At times an “experienced” church-goer may stop discovering anything new in church life. It becomes all too familiar and brings no more joy. Such state of mind mostly occurs to those who treat their participation in the life of the Church superficially. Such people usually attend liturgy for the sake of appearance, just to check the box. When a person opens his or her heart to Christ during the liturgy, it becomes a whole new experience every time.
Finding a spiritual father who knows about your inner life is always a good idea. Someone who could cheer you up at the right time but also, when necessary, bring you to senses with a severe reprimand. If you have no spiritual father, read the Gospel, the only spiritual guide necessary. Open it every time you feel that you are losing the sense of joy.
And here is one more thing. If the liturgy brings no joy, find a church with busy parish life. Look for one where the parish priest is in close contact with the parishioners. People feel more joy when church life continues after the Sanctuary doors are closed at the end of the Liturgy. What if your community is different, but you don’t want to leave it? You can always show the initiative and ask for your rector’s blessing to begin organizing interesting parish events yourself.
Translated by The Catalogue of Good Deeds
Source: https://foma.ru/net-radosti-ot-cerkovnoj-zhizni-chto-delat-sovet-svjashhennika.html
