Spiritual Life

Faith Q&A › Metropolitan Youssef › Spiritual Life

30 questions

What is the meaning of verse, " For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul ?" (Mark 8:36)
I have some spiritual concerns regarding my two children who have recently moved away from home to attend college. One is a hard worker and very responsible; and one is…
I am 15 years old and I need your guidance. I started smoking. I stopped praying. I curse often. I do so much stuff that I never ever thought that I would do. I wish to…
My life has been entering a downward spiral for the past 2 years or so. I have drifted from God and the church. I no longer dress as a deacon or care to learn hymns, I…
I have mixed emotions within me. I am torn between the desire to learn more about God, His Holy word, the Orthodox church teachings, and my studies. I guess I am confused…
I have a problem balancing my life between school, family, and worship. While I want to grow spiritually, I discover I am sinning. I also have homework and study to worry…
The Holy Bible says that the Kingdom is taken by violence. When am I going to love to go to church and to be eager to pray? I ask God to enable me to love doing these…
What causes us to stumble? What makes us yield so easily to all kinds of temptations in spite of our knowledge of what is right and wrong?
How can I see more of our Lord Jesus Christ in me than me in me?
Every time I return from a convention I have this passion to be close to God but at the end it always disappears in the midst of worries about college vanity and salf.…
I am not getting any kind of personal relationship with my father of confession because he is just not a personal person. I don't have a real dad. The only Father I have…
How can I be with God and in the world? I feel it is easy for me to find God in quite time alone, but not in sitting with people and talking (unless it is spiritual talk…
St. Diadochos of Photiki said, "All men are made in God's image; but to be in His likeness is granted only to those who through great love have brought their own freedom…
Why do things sometimes seem clear and the faith very strong, and then the next day that clear vision of God is not there. Is it because I did something that upset the…
I am so far from God that I don't know if I die today where I would go. I want to be baptized, but I need to change, and I don't know, nor do I hear God's voice directing…
I am suffering from spiritual sluggishness. I do not feel like attending meetings nor listening to spiritual talks. I'm a servant. However, I am beginning to dislike…
Lately I have been feeling that God is far from me. And it's a strange feeling, because I haven't felt it so strongly before. I feel He's so far. I know Him, but in the…
I used to love reading the Bible, and spiritual books, and listening to the Praises. But lately it hasn't been like this at all. It has become so hard to pray, I feel…
For the past couple of weeks, I have become more distant from God and I have grown quite frustrated with my spiritual state. I am a servant, but lately I have been…
I have an inner struggle between good and evil inside myself. I want to be good, I hold myself to certain standards. However, I don't do the good that I want, but the bad…
I think our priest has a strange approach in his ministry. This belief sets in my heart a lack of desire to go to church. What should I do?
We have a problem with our oldest kids (12 and 9). They resent being obliged to go to church every Sunday (now that we have a Coptic church closer to us than before…
We often ask our children to obey us, and when they do not, we get upset and want to punish them. However, we treat God the same way. How could I be at all times…
John of Kronstadt says, "When God is present in all of man's thoughts, in all of his desires, and in all of his intentions, through his words and through his acts, the…
I do not feel the Holy Spirit working in my life. What type of signs should I look for to know that the Holy Spirit is alive in me; and how do I nurture this work?
I've started a new job which can be really time-consuming. I am doing my best to stick with my spiritual canon of bible reading, agpeya, and spiritual books. However, one…
How can I come closer to God? I try to read the Holy Bible, but I just read the words and not understand what I am reading. I guess a lot is on my mind and I am not…
I need specific advice please. I’m afraid that for the past few months my spiritual life has been absolutely horrible, I’ve stopped praying, and all sorts of bad things…
From the time we were leaving our trip until now I've been really annoyed with my father of confession. The slightest things get to me and it's causing me to be an…
Could Your Grace please teach me how to have a strong relationship with our Lord?

Questions answered by His Eminence Metropolitan Youssef (opens in a new tab) of the Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States. Questions and answers © Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States. All rights reserved.