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utunumsint
Guest
But my brain keeps getting in the way because it wants to understand it all and faith isn’t understanding! Stupid brain…
Realcatholicgk, thanks for that litany.
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Bruno_Schulz
Guest
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I know from interviews we had in our forum and live-interviews with friends who before had been atheists.
Unisonously they all said alike: “Now I know what believe gives me, which I never felt before and didn’t even believe there was such thing”.
“Such thing” is the experience, not to be alone. To some it comes eventually in a growing way (some plants grow very slow, but are all the bigger and beautiful then - those growing fast, often are weeds). But often people experience the sudden flash of believe, sort of as sudden recognition of he truth, after a hard try in prayers.
OK. I’ve been born into faith in God. Both parents lived in God and announced over and over again, how glad and joyful they are to “have” God. And they passed this over to me. Now, just in spite I very often have this sudden flash as “explanation from heavens” about certain questions I’d ask myself about God, heaven, bible etc.
Don’t wait for this sudden flash and don’t push it away by saying “this joy is hard to obtain”. It’s not. But - you have to do somet to it. If you “are in the pouts” about it (I looked that one up and hope it’s right), you won’t gain success. Reach out your arms to God and grab your believe. Who knocks will be opened - as Jesus promised.
Let my tell you my very personal joy (though one shouldn’t never go to peddle around with this as the Pharisees do). Every day I pray: “Thanks dear God - that I know you”
This alone is a huge lot of joy in live indeed! (Though we will never really “understand” God - neither here nor later in heaven).
**
The very funny thing is: This joy is easier to obtain to “beginners” as you call yourself, than to people who where born into live Christianity!
I know from interviews we had in our forum and live-interviews with friends who before had been atheists.
Unisonously they all said alike: “Now I know what believe gives me, which I never felt before and didn’t even believe there was such thing”.
“Such thing” is the experience, not to be alone. To some it comes eventually in a growing way (some plants grow very slow, but are all the bigger and beautiful then - those growing fast, often are weeds). But often people experience the sudden flash of believe, sort of as sudden recognition of he truth, after a hard try in prayers.
OK. I’ve been born into faith in God. Both parents lived in God and announced over and over again, how glad and joyful they are to “have” God. And they passed this over to me. Now, just in spite I very often have this sudden flash as “explanation from heavens” about certain questions I’d ask myself about God, heaven, bible etc.
Don’t wait for this sudden flash and don’t push it away by saying “this joy is hard to obtain”. It’s not. But - you have to do somet to it. If you “are in the pouts” about it (I looked that one up and hope it’s right), you won’t gain success. Reach out your arms to God and grab your believe. Who knocks will be opened - as Jesus promised.
Let my tell you my very personal joy (though one shouldn’t never go to peddle around with this as the Pharisees do). Every day I pray: “Thanks dear God - that I know you”
This alone is a huge lot of joy in live indeed! (Though we will never really “understand” God - neither here nor later in heaven).
**
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Realcatholicgk
Guest
**Hi Bruno and Folks,
You are welcome to my New Thread! We have fun there!Well I do!
Click on: New Thread **
God Bless
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Realcatholicgk
Guest
But my brain keeps getting in the way because it wants to understand it all and faith isn’t understanding! Stupid brain…
Realcatholicgk, thanks for that litany.
**
Hi Justin,
“Faith is to believe what you do not see; the reward of this faith is to see what you believe.”- Saint Augustine
“Seek not to understand that you may believe, but believe that you may understand.” - Saint Augustine
God Bless **
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utunumsint
Guest
Bruno. You posted this earlier, but I don’t think I ever responded. I agree with what you’ve said above. A Christian is never alone. For all the pains and sorrows of this life, and also for all the blessings, there is a love God to turn to who allows us to call him Father and who promises us eternal life. This is a great joy.
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Hoosier
Guest
To Bruno,
You said:
"The very funny thing is: This joy is easier to obtain to “beginners” as you call yourself, than to people who where born into live Christianity!
I know from interviews we had in our forum and live-interviews with friends who before had been atheists.
Unisonously they all said alike: “Now I know what believe gives me, which I never felt before and didn’t even believe there was such thing”.
Can you steer me to any skeptics who found Christianity? I’m a former skeptic/existentialist (not an atheist), who is trying to believe now. I have said in prayer that I repent and am willing to be a born-again Christian, but nothing happens. I don’t want to be a quitter, but the joy just ain’t there. What can I do, besides keep praying?
