About to give up on my faith

[MNathaniel]

I like the idea of this, but I have been throwing my doubts at it and I’m afraid I’ve made some serious cracks as a result.

Also, if the roots of your doubts began at the intellectual level, please don’t look away from the problem! Keep looking, until you find the solution!

These CAF forums are inhabited largely by non-expert laypeople (like me). Have you spent time investigating the answers given to your difficulties by the actual apologetics staff of Catholic Answers? They have both written and video material on almost any topic you can think of.

What’s the biggest and most concerning problem, to your eyes? Where’s the biggest crack? Maybe if we can point you to an expert who offers you sealant that effectively patches that crack, you’ll be heartened that there may be sealant for the rest of the cracks as well.

You’ve started thinking. Now just don’t stop thinking.

 

[nicoleandrian]

“Blessed are those who have not seen yet still believe” John 20:29. “You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the present time?“ Luke 12:56.

From your post it seems as if you are talking about Christianity in general and not just the Catholic Church. So the problem would lie in the conviction of Jesus is God if that is the case. Hopefully you haven’t lost so much faith that you’re considering atheism. If it’s only a matter of whether or not Jesus is the Messiah. The answer is in those 2 passages.

No where in all of history has time ever counted down for anyone but our Lord. Time went from counting down to counting up. We now live in 2020 AD or CE depending on which one you choose. It just so happens that only 1 man is remembered from that time period who also gave serious proof of his divinity through miracles. The answer is the sign of the times. Time itself is a sign that He is God. Even if he wasn’t born on exactly 1BC or whatever still no one else was born around the time that the whole earth counted down to.

Also, no matter where you go in the world even non believers will agree with you that time is as it is. No one lives in a different time as far as universal airport time that we all agree on. This is a huge sign. Eye witnesses testified to Jesus Christ’s divinity. For thousand or millions of years the earth counted down to signify something and then it started to count up. There’s only 1 man who claims He is God. None of the others (prophets, religious leaders, etc) make that claim nor does anyone who ever made such a claim have anything beyond ego to make any serious consideration to it.

This in and of itself should preserve your faith. Your reward will be that much greater in heaven for having overcome all this in complete and utter blind faith. What a suffering you must be going through. But, I tell you the truth JESUS IS GOD.

 

[AlNg]

Faith is about what is true, which is why the church has revealed dogmas, such as the Resurrection and Incarnation.

Many Protestants believe in the Resurrection and the Incarnation.

 

[kapp19]

God is much more pleased with uncomfortable perseverance in the dark than with comfortable rest in the light. You are receiving a special cross… Don’t go back to Egypt where it seems more comfortable. You will get the food and drink you need while moving through the desert.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

And I’m hanging in there mostly because of those friends’ and my wife’s loving influence. But hanging turns out to be an apt metaphor, since I fear that my soul is standing on the scaffold.

Have you considered maybe you’re overthinking it? Love your wife, love God, live your life. Is it really necessary to go deeper than that?

 

[Autumn-Smoke]

I basically said I’ve lost the “sense” of God’s presence in my life;

Psalm 51 is beautifully written and very appropriate for a situation exactly like yours. There, in verse 12, David cries unto the Lord, “Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.”

You might consider making this your prayer.

God is faithful. This is just a “time” in your life. Just let it pass…it will end.
And then you will find that God is always where He’s been…and that is right by your side and in your heart. “Keep your eyes fixed on Jesus, The Author and Perfecter of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2)

 

[HolyWarrior]

 

[Vic_Taltrees_UK]

Here’s my advice. Don’t be “all or nothing” and don’t package deal.

Find the Divine Office on some web pages to recite. Or simply read three psalms a day in a Bible with side references so you can compare the senses of the ideas throughout Scriptures.

the best prayer is asking God for your needs, and His power for your fruitfulness in serving others (which isn’t flashy - it can consist in reading up about any informative subject so that one more person - you - is in a position to later inform others; or cleaning a corner of a room at a time so that it’s not squalid at a later date; or the emotional energy to somehow be there for someone) and - not least - just government in our country.

Don’t rely on someone’s personality or slogans or alleged goodheartedness. Leave it to God who He works through and how - remember He want us to ask Him - to ask Him - to send good angels to jog the authorities’ elbows right.

Please Jesus do / give . . . Amen.

Contrary to trendy propaganda this IS the best kind of prayer.

I’m at exactly the same point and we have to be determined to simplify out the wrong niceties.

