Does Being A Christian Bring Happiness Or Misery?

[HappyRevert]

Dempsey1919,

You should feel free to love the Lord little by little and build your trust. Conversion is a lifetime process. It takes a while to build up the trust for the Lord and then you’ll dive in head first without a second glance. The Lord loves you in a way that you can’t imagine. The best way I heard it explained is that in Greek there are different words for love and the one we associate with all consuming passionate love would be Eros (as opposed to Philia or agape) and the Lord uses the word Eros about us. He would not bring you misery - but joy. Of course the joy is not necessarily a material kind like a great job, but the joy of knowing without a doubt at all times, no matter what happens - you are loved. Completely, utterly and with absolutely no reservations he loves you and wants the best for you. We may end up with difficulties in this life, but that love endures.

Give yourself to Jesus and the Holy Spirit and you won’t be disappointed.

 

[BarbaraTherese]

Most often what brings happiness or misery is my personal and interior attitude and perspective re a certain matter.

 

[Nickkname]

It’s a good deal when you really think about it. Life is very short, and we don’t have to suffer muchl; afterall, life also contains alot of happiness and peace. However, we can choose to suffer for a few years while here on Earth, and in exchange we get eternity to live in total bliss! Eternal life does not cost us a lot when you really think about it! God is practically giving it away for free! We would be stupid not to take his offer.

Which is why sin is irrational and unnatural. Man was made for God. Charity and truth are nature, the life in the Holy Spirit is the real life, the fullness of life, the “evolution” of human life. And just by suffering the Cross for a little bit on Earth, we receive eternal and absolute happiness, which we can’t even imagine!

 

[the_phoenix]

To those of you who truly strive to live according to the teachings of Christ, I have one question: Does living a life of service bring happiness? Does putting others before yourself bring joy? Or is the Christian life one of misery, boredom and sacrifice?

I am afraid that I will lose something by becoming more devout. This is the sin talking, but I am afraid that by becoming holier I will alienate myself from friends and family. I am afraid of what Jesus wants to make of me; that is why I am reluctant to give him complete control.

To answer your questions:

1. Does living a life of service bring happiness? Yes.
2. Does putting others before yourself bring joy? Yes.
3. Or is the Christian life one of misery … **Yes, at times.

An applicable Bible verse: “If the world hate you, know ye that it hath hated me before you. If you had been of the world, the world would love its own: but because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Remember my word that I said to you: The servant is not greater than his master. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you.” – John 15:18-20**

1. … boredom … **Sometimes I wish I had that luxury, but as they say, careful what you wish for. **
2. … and sacrifice? Yes.

Here’s what strikes me as a related quote by Frodo Baggins in J.R.R. Tolkien’s novel Lord of the Rings:

It must often be so, Sam, when things are in danger: some one has to give them up, lose them, so that others may keep them (RotK pg 309).

And here’s another related quote by G.K. Chesterton from Chapter 6, The Paradoxes of Christianity, in his book Orthodoxy:

So in Christendom apparent accidents balanced. Becket wore a hair shirt under his gold and crimson, and there is much to be said for the combination; for Becket got the benefit of the hair shirt while the people in the street got the benefit of the crimson and gold. It is at least better than the manner of the modern millionaire, who has the black and the drab outwardly for others, and the gold next his heart. But the balance was not always in one man’s body as in Becket’s; the balance was often distributed over the whole body of Christendom. Because a man prayed and fasted on the Northern snows, flowers could be flung at his festival in the Southern cities; and because fanatics drank water on the sands of Syria, men could still drink cider in the orchards of England.

Hope this helps. It’s been my experience as a cradle Catholic, at least.

~~ the phoenix

 

[Dempsey1919]

Following the advice on this thread, I have started reading the Confessions of St. Augustine. I just want to say that this is one of the greatest books that I have ever read. It was hard to get into at first, but the book is great once you get used to the flowery writing style. The experience of St. Augustine mirrors my own in several ways, and I feel a tremendous connection to this saint! I would advise everyone on this thread to read this book.

This book has taught me that humanity has never changed. The experiences of St. Augustine are exactly the same as the experiences of modern man! He talks about sinning in order to fit in with his group of friends, and he even admits to lying about his sexual conquests in order to impress his friends! If I didn’t know any better, I would think that St. Augustine lived in our day and age. The pressures that he felt as a young man are exactly the same as the pressures I now feel. It is really amazing!

Confessions should be required reading for all Catholics, young and old. I think modern man can learn a lot from this great saint.

 

[distracted]

Following the advice on this thread, I have started reading the Confessions of St. Augustine. I just want to say that this is one of the greatest books that I have ever read. .

i’ve read parts of it…

I liked reading St. Faustina’s Diary…

I believe all people should read her account of Hell Diary #741… If that doesn’t literally scare the h-- out of you… i don’t know wht will…

 

[distracted]

and he even admits to lying about his sexual conquests in order to impress his friends! If I didn’t know any better, I would think that St. Augustine lived in our day and age. The pressures that he felt as a young man are exactly the same as the pressures I now feel. It is really amazing!

**

one thing that has helped me a lot is visualizing or trying to experience the consequences of a particular sin BEFORE giving into the temptation to do it… In other words, i always try to remember how awful i felt the last time i did this or that… It is not always easy because humans are so good at rationalizing… and “forgetting”… and of course, the devil is always around to make sure we forget important truths… :knight2:

 

[Epistemes]

one thing that has helped me a lot is visualizing or trying to experience the consequences of a particular sin BEFORE giving into the temptation to do it… In other words, i always try to remember how awful i felt the last time i did this or that… It is not always easy because humans are so good at rationalizing… and “forgetting”… and of course, the devil is always around to make sure we forget important truths… :knight2:

This is great advice, distracted! However, like most things spiritual, it isn’t foolproof. In my own situation, when I am sad, depressed, or have a very bad day, the devil holds that particular pleasurable sin out as a consolation prize, so to speak. The devil whispers, “You’ve had a long day, and you’ve wanted to do this for so long, but you’re attempt at being a good Christian have prevented you – but why not now? Why not this once just to make you feel better?”

