Do Catholics just want to know too much?

[notsmart]

I asked a question I was thinking about while shoveling snow today to a jewish believer.

After I thought about it briefly I realized I was getting the wrong idea about some things possibly.
(that’s always a possibility with me)

But, in this case I felt like some things we want to believe in, or think we can believe in, honestly boil down to a few things.

God’s will.

I don’t expect an argument on that, from any believer but I wonder if we can even do what is God’s will?

Can we?

Is it true what he says, that his burden is light?
That God won’t give us more than we can bear?

I am just wondering about all these nice thoughts, I want to believe in, but wonder if its even meant to be literal in this case.

It sure seems like its a guarrantee you will suffer and be persecuted if you are close to God. Period.

 

[ralphinal]

You mean that Jews shovel their own snow?

Seriously, the reason that he says his burdon is light is because he will help us bear it if we allow him to. Yes, we are promised troubles on this world, and rewards in the next if we do his will, but that does not mean that life sucks. We can offer our sufferings for others, we can grow and learn from them. We can help others. Misery loves company.

How can we know God’s will? That is a tougher one. We can know what his will is NOT. That is a start. From there, it takes prayers, meditation, and faith. Just start with what he does not want from us, then take the next step. He does not want us to sin. THe next step is when we do sin, he wants us to repent and sin no more.

 

[happilycatholic]

I asked a question I was thinking about while shoveling snow today to a jewish believer.

After I thought about it briefly I realized I was getting the wrong idea about some things possibly.
(that’s always a possibility with me)

But, in this case I felt like some things we want to believe in, or think we can believe in, honestly boil down to a few things.

God’s will.

I don’t expect an argument on that, from any believer but I wonder if we can even do what is God’s will?

Can we?

Is it true what he says, that his burden is light?
That God won’t give us more than we can bear?

I am just wondering about all these nice thoughts, I want to believe in, but wonder if its even meant to be literal in this case.

It sure seems like its a guarrantee you will suffer and be persecuted if you are close to God. Period.

Hello notsmart

I think we are stronger than we give ourselves credit for. Remember that God tells us these things because He is with us all the way. We have His power and strength to draw on, not just our own. You only have to realize that His love is real and His will is behind you in all things. Faith plays a huge part in this.

Christ told His Apostles that they would suffer and be persecuted in His name but that He would get them through it if they believed He is God. They are saints in Heaven now.

Believe that you are stronger than you think you are. Believe that YOU have the power of The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit behind you and you can do so much more than you think!

Peace Be With You Always through God, your Father and mine.

 

[MarcoPolo]

It sure seems like its a guarrantee you will suffer and be persecuted if you are close to God. Period.

I have asked this same question. Is the burden light, or are we to carry a cross? The answer is both. The cross will be made light if we let Jesus help us carry it. “My grace is sufficient for you,” He said. But you will endure much trial as you near God, for the devil is infuriated when you do so. Ask Our Lady to be your guide, for there is enmity between her and the devil.

Hang in there.

 

[gurneyhalleck1]

I asked a question I was thinking about while shoveling snow today to a jewish believer.

After I thought about it briefly I realized I was getting the wrong idea about some things possibly.
(that’s always a possibility with me)

But, in this case I felt like some things we want to believe in, or think we can believe in, honestly boil down to a few things.

God’s will.

I don’t expect an argument on that, from any believer but I wonder if we can even do what is God’s will?

Can we?

Is it true what he says, that his burden is light?
That God won’t give us more than we can bear?

I am just wondering about all these nice thoughts, I want to believe in, but wonder if its even meant to be literal in this case.

It sure seems like its a guarrantee you will suffer and be persecuted if you are close to God. Period.

I’m just focused on the “shoveling snow” part! God I’m glad I live in California! lol (I know what people are going to say now…lol…wild fires, earthquakes, Governor Arnold! lol)

 

[happilycatholic]

I’m just focused on the “shoveling snow” part! God I’m glad I live in California! lol (I know what people are going to say now…lol…wild fires, earthquakes, Governor Arnold! lol)

**I wish we had Arnold **

---

HC
~Tennessee

 

[Ruthie]

Do we want to know too much? Hmmm… I think there are plenty of faithful Catholics who don’t do all the research and learning that a lot of us CAFers do.

I don’t think we can ever know God’s will perfectly here on earth. I find 1 Cor 13 to be a major comfort when I have questions like this. Especially the last bit:

When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; when I became a man, I gave up childish ways. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall understand fully, even as I have been fully understood.** **So faith, hope, love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

There are some slogans, like “God won’t give us more than we can bear,” and “offer it up” that can seem awfully glib. But there is truth behind them, especially when I apply faith, hope, and love.

I have some burdens, fibromyalgia and depression, that can get pretty heavy. Recently, the Lord taught me about lightening them. I know He loves me. Perhaps He gave them to me as a way of lessening my “time” in Purgatory.

Even better, though, I can ask Him to take my suffering and use it to lighten someone else’s. It could be someone in Purgatory, or someone here that is in pain. This time of year there are a lot of lonely souls who get a lot lonelier, so that’s who I’m offering it up for now. From that point of view, I can even see it as a gift - sometimes.

It doesn’t make my physical pain any less, but makes it much lighter, and easier to bear. It does lighten the depression, because it’s something I can give, even though I can’t get out of the house to help at a soup kitchen or visit hospitals and prisons.

MarcoPolo is right, too. The devil will attack us as we near God. He’ll try to shake our faith, and he is subtle. So never let go of the **fact **that God loves you. Even when the devil takes away any sense of God’s presence, God is still there, loving you. I speak from experience!

Love,

Ruthie

 

[gurneyhalleck1]

**I wish we had Arnold **

---

HC
~Tennessee

No you don’t! The guy is a Republican who is pro-choice and pro-gay marriage. He’s also incompetent with money. He’s borrowed with poorly-chosen bonds now for four years just to get us through the budget crises, refusing to raise taxes per the usual Republican mantra (which I generally agree with). The result of his choices is the current budget meltdown we’re having. Our state will be bankrupt by the end of January. He can’t get Republicans and Democrats to agree to do the tough things we need, cutting and raising taxes. The current joke is that there are only 120 people in the entire State of California that will not return a phone call from Arnie (the state senate and assembly! lol)…

He’s tried to play both sides way too much. He panders to the liberal San Francisco folks with his being against Prop 8 and being in favor of gay marriage then turns around and rails at taxes that, sadly, need to slightly be raised.

I’m a teacher, sixth grade, and our district is going to be pink-slipping A LOT of my fellow teachers soon.

That’s another thing Arnold did day one----go after my profession, nurses, firefighters and police by attacking their unions.

Trust me, you don’t want him! lol A lot of us actually regret ousting Gray Davis now! lol That’s pathetic!