Can living for the Lord backfire?

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Quaere_Verum

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After a long series of tests came back negative in regards to some physical symptoms I’m feeling, my doctor suggested that they may have an emotional/psycholigical component. He’s not saying that I’m imagining these symptoms but that these symptoms are possibly brought on by how I’ve chosen to handle situations in my life.

All my adult life I felt like I’ve had a heart for the Lord and Our Blessed Mother. All my adult life I felt like I’ve turned to God and at least tried to live according to His will. Now I’m questioning all that.

I’ve always tried to live for the Lord. But in trying to do so I’ve placed so much pressure on myself, I’ve accepted so much responsibility, and I’ve placed alot of expectations on myself.

Does this show a lack of faith? Have I handled my life so poorly that now I’m reaping what I’ve sowed? It almost seems as if trying to live for the Lord has backfired. It’s very discouraging. Now the doctor is talking medication. I’m really feeling like a failure; shouldn’t I just trust that God will take care of this situation?

Anybody? I’d appreciate your comments & suggestions.
 
I take medications myself. They seem to be working, but I also firmly believe in prayer. If you have a condition which troubles you, the use of medication can actually enhance your faith, as it helps to remove the fears and doubts which keep you from genuinely getting closer to God.

Science and medicine are a result of humanity using God-given intelligence. When used for the improvement of health, they are good. There is no failure in acknowledging that you need medical help; this is merely accepting that God uses many avenues to heal. Sometimes miracles occur, and sometimes prayer might be enough, but often we need other methods.

God* is * taking care of the situation, by guiding you to professionals and medications that can help you. The hand of God is not always visible, but it is always there.

Peace.
 
Thank you for these kind words Severinus. It’s not always easy to accept that we need a helping hand. I have thought that maybe the medication (which the doctor says is optional) may actually help me in my walk. I’ve always been a “no medication unless you’re dying” kind of person. However, things change.

God Bless You,
Quaere Verum
Seek the Truth
 
You might seek a spiritual director to help you parse what responsibilities you should be shouldering, and which one’s you really need to leave with Christ. You also might want to examine your conscious and talk to priest to determine if you are being too scrupulous. Finally, break away from your routine and serve the Lord in a different way. Sometimes it just takes stepping away from the ordinary to see the extraordinary.
 
Sirach 11:10-13:
My child, do not busy yourself with many matters;
if you multiply activities you will not be held blameless.
If you persue, you will not overtake
and by fleeing you will not escape.
There are those who are slow and need help,
who lack strength and about in poverty;
but the eyes of the Lord look kindly upon them;
he lifts them out of their lowly condition
and raises up their heads
to the amazement of many.
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Yes, I do know what you mean. I am also struggling with similar issues. My last baby was conceived in obedience to church teaching while using NFP. I had faith then and almost left my five children by almost dying during childbirth. People tell me now to have faith - but I had faith before. Can I justify taking that risk again? I don’t know but my husband was more certain and went and had a vasectomy. So struggle with that too.
 
I don’t see how “living for the Lord” can backfire, but when under “tests, trials & attacks”, it sure does seem like it did.

relax, pray & see if there are any areas in life that can be “de-stressed”, sometimes we try to do too much, even out of LOVE
 
Quaere Verum:
I’ve always tried to live for the Lord. But in trying to do so I’ve placed so much pressure on myself, I’ve accepted so much responsibility, and I’ve placed alot of expectations on myself.

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perhaps when we fall in love with the Lord we go through stages as with any relationship, and tend to go overboard in trying to come up with things to do and for our Beloved. Perhaps we put too much faith in our own abilities, and not enough faith in allowing Him to act in our lives. Perhaps living in and for Jesus means dedicating and consecrating the ordinary actions, work, play, emotions, relationships of daily life to Him, rather than adding arbitrary burdens that do not arise from the promptings of the Spirit, but out of our own pride and mistaken reliance on our own efforts. We tend to begin with an appropriate mix of prayer and work, with the rhythms of the day and in communion with the whole Church, and then begin adding more rosaries, more readings, more devotions, sometimes even to the neglect of our responsibilities of our state in life. the great spiritual writers warn of this danger.

I strongly suggest you get a copy of the Dark Night by St. John of the Cross. DO NOT as yet attempt to read the whole (very short) book. I suggest you begin with the canticle itself, then read the exposition of the first verse. The first 8 short chapters (less than one page each) of this exposition describe the problems that beginners in the spiritual life (those who have already undergone conversion and the first dark night of the senses, purgation from attachment to physical, sensual wordly things). He deals with pitfalls like spiritual pride, spiritual gluttony, spiritual avarice, relating the 7 deadly sins to their manifestation in our spiritual life.