You said:
"The very funny thing is: This joy is easier to obtain to “beginners” as you call yourself, than to people who where born into live Christianity!
I know from interviews we had in our forum and live-interviews with friends who before had been atheists.
Unisonously they all said alike: “Now I know what believe gives me, which I never felt before and didn’t even believe there was such thing”.
Can you steer me to any skeptics who found Christianity? I’m a former skeptic/existentialist (not an atheist), who is trying to believe now. I have said in prayer that I repent and am willing to be a born-again Christian, but nothing happens. I don’t want to be a quitter, but the joy just ain’t there. What can I do, besides keep praying?
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seekdatruth
Guest
Hoosier,
I can kind of relate, although I was a cradle-Catholic, then agnostic or just not into religion, then tried various Protestant, then Mormonism, then finally came back. Basically, I know what it is to “seek”. It’s late and I’m very tired, but if you want, PM me later, maybe we can lean on each other a bit.
The thing that has strengthened me the most is just picking up the Bible, opening up to a random spot and reading the first thing my eyes fall upon. 90% it’s like God led me to exactly the right passage for that moment in my life. The other 10%, I think I just didn’t get it.
Remember though, you cannot put Him to the test!. He told us–big no, no! If you pray for him to guide you and help you, then read with an open mind, you might find what you’re looking for. It’s not a tarot or a magic 8 ball, and I do NOT suggest using it that way, but some days I wonder! lol! If not, don’t give up, maybe He wants you to learn in another way, such as going to mass and listening to the Homily, (The part where the priest preaches.) Sometimes, it’s like He is telling me something that way too. Don’t give up! Usually, we need a huge test of our faith before we can really feel it anyway, as I did, and still do at times. He is there, waiting for you, just open your mind and heart!
God bless!
I can kind of relate, although I was a cradle-Catholic, then agnostic or just not into religion, then tried various Protestant, then Mormonism, then finally came back. Basically, I know what it is to “seek”. It’s late and I’m very tired, but if you want, PM me later, maybe we can lean on each other a bit.
I can tell you one thing: I think you’re looking in the wrong place in yourself for “belief” and “joy”. IMO, you believe, or you wouldn’t pray. Expecting to literally “See the light.” Might not really happen for you, but you may come to the point where you notice your belief and feel it more often than not. I think almost everyone has their days when they just don’t “feel it”, and can get discouraged. After a while, you learn not to let a bad day bring your whole faith to a halt.
The thing that has strengthened me the most is just picking up the Bible, opening up to a random spot and reading the first thing my eyes fall upon. 90% it’s like God led me to exactly the right passage for that moment in my life. The other 10%, I think I just didn’t get it.
Remember though, you cannot put Him to the test!. He told us–big no, no! If you pray for him to guide you and help you, then read with an open mind, you might find what you’re looking for. It’s not a tarot or a magic 8 ball, and I do NOT suggest using it that way, but some days I wonder! lol! If not, don’t give up, maybe He wants you to learn in another way, such as going to mass and listening to the Homily, (The part where the priest preaches.) Sometimes, it’s like He is telling me something that way too. Don’t give up! Usually, we need a huge test of our faith before we can really feel it anyway, as I did, and still do at times. He is there, waiting for you, just open your mind and heart!God bless!
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Realcatholicgk
Guest
To Bruno,
You said:
"The very funny thing is: This joy is easier to obtain to “beginners” as you call yourself, than to people who where born into live Christianity!
I know from interviews we had in our forum and live-interviews with friends who before had been atheists.
Unisonously they all said alike: “Now I know what believe gives me, which I never felt before and didn’t even believe there was such thing”.
Can you steer me to any skeptics who found Christianity? I’m a former skeptic/existentialist (not an atheist), who is trying to believe now. I have said in prayer that I repent and am willing to be a born-again Christian, but nothing happens. I don’t want to be a quitter, but the joy just ain’t there. What can I do, besides keep praying?
**Hi Hoosier,
Do not rush, go slowly.
Prayer is actually the answer to all questions. It is the Holy Spirit who convinces the soul. A person cannot persuade hm- or her-self.
Read the Bible, especially the Gospels. Not the KJV, Please!
Read about other people who also had problems, such as CS Lewis. According to his memoir “Surprised by Joy”, Lewis had been baptised in the Church of Ireland at birth, but fell away from his faith during his adolescence. At about the age of 30, Lewis re-converted to Christianity. Lewis’s works have been translated into more than 30 languages and have sold millions of copies over the years.
