Despair

[DrifterBoy]

I would like to know what the Church thinks, if anything, on the subject of despairing. I know it is wrong to despair on anything God can control, for doing that would seem to deny God being in control. But what about things which God cannot help, such as how sad it is that people would sin so harshly against him, or that many will willfully reject Him. My heart cannot seem to be able to stop despairing over such pain. I know despair seems a sin, but to despair as God does…is it a sin for me? :banghead:

 

[PeacefulWaters]

DrifterBoy:

I would like to know what the Church thinks, if anything, on the subject of despairing. I know it is wrong to despair on anything God can control, for doing that would seem to deny God being in control. But what about things which God cannot help, such as how sad it is that people would sin so harshly against him, or that many will willfully reject Him. My heart cannot seem to be able to stop despairing over such pain. I know despair seems a sin, but to despair as God does…is it a sin for me? :banghead:

Drifter, you do have the heart and love of Jesus for others. God bless you. It hurts all of us to know that some choose to willfully reject the love of God. You are not alone in this pain. Continue to pray for them and ask God to help you deal with the despair. Imho I don’t think it’s a sin to feel despair for others, because it shows you love them, but just remember that God loves them and will continue to open his arms for them.

 

[Bud_Stewart]

The Catechism of the Catholic Church (2091) states: By despair, man ceases to hope for personal salvation from God, for help in attaining it or from the forgiveness of his sins…

As you can see, this relates to YOU not to others. It is a command to not despair for yourself. You appear to be describing your sadness over the actions of others. This is not a sin.

When the Church says, “do not despair”, it is saying don’t personally lose hope. You cannot let the actions of others let you lose your hope in salvation through God.

You cannot control the actions of your fellow me. Even God, who can, chooses not to. He gave man freewill. This gift is among his greatest to humanity. When we go with God we do so on our own accord. Conversely, when we turn our backs on God we do so using the autonomy God granted us. These facts make our loving God a personal thing.

Don’t give up praying for others. Prayer and providing knowledge of God’s love to those who sin are the only ways that you can influence other people’s actions.

 

[Robin_L.in_TX]

I, too, have been led to meditate upon the hurt and sadness Jesus, Mary, the Father, and the Holy Spirit must have as a result of our sins, especially that of abortion, euthanasia, stem cell research, and cloning. Man still seeks to be god, rather than His beloved creation. The sin of Adam is still here and seems to be escalating.

I think it must be the Holy Spirit calling for a resurgence in prayers of reparation, and pray for all sins, especially mine, and all others that affront our Lord. I also pray for God’s mercy to be shown to us in additional graces to reconvert our country and end the legal sanctioning of these heinous crimes against the God-given gift of life.

Also, remember, that Jesus was born into a world that did not have His Holiness in it, so the world is actually more blessed now than it was then. We, as Catholics , must always live in the hope of being with God forever later, and rejoice in Jesus’ Presence at every valid Mass, and in our tabernacles. Jesus is truly God With Us.

I also like to pray, when I am feeling the sinfulness of our world, the Prayer of Reparation taught us by the Angel at Fatima, lying prostrate before the Blessed Sacrament suspended in air:

O Most Holy Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, I adore You profoundly. I offer You the most precious Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus Christ, present in all the tabernacles of the world, in reparation for the outrages, sacrileges, and indifference by which He is offended. By the infinite merits of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mery, I beg the conversion of poor sinners.

Amen.

In Christ’s peace and joy,

Robin L. in TX

 

[Edwin1961]

I do not know if it is despair or The Dark Night of the Soul that I am expericing. However, I continue to pray, dispite distractions I receive. I believe fully in the power of prayer, so is my continuing to pray a sign of hope than despair?

I try to pray for others who are sinning against God, (i.e. St. Monica for Augustine before his conversion).
So take to heart the idea of praying for others who continually sin mortaly against God.

 

[system]

DrifterBoy:

I would like to know what the Church thinks, if anything, on the subject of despairing. I know it is wrong to despair on anything God can control, for doing that would seem to deny God being in control. But what about things which God cannot help, such as how sad it is that people would sin so harshly against him, or that many will willfully reject Him. My heart cannot seem to be able to stop despairing over such pain. I know despair seems a sin, but to despair as God does…is it a sin for me? :banghead:

God feels the same pain, so unite it to Him in prayer.
Hope is opposite to despair ( Acts of Faith, Hope,Charity)
memorare.com/cards/actscard.html

 

[George789]

Edwin1961:

I do not know if it is despair or The Dark Night of the Soul that I am expericing. However, I continue to pray, dispite distractions I receive. I believe fully in the power of prayer, so is my continuing to pray a sign of hope than despair?

I try to pray for others who are sinning against God, (i.e. St. Monica for Augustine before his conversion).
So take to heart the idea of praying for others who continually sin mortaly against God.

I have fallen into despair now and then. I find that going to confession (weekly) and receiving commuion at least twice a week and sometimes more, in addition to talking to my preist helps out alot. I also pray the chaplet of Divine Mercy and the Rosary. I am not sure what Dark Night of the Soul is but I have sure felt something like that.

 

[faustina22]

You might be gifted with intercessory prayer and are just calling it despair. Often, when the Lord gives us a soft heart or a broken heart for a particular person/situation, he is asking us to offer up our feeling of pain (which is often his own heart of pain for us) to Him in prayer for that person/situation.

For more on the charism of intercessory prayer, visit
www.bellwetheromaha.org, The Intercessors of the Lamb community.

Blessings-
Heather