For me, I have been praying with this short part of the book, dwelling on the first verse, for 5 years, and still am not ready, and my spiritual director agrees, to move on, but maybe soon, hopefully soon. This book is available at bookstores and most Catholic book catalogs.

taking medication for depression, anxiety etc. is no more an admission of failure than taking in for cholesterol, blood pressure or other condition caused by imbalances in our bodily systems.
 
I would say that the spiritual life does not “backfire”. However, it can be done wrong, and made to look like it.

What do i mean? well, you may feel that a life with God puts so much stress on you that you begin to suffer physically. I don’t think God wants that. Again, i don’t know you and your situation, but i would take this to God. I’ve always found that he offers me peace rather anxiety, comfort rather than burden.
What is that one verse about “my yoke is easy and my burden is light”?
Please, go talk to God about this. I know he has “plans to prosper you, and not to harm you”. Ask him if there is an area of your life he wants to change right now.
 
I have Dark Night of the Soul. I need to pick it up and read it. But I know what will happen. I’ll read it, it’ll all make sense, I’ll try to apply it but nothing will change. Am I failing to admit God can perform miracles? No! Every time I pray or meditate or spend time with God I acknowledge that He can perform miracles. I ask Him for healing. Could it be that directing me to the doctor is how God chooses to begin the changes that I need? Could it be that the medication is the first step, outside of prayer, mass, confession, etc., to the healing?
 
“I’ll try to apply it but nothing will change.”

This is the litany of the clinically depressed. I know because I am one.

If your doctor is suggesting anti-depressants, go ahead and try them. Remember that they may take as long as a month to kick in, so do not give up.

Also remember that they do not make you high, as some people may try to tell you. They return your brain chemistry to normal.

I knew my meds were working when I got my sense of humor back!
 
Ruthie said:
“I’ll try to apply it but nothing will change.”

This is the litany of the clinically depressed. I know because I am one.

If your doctor is suggesting anti-depressants, go ahead and try them. Remember that they may take as long as a month to kick in, so do not give up.

Also remember that they do not make you high, as some people may try to tell you. They return your brain chemistry to normal.

I knew my meds were working when I got my sense of humor back!
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Ruthie,

Thanks so much for your response. I didn’t ask my doctor this but will need to. Maybe you have some info. If the medications help return your brain chemistry to normal as you say then does there come a time when you can quit taking the medication or are the medications a lifelong commitment?
 
Quaere Verum:
Ruthie,

Thanks so much for your response. I didn’t ask my doctor this but will need to. Maybe you have some info. If the medications help return your brain chemistry to normal as you say then does there come a time when you can quit taking the medication or are the medications a lifelong commitment?
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I’m not Ruthie, but if you’re asking if there will come a time when you can stop taking the medications, the answer is, probably not.

My wife takes Celexa for depression and has for years. Without it, she is neigh-well impossible to live with—she can’t even stand herself. She will likely need to take anti-depressants for the rest of her life.

It’s not a bad thing to need medication, Q.V. I don’t know what your present age is, but trust me, once you get over 40, you get used to taking daily medication. 🙂 I myself am in reasonably good health, but I take two different medications daily for hypertension, another for gastroesophogal-reflux disease, and a dose of aspirin as a blood thinner. So every morning with my coffee, I’m downing five pills, and if I happen to take a vitamin tablet, six. If I’m taking a course of antibiotics for a sinus infection or something like that, I’m taking seven or even eight. :eek:

How do I feel about having to take these pills for the rest of my life? Well, without the blood-pressure medication, I would have a stroke and die. Simple as that. My body requires these medications just as surely as it requires food and water to stay alive. It might be a nuisance to have to swallow a handful of pills every morning, but it’s a lot better than croaking. 😉

I will say a prayer for you.
 
it is a principle of spiritual direction to make no changes in your mode of living, or no great commitments or vows as to certain pious practices, while in a state of depression. John of the Cross would call it melancholy.
 
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puzzleannie:
it is a principle of spiritual direction to make no changes in your mode of living, or no great commitments or vows as to certain pious practices, while in a state of depression. John of the Cross would call it melancholy.
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Would you please explain this further puzzleannie. I don’t quite understand what you are referring to.
 
Now tell me this, what right do I have to be depressed, anxious, or dissatisfied with a certain situation in my life when there are people far worse off than I? This is what I have a difficult time accepting. I’m applying this to myself & nobody else, so please don’t anyone get offended. It seems to me that my allowing myself to reach any of these points in my life I have failed to accomplish that which I set out to accomplish mainly placing all my trust in the Lord.
 
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