Jesus & the Apostles said bear another’s burdens - in Holy Spirit power for caring - NOT carry the baggage of the faction mongers and hijackers.

And never forget that grief is also a gift.

 

[Flor]

20 years ago, I went through a personal crisis of shattering proportions. As a result, for the first time in my life, I lost faith in God. I became an Atheist for two weeks. A terribly lost two weeks, because I found that without God, nothing in life makes sense : no good to balance evil, no life after death, no underlying reasons why anything happens.
I happened to work at Barnes and Noble bookstore. One day on break I happened to pick up a book by Pope John, his homilies when he visited America.
Somehow, his words changed everything. Repaired the broken. Faith returned and I felt God’s presence again.
Faith, and the knowing, is something that God / the Holy Spirit, gives to us. We can’t create it ourselves. I think we may need to be willing, but the spark is of God. All I did was open a book. This that I call Faith is just the simple feeling that God hears me - a little warm glow through the inner self. Perhaps you are expecting a grander sign, and not something so subtle. Also, we are all presently going through a dark time ; Covid, social distancing, isolation, fear, riots, protests, literal fires ! Unsettling and puts normalcy out of reach. We are being stripped down to the basics of life and forced to fight for our core values. Faith . Love.

 

[stoplooklisten]

I’m not sure even why I’m posting this. I don’t expect any of you to supply me with a silver bullet. However, I am on the verge of abandoning something that has meant more to me than I can capture in words. It will affect me personally, and it will affect my family. I am sincerely hoping that I will gain something from an exchange here.

Sin is not the will of God. Holiness is the will of God. (Our Father prayer, Romans 12:2, 2 Timothy 2:22)

Open the door to Christ (Revelation 3:20, Saint John Paul II)

Seek and ye will find. Ask and you will receive. Knock and the door will be opened unto you. (Matthew 7:7)

Whether Christ knocks on the door or you knock on the door, say “yes” to that encounter with Christ.

There’s a Protestant motto that’s been helpful to me: “Only one live, 'twill soon be past. Only what’s done for Christ will last.”

There’s this from the epistle to the Hebrews (be ready): It is appointed to man but once to die and after this, the judgment (be ready). (Hebrews 9:27)

As you meditate on Scripture, consider that Almighty God created humanity that we might seek after Him (Psalm 105:4; Acts 17:27), yet He still seeks after us (Psalm 119:176, Parable of the lost sheep-Luke 15)

Yes, it will affect you and it will affect others. I went to confession just yesterday and confessed an old sin of youth because I believe that it had been previously unconfessed and because I had thought new thoughts about the way that it impacted others.

Yes, the Church at times has “smells and bells” but it also has graces. Mary and Jesus were “full of grace”. We should also seek and pray “to be filled with all the fullness of God” (Luke 1:28; John 1:14; Ephesians 3:19).

Will you not miss the Eucharist and having the Presence of Almighty God within? Mary had the Presence of God in her womb for nine months. The Eucharist helps us to enjoy the presence of God for a time. Heaven, for those who are there, will be union and communion in the Presence of God forever.

 

[stoplooklisten]

Yes, I find the “first cause” argument to be compelling. But it’s a long, long way from deism to Christian theism and I’m not sure I have what it takes to make it back.

Fear not the potential scorners and mockers. Fear Almighty God. He can give and he can withhold pardon and forgiveness. He has granted to bishops and priests that power to grant absolution (or withhold it) in the Sacrament of Penance/Reconciliation. Almighty God delights in mercy but must uphold justice. Love for God melts the fear of humans. His greatest commandments: Love God; love neighbor / neighbour.

 

[Allegra]

I understand what you mean about feeling like you don’t have that personal experience with God. I have had a couple such experiences, but not in a while and I’m also going through a bit of dry spell in the faith department. I’m getting through it by trying to increase my prayer life. A lot of the time, I find that prayer helps me illuminate some of the interactions I would typically. I also ask God to reveal Himself to me, but prefereably through some sort of tragedy.

 

[Mac]

My freind, nothing extream needs to be done. Make the simple act of faith ,

My God, I believe thou art one God in 3 divine persons , Father, Son , and Holy Goast. I belive thy Divine Son became man and died for my sins and He shall come to judge the living and the dead.

I belive these truths and all the truths the Holy Catholic. Church teaches because thou hast revealed them who can not decive nor be deceived.

Then one hail Mary, ask our lady to strengthen your faith.

Do this everytime you have doubts. God will not abandon you. The devil is real and he wants to steal the most precious gift God gave you, the gift of faith.

