Case Title: “I Go to Church, But I Don’t Feel Changed”
A person says:
“I attend church, I pray, but I still feel the same
inside. Nothing changes.”
This question touches the very heart of the spiritual
life. Within Orthodox Christian counseling, the issue is not the absence of
God’s transforming grace (ጸጋ), but whether that
grace is truly welcomed, cooperated with, and allowed to shape daily life.
God’s transforming grace is never lacking in the
Church. It is continually given. The real question is: Is the human person open
to transformation?
1. Confession and
Repentance
1.1 Repentance as
Healing
Repentance is not mere emotional regret. It is:
- a radical change of mind
- a reorientation of direction
- a transformation of life
Our Lord Jesus Christ declared:
“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand - መንግሥተ ሰማያት ቀርባለችና ንስሐ ግቡ” (Matthew 4:17)
Thus, repentance becomes the doorway to spiritual
healing and restoration.
1.2 Confession as
Therapeutic Release
Confession (ኃጢአትን መናዘዝ) is not a legal
obligation, but a spiritual therapy. It is:
- the exposure of
inner illness
- the release of
hidden burdens
- the restoration
of communion with God
Holy Scripture teaches:
“በኃጢአታችን ብንናዘዝ ኃጢአታችንን ይቅር ሊለን ከዓመፃም ሁሉ ሊያነጻን የታመነና ጻድቅ ነው።” (1 John 1:9)
1.3 Patristic
Teaching
As St. John Chrysostom (347 - 407 AD)
teaches:
“Confession is the medicine of the soul; it destroys
sin and restores health.”
1.4 Why People Feel
No Change.’
Often, the problem lies here:
- Repentance remains shallow
- Sins are repeated without serious struggle
- Inner awareness is not deepened
Spiritual healing does not come from a temporary
emotional moment, but through ongoing inner transformation.
2. The Eucharist:
Medicine for the Healing of the Soul
2.1 The Eucharist as
Healing
The Eucharist is not symbolic—it is:
- real
participation in the life of Christ.
Christ becomes our life, entering into communion with us and healing the
deepest corruption of human nature.
As Christ declares, the Holy Eucharist is the divine medicine that heals
the soul and grants eternal life.
“ሥጋዬን የሚበላ ደሜንም የሚጠጣ የዘላለም ሕይወት አለው፥ እኔም በመጨረሻው ቀን አስነሣዋለሁ። ሥጋዬ እውነተኛ መብል ደሜም እውነተኛ መጠጥ ነውና። ሥጋዬን የሚበላ ደሜንም የሚጠጣ በእኔ ይኖራል እኔም በእርሱ እኖራለሁ።” (John 6:54-56)
2.2 Therapeutic
Meaning
The Eucharist:
- unites the believer to Christ
- strengthens the soul against passions
- restores spiritual strength
2.3 Patristic
Witness
As St. Ignatius of Antioch (35 – 108 AD) calls it:
“The Eucharist is the medicine of immortality (ዘላለማዊነት).”
2.4 Why Spiritual Change Is Sometimes Not Immediately Felt or Recognized
This occurs because:
- Spiritual grace (መንፈሳዊ ጸጋ) is not identical with emotional
sensation.
- Spiritual transformation is often gradual, subtle (ረቂቅ), and hidden.
- The resistance of the human heart can limit spiritual awareness.
Therefore, spiritual healing frequently takes place
silently, yet it is deep and profoundly transformative.
3. Prayer and Fasting
3.1 Prayer as
Communion
“Pray without ceasing - ሳታቋርጡ ጸልዩ…” (1 Thessalonians 5:17)
Prayer is not a religious duty; it is living communion
with God. It is:
- relational — entering into a personal relationship with God
- transformative — shaping the mind, heart, and will according to
divine grace
- purifying — cleansing the inner life from passions and disorder
Through prayer, the human heart is gradually reoriented
toward God. It restores interior unity, healing the inner division of the soul
and gathering the person into a single movement of love toward the Creator.
