-pride-and-distractions-the-enemy/) [R. Thomas Ashbrook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-thomas-ashbrook/) > [“Authentic spiritual friendships: Most of what we know about ourselves, truth or falsehood, has been reflected back to us from others. It is vital…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-thomas-ashbrook/authentic-spiritual-friendships-most-of-what-we-know-about-ourselves/) [R. Thomas Ashbrook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-thomas-ashbrook/) > [“The garden of the soul, she says, can be watered in several manners. The first, drawing the water up from a well by use…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-thomas-ashbrook/the-garden-of-the-soul-she-says-can-be-watered-in-several-manners-the/) [R. Thomas Ashbrook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-thomas-ashbrook/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "ItemList", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prayer-feel/r-thomas-ashbrook/#itemlist", "name": "1 Prayer Feel Quotes By R. Thomas Ashbrook", "numberOfItems": 1, "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Even though we have all had experiences of feeling distant from God, the Dark Night of the Senses is a particular experience with identifiable symptoms, described by John of the Cross. Although not every person necessarily experiences all these symptoms, we can get a good feel for this painful time by looking at the characteristics he describes:4 • The Dark Night of the Senses usually comes after a season of consistent and satisfying meditative prayer, and we have been experiencing some detachment from old dependencies on worldly things. • In the darkness, we no longer derive real satisfaction or consolation from spiritual practices or from other people. • The darkness does not have any apparent causes; it is not the result of depression or newly committed sins or imperfections.5 • We feel as though we are not serving God well, but backsliding in our faith, and we become concerned about failing God. • We experience a powerlessness to meditate on God’s Word and to make use of our imagination to relate to the truths of Scripture. God doesn’t seem to speak to us through our analysis and synthesis of the ideas in the text. Prayer may well feel like a waste of time. • In the midst of our spiritual dryness and the absence of God’s consolations, a “dark light” shines that brings us even greater pain. As this dark light shines on us, we gain a greater awareness of our own sinful nature and the extent to which every thought and action is tainted with self. • We find ourselves deeply grieved over our sinful nature and the sins of others. • In the light of our greater self-knowledge, we find ourselves humbler and more patient with the struggles of others. • The Dark Night season often feels even emptier by the absence of qualified spiritual direction to help interpret what is happening, or worse, by bad advice from others. • Whether the Dark Night time is relatively short or extends for years, it is terribly painful, like that endured by a lover separated from her beloved.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "R. 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