All attempts at remembering how awful I felt the last time I committed the sin (which could be weeks or months) pale in comparison to how awful I feel now.

This is why I stressed in my original reply an authentic love of God, knowing that we want to be close to him, obey his commandments, and not commit any sin which might distance us from him. Though none of these practices should be done in isolation, but rather in combination, I believe we may eventually find ourselves freed from potentially grave, repetitious sins.

 

[JimR-OCDS]

Living a life in Christ, is happiness, that is, true happiness, one that passes all understanding.

This morning’s Office of the Reading from the Liturgy of the Hours, the 2nd reading is from a letter to Proba by Saint Augustine.

St Augustine begins;

“Let us always desire the happy life from the Lord God and always pray for it. But for this very reason, we turn our mind to the task of prayer at the appointed hours, since that desire grows lukewarm, so to speak, from our involvement with other concerns and occupations.”

So as you can see, the desire to be happy is not wrong, not is it wrong to ask(pray) for it. But it is happiness that can only be found in Christ Jesus.

Jim

 

[distracted]

All attempts at remembering how awful I felt the last time I committed the sin (which could be weeks or months) pale in comparison to how awful I feel now.

i have been there… so many times you wouldn’t believe… but i learned through all i went through… If humans would avoid sin like the plague that it is… If they would avoid sin like they avoid getting cancer and heart disease… This world, for one, would be a better place to live and for another, more people would get into Heaven… I pray you stop sinning some how, some way because no sin is allowed in heaven… Maybe the problem is that you don’t think certain sins are “that bad” but all sin is bad and separates us from intimacy with our God, who is absolutely holy. The Word of God says that we are to “be perfect as your father in Heaven is perfect.” That is only achievable when we know waht God wants… The Church Christ established tells us what God wants… through scirpture, etc… I am not saying that knowing what God wants makes it easier to DO waht he wants… sometimes it seems like just the opposite… … but we have no choice… The Word says that no impure thing will enter Heaven… Some don’t think fornication is an “impure thing”… Tehy think that if they love one another (yeah right… whatever “love” is… ) it is OK… but experience (and again, the Word) tell us something different… Most fornication ends badly… even if it “ends” in marriage… well, most marriages that start out without chastity… end up in divorce… and/or other disasters…
Anyway… I suggest one hting: that you spend time with Jesus @ the Blessed Sacrament as often as possible… He will show you things there that you will not be shown anywhere else on the Planet… about your life… about holiness… about truth… about God…

God bless you… I will pray for you…

 

[Paul_Folbrecht]

After beginning to read Scripture, he knew he had to turn away from sin and toward Christ, but he was not ready to do it. A famous prayer quote of his is something like this: “Give me chastity and continence, but not yet.”

I definitely would have wanted that second one right away, regardless of anything else.

 

[Paul_Folbrecht]

And now for the serious response.

Main thoughts:

You will always be tempted. It will never stop. However, your abilities to fight temptation will certainly increase. I believe this is because the more you grow, the more you want to avoid sin because it hurts God. No pleasure is worth that. You will know acutely you’ve taken a step backwards and you will know that you have personally injured your Creator in some way, who loves you so much and so unconditionally.

Yes, there are good times and bad. There are times of great joy, but times of ho-hum as well. I used to think I was doing something “wrong” if I didn’t get that inrush of joy during prayer or Mass. Then I read a great book by Padre Pio, and I paraphrase here: “If you think God is pleased with you when you pray and feel joy, how much more is he pleased with you when you pray and feel nothing?”

It sounds to me like you’re on the right path. I have been amazed by one thing in my life: God has put me in situations where I grew spiritually, but mortal sin was involved. Now, by no means can we say that he wanted that sin to be committed, but he knew it would be and he made good come of the situation anyway.

Short list of must-read spiritual reading:

• Augustine (Confessions & City of God). (You know about these already.)
• True Devotion to Mary
• St. Faustina’s Diary
• The works of Bl. Anne Catherine Emmerich.

 

[Angels_Unaware]

To be honest all I can tell you is become Catholic has brought me nothing but saddness and misery. Literally my entire life went to pieces almost the hour I was Baptized and Confirmed.

I’ve known only pain, sorrow, lonliness, poverty and misery since then. There has been spots of happiness do not get me wrong but eight times out of ten they came from my friends that were Buddhist or Pagan that I talked to, although my time with them is more rare by the week.

To be honest I don’t see what I gained from being Catholic in exchange for everything I lost: Girlfriend, friends, job, possesions, to an extent my health, happiness ect. (just wait someone will use that to flame me as selfish) and Iregret the decision every day since then and wish I could undo it and the mark it gave me.

Were you a Buddhist or Pagan before you became Catholic?

If so, this is the obvious source of the extreme difficulties you have encountered. If your conversion has in any way been half-hearted, or if your ties to Buddhism and Paganism have not been severed, then you are in a war zone between the Enemy and God.

I disagree with the poster who told you it’s all the result of chance.
The Enemy is real and causes real physical things to happen in people’s lives

 

[MarieVeronica]

For myself, Happiness… I pray the same, for all. God bless.