3.2 Fasting as
Healing Discipline
Fasting is not mere abstinence—it is a spiritual
discipline that heals and reorders the inner life. It is:
- the training of the will (ፈቃድ) toward obedience to God
- the disciplining of desires that move toward excess and disorder
- the healing of disordered passions that disturb the soul’s harmony
The Scripture states:
“ይህ ዓይነት ግን ከጸሎትና ከጦም በቀር አይወጣም አላቸው።” (Matthew 17:21)
Through fasting, the human person learns inner control,
spiritual clarity, and renewed dependence on divine grace.
3.3 Patristic Teaching
As St. Basil the Great (329 - 379 AD)
teaches:
“Fasting is the weapon that cuts off sin at its root.”
3.4 Why People Feel No Change
Because:
- Prayer becomes unengaged
- Fasting remains external
- The heart is left untouched
True transformation requires inner participation, not
mere outward practice.
4. Synergy:
Divine-Human Cooperation
4.1 What is Synergy?
Synergy refers to the cooperation between divine grace and human freedom.
It means:
- God acts
- The human person responds
“We are God’s fellow workers - ከእርሱ ጋር አብረን የምንሠራ ነንና።” (1 Corinthians 3:9)
4.2 Biblical
Foundation
“…በፍርሃትና በመንቀጥቀጥ የራሳችሁን መዳን ፈጽሙ፤ስለ በጎ ፈቃዱ መፈለግንም ማድረግንም በእናንተ የሚሠራ
እግዚአብሔር ነውና። ” (Philippians
2:12–13)
This reveals two inseparable realities:
- Human effort is real and necessary
- Divine grace (መለኮታዊ ጸጋ) is the primary source and continual sustainer of all spiritual
growth and healing
4.3 Patristic Insight
As St. Maximus the Confessor (580 – 662 AD) teaches:
“Grace does not destroy freedom, but fulfills it.”
4.4 Again, Why People Feel No Change
Because synergy is incomplete:
- Either there is self-reliance without grace
- or laziness without struggle
Spiritual life is neither automation nor inactivity—it
is cooperation.
5. Applying the
Case: “Why Do I Not Feel Changed?”
5.1 Orthodox
Diagnosis
The issue is not the absence of a transformative grace, but:
- insufficient depth in repentance
- weak spiritual attentiveness
- limited cooperation with grace
5.2 Therapeutic Response
1. Deepen Repentance
Move beyond external confession toward genuine inner conversion.
2. Approach the
Eucharist with Awareness
Receive not by routine, but as a living encounter with Christ.
3. Strengthen Prayer
Life
Transition from formal recitation to
conscious, heartfelt prayer.
4. Practice Ascetic
Cooperation
Engage fasting, vigilance (inner guarding), watchfulness (active guarding
against thoughts and temptations), silence, humility, continual prayer,
almsgiving, bodily discipline, obedience, and repentance as ascetical
instruments through which divine grace heals and reorders the human person.
5.3 Spiritual
Encouragement
“ወደ እግዚአብሔር ቅረቡ ወደ እናንተም ይቀርባል።” (James 4:8)
God is never distant. Often, it is the human movement
that needs to wake up.
Conclusion
Orthodox Christian teaching affirms:
• Spiritual grace is always active within the Church
• The Sacraments, such as confession, repentance, Eucharist, along with ascetical
practices, fasting, prayers, watchfulness, vigilance, silence, obedience, self-control,
stillness, and humility, are genuine channels of healing
• Transformation requires synergy between divine grace and human cooperation
• Change is often gradual rather than merely emotional
Thus, the question:
“Why do I not feel changed?”
finds its answer:
- Because healing operates deeper than feelings
- Because healing requires human cooperation with divine grace
- Because transformation is gradually realized as a lifelong process
of spiritual growth
As Isaac the Syrian (613 – 700 AD)
teaches:
“The measure of progress is not feelings, but
humility.”
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