Read about the Saints. St Augustine’s mother St Monica prayed for her son’s conversion for 20 years, as did Fr Corapi’s (two of my hero"s.
Faith is a personal journey. Nop one can walk your path. The good news is Jesus is trying to reach you. That makse your job easy ~ Accept His teachings!
“Faith is to believe what you do not see; the reward of this faith is to see what you believe” ~ Saint Augustine
“Seek not to understand that you may believe, but believe that you may understand.” ~ Saint Augustine
"If you believe what you like in the gospels, and reject what you don’t like, it is not the gospel you believe, but yourself.”~ Saint Augustine
Click on: Read about these People**
I now have 9,000 prayer warriors in Texas praying for you!
God Bless
po18guy
Well-known member
Try to focus on eternity, with this life a short period of suffering until then. Actually, eternity in joy is worth many lifetimes of suffering, but the gracious Lord allots us only one life. The joy of eternity that is spoken of in scripture will fire your imagination. Saint Paul was stuck between desire for Heaven and desire to do God’s work on earth. And, so should we be.
John 16:33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
Christ’s peace be with you.
po18guy
Well-known member
Have you been baptized? This Sacrament of initiation cleanses your spirit. Until such time, you are laboring with all of your sins intact. That is a burden which weighs all of us down. If you have a bible, you can read about many baptisms in the Acts of the Apostles. Saint Paul’s baptism is in there. It helped change his heart and strengthened him.
Once you are baptized, the entire world of Christianity opens up to you. You need only contact a local Parish and speak with the Priest about it.
Peace be with you.
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Realcatholicgk
Guest
Try to focus on eternity, with this life a short period of suffering until then. Actually, eternity in joy is worth many lifetimes of suffering, but the gracious Lord allots us only one life. The joy of eternity that is spoken of in scripture will fire your imagination. Saint Paul was stuck between desire for Heaven and desire to do God’s work on earth. And, so should we be.
John 16:33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
Christ’s peace be with you.
**
Hi Po18,
I have to disagree with you in a friendly way! Here are the words of the wisest of all men, King Solomon. “Enjoy life”, he says. God wants us to enjoy it. It is given for enjoyment. But in that pleasure we must ever keep in mind that God will judge us as to whether it has been lived within the limits of His wise, but absolute, laws for us. Remember that there is only one unchanging source of moral and spiritual truth and authority - God Almighty. This is our one real absolute. There is no other. In other words, whether we believe it or not, whether we choose it or not, whether we desire it or not, it is an inescapable, cosmic reality. This fact is as much a part of the essence of the universe as is gravity and light.
“When you get tangled up in your problems, be still. God wants us to be still so He can untangle the knot.” ~ Unknown
"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink,or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?
Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?
And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life? And why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these.
But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith?
Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’ For it is the Gentiles who strive for all these things; and indeed your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. ~ Matthew 6:25-33
God Bless**
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Bruno_Schulz
Guest
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But I invite you to mail to me: Krippenfiguren at t-online.de (at of course is @) and I’ll pass on your mail to a guy who speaks English to an extend I don’t know (and Latin and Greece and Hebrew). He was atheist for years, and now is fully convinced of the being of God and he lives in Gods mercy, as I and Millions do. Might be he answers – if he finds time to. I’ll ask him and give him the link of this thread.
But might be I can answer some of your questions too then.**
Well – all I know, speak hardly enough English.
But I invite you to mail to me: Krippenfiguren at t-online.de (at of course is @) and I’ll pass on your mail to a guy who speaks English to an extend I don’t know (and Latin and Greece and Hebrew). He was atheist for years, and now is fully convinced of the being of God and he lives in Gods mercy, as I and Millions do. Might be he answers – if he finds time to. I’ll ask him and give him the link of this thread.
But might be I can answer some of your questions too then.**
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Bruno_Schulz
Guest
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Saint Paul stated this fact in Röm 1,20 like this:
For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities - his eternal power and divine nature - have been clearly seen with high reason, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.
It was perfectly clear to St. Paul, that our reason often rebels against faith, which he pronounced such in Rom 7:23
I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members.
Jesus, God, knows we are sinners and weak – sinning again. He knows if we really try seriously not to sin. Jesus said in John 5:14 - Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you. But He also said: Don’t worry - I’m with you…
Ain’t that enough reason to be joyful?!
