What are you seeking most in life? Happiness? Joy? Love? Every human heart is created to desire these things. But how do we fulfill our desires in a healthy way? God created our hearts in this way – with a void, for a reason.
Because He fully intends to fill it!!
Most of us spend years, if not a lifetime, trying to fill that void with things of the world, money, drugs, alcohol, and partying, but the only thing that will truly fill our hearts is GOD. True and lasting happiness comes from a relationship with Him and Him alone. Just as we have relationships with our family and friends, that is how real and tangible our relationship with Our Lord must be.
St. Augustine says, “Our hearts are restless until they rest in you, O Lord.”
It took me years to realize this, but once I did and I developed a personal relationship with Christ, my heart was filled with so much joy and love. The sooner you recognize this, the happier you will be and the better your life will be.
I had never known such joy and deep fulfillment in all my life until I came to know Christ in an intimate and personal way. Just like any other relationship in our life, our relationship with God takes work, but it is so worth it and will be the best thing for you. You may be thinking , ‘well that all sounds great and nice, but how do I live out that faith in my daily life?’
Here are 3 practical ways to help you do just that!
1 – PRAYER
Praying everyday and keeping an open conversation with God is an essential part of living out your faith. Make God your very best friend and talk to Him like you talk to any other friends. How do you communicate with your friends? If you call or text them everyday, then you are going to grow closer to them and grow deeper in love and friendship. Just like if you stop talking to your friends or family, stop texting them all the time, you are going to grow apart. It is the same with our relationship with God.
Prayer is the main way that we can communicate with Our Lord and foster that relationship. Saying formal prayers like the Hail Mary, Our Father, Glory Be, and the Rosary, etc. are great ways to pray and can help us to deepen our faith and relationship with Jesus. Simply sharing your heart and your struggles with God can be a powerful prayer as well.
Waking up every morning and saying hello to God, thanking Him for the day and offering your day to Him can foster a heart of gratitude. It is very helpful to pray again before bed simply thanking God for all the many ways He blessed you throughout your day. Also examining your conscience and being genuinely sorry for the ways that you may have turned away from Him that day is really beneficial. This helps us to reflect and also recognize His mercy and forgiveness in our lives, and to remember that tomorrow is a new day – a fresh start.
2 – THE SACRAMENTS
Jesus left us with the incredible gift of the Sacraments. They provide us with an abundance of grace and are an important way for us to grow closer to Our Lord. Take advantage of the Sacrament of Reconciliation and Holy Communion. Make it a point to receive the Eucharist as much as possible. It is extremely powerful, gives us strength, heals our hearts and works in ways that are indescribable. It is also helpful to go to Confession as often as you can to receive the healing, peace and free grace that God wants to give you.
3 – CHARITY
Living a life of charity in serving others is a beautiful way to deepen our faith. As Catholics, we are called to put the needs of others before our own. Jesus shows us by His perfect example how to love and serve our neighbors. This could be anything from going to a soup kitchen and feeding the homeless to volunteering at a hospital. It could simply be extending a smile or hug to a family member in need, or helping a friend with their homework after school or doing the dishes at home. Whatever it is in your life, do that act of service as if you were serving Christ himself. Serving others will draw you closer to the heart of Jesus and expand your capacity to love.
Once you begin living out your faith through praying, receiving the Sacraments, and serving others through acts of charity, you will begin to experience Jesus in new and powerful ways. In turn, your relationship with our Heavenly Father will be deepened, the gifts given to you by the Holy Spirit will be unleashed, and the mission given to you by Christ will be fulfilled. Your heart will begin to rejoice knowing that the longing in your heart has been completely filled with God’s perfect love.
Lauren Costabile is the Social Media Coordinator for Array of Hope. As a performer in the Array of Hope Concert Event, she actively spreads the Gospel to young people and families through music and witness. She loves all things gluten free and strives to use her gifts and talents to spread joy and make our world a brighter place.
