Catholicism and stress

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Does anyone feel like being Catholic adds a lot more stress on their lives? Like being a good Catholic is a job within itself?
 
It’s a live style that’s for sure. I think life would be worst for me if I could not receive Jesus. I don’t let what other people say or do to me bother me because I know I have personal relationship with God and his one true Church.

Edited due to poor wording.
 
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klmt123 said:
Does anyone feel like being Catholic adds a lot more stress on their lives? Like being a good Catholic is a job within itself?
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If being a Catholic adds stress to one’s life it is being lived wrongly .

Jesus said , “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me."
 
klmt123 said:
Does anyone feel like being Catholic adds a lot more stress on their lives? Like being a good Catholic is a job within itself?
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As Rob2 said, something isn’t quite right if it feels stressful. Perhaps you are currently approaching it too much as an exercise in following rules? Not that the rules aren’t important, but they aren’t the starting point of being a Catholic, and they aren’t the goal. The starting point is faith in God, and the goal is salvation. The rules are meant to help you with that, by preventing you from losing your way. But don’t obsess about them at the cost of losing your peace of mind. Put prayer first.
 
Being a good Catholic is most definitely work. I do think it can add stress, but I find for me this is when I am being stubborn, not cooperating with God’s grace, or not trusting in God.

With the various rules one can misunderstand God as some monster trying to catch you on some small detail. But that is a complete misunderstanding of God. That isn’t what the Church teaches.
 
Stress is studying for an exam. Stress is worrying about money. Rewarding is the life of a Catholic. 🙂
 
On the contrary, having found the everlasting treasure of the true faith, I have inner peace and joy, which this world cannot give.
 
Yes, from time to time, mostly that I can’t seem to achieve a certain level on the bar that a true Catholic should be able to reach.
Though this happens when I let issues play over in my mind.
 
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28

Catholicism is stressful for those who follow the religion, but lack faith in Jesus Christ.

Make Jesus the center of your life rather than religion.

Fait is a gift from God. It is the revelation of Jesus Christ to us, however that may happen.

Religion, is our response to the gift of faith which we have received.

Once Christ is the center of your life, religion will become easier, because everything you receive from God will be out of love. Everything you respond to Him with, will be out of love.

Jim
 
So you don’t feel like one must be set apart or separated from most of the world when trying to stay on a good path? Or like one must work at salvation? Especially in a sexually saturated world like this is. I find that being a single Catholic convert is difficult and that I need to be separate from non practicing catholics, for my own salvation.
 
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We live in the world and are part of it. We can enjoy flowers, the sunset and other beautiful things God has created.

Not being of the world means not chasing after the ego driven desires which create false images about ourselves.

Don’t misunderstand me, we’re going to have temptations for things which are not good for our spirituality. However, if your desire for the temptations are stronger than the reasons not to give into them, you’ll fail. But don’t give into despair. Turn to Christ and ask for forgiveness when you fail. Understand that we’re not made into saints by our own doing. Christ gives us the transforming grace to help us. But for this to happen, a deep relationship with Jesus is necessary and this can only be done by being open to Him in prayer.

You probably should begin to learn Contemplative Prayer. For myself, change didn’t come until I learned to pray interiorly

Jim
 
I want to be separated from everyone. The things I have interest in learnimg are nothing anyone I used to know would be interested in. When you convert arent you supposed to be separated from your past? My stress is coming from people I used to know that I have nothibg to do with anymore and they’re not understanding. I’d rather study Catholicism than be friends with them.
 
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And why would I want to be sexually active and have to go to confession everyday before mass? I mind as well not even be Catholic if I were going to become sexually active. I choose Catholicism over being sexually active. They don’t get that I want to be married before I ever have sex again.
 
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I have no energy to be the light of the world. I don’t need a center stage and a spot light. I’ll take backstage, please.
 
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I agree with you KLMT123, one would imagine that there wouldnt be any added stress on a religious sense in being Catholic, but there is, the world is at constant conflict with religion in general and even more so with Catholocisim.

If one is dealing health issues then negative stress can develop from faith and or lead to scruples which causes even more stress and negative stress at that.

Stress can be either good or bad , stress isn’t just bad . so I guess pending on the perspective means something too.

and some idiots were just now cutting down a big oak tree in my area, an a section crashed to the ground and nearly took out the power to the neighborhood. which tells me the company working on the tree has no clue what they are doing.
 
Make an appointment with your priest and tell him everything you are telling us. He will direct you.

Just know that it does not have to be this way. In fact, it should be the opposite. There is something troubling you that is not of God. God consoles us. He calls us to a life of meaningfulness and intimacy with Him and those around us. What you are describing is desolation. This does not come from God.
 
klmt123 said:
I have no energy to be the light of the world. I don’t need a center stage and a spot light. I’ll take backstage, please.
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It’s not about center stage and a spotlight. It’s about the people God puts in our path, our friends and family and strangers we encounter. Whether they’re practicing Catholics or not (and it’s the “not” who generally are most in need of His light).

Jesus didn’t say “please consider being the light of the world.” He said “You are the light of the world . . . your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father.”
 
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