 

[Mac]

. St Ignatius disernment of spirits

 

[libbeylu]

Faith, being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see…sometimes I feel like a lost sheep, but never, ever have I ever once thought about losing my Faith . And, I can also add that I have never “questioned” God about the happenings in my life…Fifteen years ago, I went to look out my bathroom window of my 100+ year old house and saw water that looked like a lake. The water then started coming up thru the floor boards and was rising quickly. I grabbed my two chihuahuas and got in the bathtub. The water rose to the edge of the tub and stopped…then it started subsiding…rain continued coming thru the ceiling, the wind outside was howling like a train…five hours later the sun was shining among all the devastation. I lost all material possessions, but never my Faith…Thy Will Be Done…Amen!

 

[Roguish]

I have concluded, however, that it was self-deception and wishful thinking.

It’s always possible to reinterpret the signs of God’s presence in your life as just “coincidence” or “imagination” or some other notion that undoes the meaning you once saw. The modern world eagerly supplies you with concepts that enable you to replace your intuition that God is present, with the “sober knowledge” that there is nothing. But that’s a choice you make, at least initially. Either option becomes a habit and then it’s longer be easy to choose the alternative.

And this is precisely the Devil’s greatest trick: to get you to reinterpret your experience in such a way as to not see God anywhere anymore, and supply you with the “insight” that such a view is “reasonable, logical, rational”, perhaps even “scientific”. You end up believing that your lapse from faith is, from an intellectual point of view, a step toward “the truth”, some sort of accomplishment.

But it isn’t. It is your “realistic” re-assessment that is the great self-deception. Now how do we bring you back? You must choose again, in spite of established mental habits. Trust innocence and naturalness, not “mature and rational thought”. Christ said we must revert to being like little children. Take that very seriously.

 

[Roguish]

I basically said I’ve lost the “sense” of God’s presence in my life. […] I think, ideally, that the truth possesses you somehow, and that’s where the confidence comes from. I can assent to a proposition, but that’s not the same as knowing the truth. Am I making any “sense?”

Yes. You’ve let the poison of “reasonable doubt” into your heart, and now you notice that something has gone missing: your natural confidence in God. You must evict the doubt, which is (or at least seems) difficult because your doubt will argue with you about how “reasonable” it is. Don’t fight doubt on its home turf of “reasons”. Re-learn to retreat into the citadel of innocence & simplicity. Refuse doubt flat-out, don’t argue with it.

 

[SpaghettiCowboy]

Thanks for your reply, JSRG.

What about things like evidentiary apologetics?

I like to read apologetic writings and I listen often to Catholic Answers. I’ve been an engaged Catholic for all of my adult life. My knowledge of Catholicism-- what it teaches, it’s history, it’s worldview, etc., I think, is sound.

After nearly 39 years of marriage, I know a great deal about my wife-- how she thinks, what she likes, how she will react, etc. But none of that is why I love her.

 

[Richard_White]

https://www.peterkreeft.com/topics/pascals-wager.htm

I think that this article from Peter Kreeft regarding Pascal’s Wager is a good one. I hope that it may provide an impetus or a launching pad from which you can rediscover your faith. I think an important quote of Pascal’s is that “I should be much more afraid of being mistaken and then finding out that Christianity is true than of being mistaken in believing it to be true.” Just some food for thought.

On a more spiritual note:

Remember, the Blood and Water which gushed forth from the side of Jesus on the Cross was a fountain of Mercy for us all, providing us with healing, transformation, and renewal in Himself. Even if you can’t feel or sense this Mercy and transformation, it is constantly there, filling your existence and making you whole. God is always with you. My recommendation would be to go to church for Adoration and pray “Jesus, I trust in you” over and over again as best you can. Then, just give Jesus all of your fears, anxieties, and uncertainties. Do that a couple times a week throughout the month of July, and see what happens.

God bless you and yours now and always! O Blood and Water which came forth from your side, O Jesus, as a fount of Mercy for all of us, we trust in You!

 

[roamin_cath]

I gave up my faith for 30 years on and off. As of two weeks ago, I decided to not give up any longer.

I’m not going to give you any silver bullets as I have none. My only observation of any use here is, you clearly posted this for a reason.

It may be a bad comparison, but people who want to make a life-altering decision (especially a potentially harmful one) don’t post about it online, they simply get on with it. The fact that you are posting about it says you’re not so sure, despite having declared you reached a “conclusion”. I don’t think you really have.

Good luck to you and you’re in my prayers. Someone does hear them.