There where only two without sin on this world: Jesus and Holy Mary. So – be happy and joyful mate! God can’t do with sourpuss (would you?)
**
No! We do need a lot of brain to find real faith and believe in God. It takes a lot of reason to gain believe.But my brain keeps getting in the way because it wants to understand it all and faith isn’t understanding! Stupid brain…
Saint Paul stated this fact in Röm 1,20 like this:
For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities - his eternal power and divine nature - have been clearly seen with high reason, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.
It was perfectly clear to St. Paul, that our reason often rebels against faith, which he pronounced such in Rom 7:23
I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members.
All you wrote is right. But didn’t Jesus over and over again say BE JOYFUL!? In Luke 10:20 Jesus reminds us that our names are noted in heaven! That’s a big joy indeed! In Philippians 3:1 Paul says: My brothers, rejoice in the Lord! it is a safeguard for you.
Jesus, God, knows we are sinners and weak – sinning again. He knows if we really try seriously not to sin. Jesus said in John 5:14 - Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you. But He also said: Don’t worry - I’m with you…
Ain’t that enough reason to be joyful?!
There where only two without sin on this world: Jesus and Holy Mary. So – be happy and joyful mate! God can’t do with sourpuss (would you?)
**
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utunumsint
Guest
Agreed. St. Thomas says “He who wishes to advance in his spiritual life necessarily needs to have joy.” And Nehemiah said in chapter 8 verse 10 “Do not be saddened this day, for rejoycing in the lord must be you strength!”
Of course one must make allowances for temperment. I may express my joy in a different way than someone else. There is also holy contrition, which when it leads to true repentance is just the beginnings of true joy.
God bless,
Ut
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Bruno_Schulz
Guest
**
This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.**
And there is Mt 26:28 in which Jesus cheers us up:
This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.**
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utunumsint
Guest
From my experience, the places where I felt most at peace and closest to God was the adoration chapel. Before my two kids came along, I used to go once, and sometimes twice a week. There I would talk to God, pouring into him through prayer, all of my troubles, hopes, aspirations, and gratitude for blessings received. Usually at the end of all my prayers, I would try to make myself silent and as receptive to his inspirations as possible.
But it took me a while to develop this kind of conversation with God. I remember it first began with me in the admission that I could not believe in him. So I made a bargain (barganing with God is not a very spiritually mature act, but I think God works with us where we are at). I told him I would spend one hour for nine consecutive first fridays of the month with him in front of the blessed sacrament during times of adoration. Slowly my heart changed over those nine months. I started to build a relationship with him. Or he started to build a relationship with me. It takes two after all.
Since then, I think the moments of greatest joy have been those where prayer and action have feed into one another. Adoration leads to service of others and service leads to more adoration.
But these are my experiences. Certainly others have different stories to tell.
God bless,
Ut
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Bruno_Schulz
Guest
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Good. And that what Pope Benedict meant when he said: There are as many ways to God, as there are people.
No! God’s relationship with you and any human, started before this humans birth, for he is out of God - wanted by God.
Here you are. So you do have joy in Christianity. Let it flow around you all day long. Flow around you - for we swim in Gods grace as a fish does in the sea. It’s easy (to remain in Gods grace), for in any situation we can recreate that joy, by a prayer. And be it just “Thanks dear God that I know you”. Or “Please stay with me”
and joy!
Everyone has his own way to God. Many never talk about it. But even atheists have their way to God, for they will end up before Jesus Christ who will judge them - careless if they believed in Him or not.
**
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Hoosier
Guest
Thank you, everyone who replied to me. I prayed a Rosary this morning, and while I didn’t feel “automatic joy,” I felt a lift later in the day.
Bruno, I’m trying to learn German so maybe we can meet in the middle.
I will PM you my e-mail.
Bruno, I’m trying to learn German so maybe we can meet in the middle.
I will PM you my e-mail.
po18guy
Well-known member
Well, my post was intended so that he might have a vision of future and eternal joy which, of course, leads naturally to the temporal joy which he seeks. I could have typed a few more characters to clarify.
Christ’s peace be always with you.
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Realcatholicgk
Guest
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Hi Friends,
I just wanted to invite you to a lighthearted Thread I started asking about Humor in Catholicism. Come and see what you think!
Click On: Is There Humor in Catholicism**
God Bless
Hi Friends,
I just wanted to invite you to a lighthearted Thread I started asking about Humor in Catholicism. Come and see what you think!
Click On: Is There Humor in Catholicism**
God Bless
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