I Can’t Go On – Struggles in the Spiritual Life with Fr. Timothy Gallagher O.M.V.

Fr. Timothy Gallagher walks through a detailed case study of a high school teacher named Paul to show how non-spiritual desolation can arise from ordinary human limits rather than from prayer itself. Paul begins with renewed prayer, Mass, and family harmony, but gradually overloads his life by taking on graduate studies, parish service, and full-time teaching without adequate rest. Over time he becomes exhausted, discouraged, and detached from things he once loved, including prayer and family life. With the help of a priest, Paul recognizes that he is nearing burnout and that the remedy lies in caring for his humanity: slowing the pace of studies, speaking honestly with his wife, restoring rest, and attending to physical health. As these adjustments take shape, the expectation is that his spiritual life will recover naturally because the underlying strain is being addressed.

Fr. Gallagher highlights the value of journaling for gaining clarity and noticing patterns, choosing core spiritual practices that are realistic and sustainable, and learning from past periods of exhaustion so future decisions are made with greater prudence. He also reflects on living prayerfully amid unavoidable burdens—work, illness, family responsibilities—by gently lifting the heart to God throughout the day rather than forcing formal practices beyond one’s capacity. The closing reflections address modern distractions, especially smartphones, noting the need for intentional limits to preserve silence, rest, and interior freedom. Taken together, the reflections present balance, self-knowledge, and moderation as key supports for perseverance in the spiritual life.

You can pick up a copy of the book here.

Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions

1. Where in my daily life might fatigue, overcommitment, or lack of rest be affecting my prayer and spiritual attentiveness?
2. Have I recently taken on good responsibilities without honestly discerning whether they are sustainable for my vocation and season of life?
3. What signs of discouragement or heaviness do I notice, and how might they be pointing to unmet human needs rather than spiritual failure?
4. How do I currently care for my body, emotions, and relationships as part of my response to God’s grace?
5. Would journaling help me notice patterns, changes, or warning signs in my spiritual life more clearly?
6. Are my prayer practices realistic and sustainable, or do they rely on pushing myself when I am already depleted?
7. How open am I to speaking honestly with a trusted priest, spiritual director, or loved one when I begin to feel overwhelmed?
8. In what ways might my use of technology be diminishing silence, rest, or interior freedom?
9. Where is God inviting me to meet Him in the ordinary duties and crosses of my current life?
10. What practical adjustments could help restore balance so that love for God, family, and work can flourish again?

An excerpt from the book:

“In this and the preceding chapters, we have explored spiritual struggles arising from physical and psychological factors. As we have seen, the solution lies in suitable physical and psychological remedies. What, however, of struggles arising from specifically spiritual sources? What might these struggles be, and how can we best respond to them? We will begin now to address these questions.”

Gallagher O.M.V, Fr. Timothy ; Gallagher O.M.V, Fr. Timothy. Struggles in the Spiritual Life: Their Nature and Their Remedies (p. 28). 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!

 

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