Advise on how to believe

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I have no idea how to believe. I am a cradle Catholic and know all the rules. But there’s nothing I can say I believe in. I don’t even know how to process belief. I pray and try but often shut down emotionally. How do you change your mindset to really believe?
 
I’m not sure there’s a simple trick where if you do it you will suddenly believe.

What do you believe in? Do you believe there is love in the world? Do you believe that we live in a universe that was created as something good?

If you pray, does that mean you believe in God? If not, who do you pray to?
 
You have to have an encounter with Christ. I mean for real, I don’t mean a metaphor.

Here is an article that explains a bit more. Read the whole thing, it’s not very long. But here’s a bit for people who don’t like to click on links.
“Before faith is a question of content, a debate about revealed facts, it is an undeniable encounter with a person. Once we have heard Christ “for ourselves” conjecture must end and commitment must begin. Christ is not limited by the way we reason over facts, because we ourselves go beyond them whenever we speak heart to heart. At that moment we are not asked to accept facts about the person. We are asked to accept the person. And once that happens, every fact in the world is reordered by this new relationship.”

Faith is not a debate about facts. It is an encounter with a face. | America Magazine
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Rote prayers are good, but it’s a dialog. With a real Being. God.
Christ, your brother.
Do you simply recite? Or do you try to engage in real conversation?
Try this webpage: www.sacredspace.ie

They have daily, 5 minute prayer and meditation. If you have trouble, click on the helps. They are beautiful, and an easy simple way into the quiet prayer life.
I’m going to the 24 hour Adoration in an hour. I will remember you in my prayers before the BLessed Sacrament.
 
I agree with the posters above. Memorized prayers are fine, but simply reciting then isn’t going to do much. You need to have a relationship with God, you need to be communicating with someone. Sacred Space is a wonderful site and may give you some ideas of ways to pray. But perhaps it would also help to spend time DOING things. Do you go to Mass? Is there anything there that speaks to you? Do you ever go to Bible study or any kind of activity that would bring you into contact with other believers? Do you ever just sit in a quiet church and let the prayers of the thousands of people who have been there before you wash over you and sanctify you?
 
Kneel before the exposed Blessed Sacrament and let His Presence and Love wash over you!
 
Well, we all start with a belief in God. If you have that, you believe in God at least.
 
" God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble."
  • Apostle James
Unique, are you struggling with pride?
 
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Please remember the faith is not a feeling. Feelings are fleeting and transitory, emotions do not last and cannot be trusted. If you want Faith, pray for it (simply say, “Lord, help my unbelief” - this is a Biblical prayer). You don’t have to have faith to pray, you can just pray for faith.

If there is a priest in your parish you are comfortable you might want to take the time to talk with him about your struggles. Make an appointment.

The Lord God loves you and does not want you to despair. Please be gentle with yourself.

Be at peace.
 
I try and speak to Jesus as a Friend that is right in front of me. I tell Him my problems and my hopes. Thank Him for this and that and everything else 🙂 Maybe this will help?

Praying for you…
 
Others have already given good advice, so I think I will suggest daily use of this traditional prayer:

Act of Faith

O my God, I firmly believe
that you are one God in three divine Persons,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
I believe that your divine Son became man
and died for our sins and that he will come
to judge the living and the dead.
I believe these and all the truths
which the Holy Catholic Church teaches
because you have revealed them
who are eternal truth and wisdom,
who can neither deceive nor be deceived.
In this faith I intend to live and die.
Amen.
 
What you really desire is an encounter with the Lord that makes unbelief impossible. Pray for that in your own words.
 
littlesoul said:
I try and speak to Jesus as a Friend that is right in front of me. I tell Him my problems and my hopes. Thank Him for this and that and everything else 🙂 Maybe this will help?
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Please do this every day, unique. It’s also how I pray most deeply, open your feelings, your thoughts, your fears, doubts, your life to Him.
and if you find a Catholic Church that is open, talk to Jesus in this way,
Sit with Him. Just be happy to be in His peace, and please don’t give up doing this.

With love and prayer
 
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Such a hard thing to do in this world - believe. Like you, I’m a cradle Catholic but my belief would waiver depending on the circumstances in my life. When bad things happened to me I would disbelieve in God. So one day as I was working in my garden and basically having a bad day filled with bad encounters and feeling that my life was going nowhere, God spoke to my heart/head and said “Do you believe?”

Bam! I stopped everything and thought “do I?” And then right there I realized that belief doesn’t have to ride with life’s circumstances. Belief is simple and is always there no matter what happens to you. If you believe in God, he is always there for you through thick and thin. Always. You will find belief when it comes during mundane and difficult circumstances. At least for me belief is easy in church, not so much outside of it in the “real world.”
 
See if your parish offers faith formation (faith-building) programs for adults. They might be described in different ways, so explore and don’t be discouraged if one program doesn’t work for you. Being around people of faith could be a great way to strengthen your faith.

For instance, for a couple of years, my parish had “classes” or let’s say small workgroups using a set of workbooks called Why Catholic. That was good. Another time I joined a prayer group, but that just didn’t work for me. Now I meet with a small group on Saturdays to talk about the coming Sunday Mass readings.

See what’s available in your parish (or another nearby).
 
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Unique said:
I have no idea how to believe. I am a cradle Catholic and know all the rules. But there’s nothing I can say I believe in. I don’t even know how to process belief. I pray and try but often shut down emotionally. How do you change your mindset to really believe?
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1. Have you ever been in a foxhole?

Think back to a time when you were in a dire emergency. Did you call out to God?

Most people do. Even those who don’t believe. I know, because I was an atheist from a very young age. Yet, to my consternation, whenever I was in an emergency, I would call out to God.

This is because we all know, in our hearts, that God exists. The key is to hold that thought. Remember that when you need Him, your spirit calls out to God without you even realizing it.

Romans 8:26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

2. God is hiding from you.

God plays hard to get. He wants us to pursue Him. You being here, wanting to believe, is a sign that you are thirsty for God. And that is good, because God alone can satisfy the longing in our hearts.

Psalm 42:As the deer longs for streams of water,
so my soul longs for you, O God.
3 My soul thirsts for God, the living God.
When can I enter and see the face of God?[c]
4 My tears have been my bread day and night,
as they ask me every day, “Where is your God?”
5 Those times I recall
as I pour out my soul,
When I would cross over to the shrine of the Mighty One,[d]
to the house of God,
Amid loud cries of thanksgiving,
with the multitude keeping festival.
6 Why are you downcast, my soul;
why do you groan within me?
Wait for God, for I shall again praise him,
my savior and my God.

3. Do you keep the Commandments?

If you do, then you are showing that you believe in God by your actions. God will reward you for this because you are fighting through a dry time.

John 14:21 Whoever has my commandments and observes them is the one who loves me. And whoever loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and reveal myself to him.”

Be of good cheer. God loves you. Keep searching for Him. Keep praying. He will show Himself to you.
 
There is some good stuff written on “stages of faith”, reading it may help you.

I thought Scott Peck’s simplification was particularly accessible, and helpful in finding a place for belief.
 
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