Doubting the existence of God

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Any advice for someone who has been a believer for over thirty years and is now doubting the existence of God because a loved one may be close to death? It’s not the fact that people die, or how the person may die that is at issue, but the fear that after the person dies you will never see or be with that person again if God isn’t real and there is no heaven.
 
I would say that it is probably a fear that occurs to most of us at times like that. Our hope is that there is a resurrection and that we will see our loved ones again.

Personally, my belief that God exists comes from the idea that I exist and the complete incomprehensibility of that fact. As far as I can see, I should’t exist. Faith in Christ and the resurrection is built upon that fact.
 
I’ve lost a large number of members of my family and friends.

It is normal for you to have these fears/ doubts at this time. Remember that when this happens, it is time to simply put your trust in Jesus and remember the words of the Divine Mercy prayer: "Eternal God, in whom mercy is endless and the treasury of compassion inexhaustible, look kindly upon us and increase your mercy in us, so that in difficult moments, we might not despair or become despondent, but instead submit ourselves with great confidence to your holy will, which is love and mercy itself."

You might try praying the Divine Mercy chaplet for yourself and for the person who may pass away. It is a good prayer especially if you say the full version with the opening and closing prayer (I posted the closing prayer).

When your loved one crosses over, that is the Mother of All “Difficult Moments”. It is rubber-meets-the-road time for your faith. You will indeed see the person again, in fact even should they die they will not be all that far removed from your life. You are simply entrusting them to God for a short while while you complete your earthly tasks.

As the angel said to Mary, “Do not be afraid.”
 
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Sometimes we doubt the existence of God because we face a situation where it suddenly appears that God is no longer “all-loving” or “all-powerful.”

It’s normal to feel this way. As a Reconstructionist Jew my understanding of God is a bit different, and I wouldn’t want to attempt to change the view of God that you possess as a Catholic or Christian. But there may be a facet of what we use that can be helpful in times like these when your faith is being challenged by the circumstances you face.

In Reconstructing Judaism, God transcends the traditional view of being “all-loving” and of being the Almighty Entity who required that we had faith in God to keep going.

In other words, it isn’t that God isn’t loving or the epitome of love. It’s that our definition of what God is supposed to be to fulfill these roles may not be correct. It might seem from our viewpoint that God isn’t living up to them, but in reality, it’s that the roles we made up for God to fill may not be precise. God transcends them.

God is not here to fulfill our expectations of what God is supposed to be. It’s the other way around. You are supposed to fulfill the expectations of what God expects of you. And even if you lose all faith in God, that won’t make God disappear. God exists whether you believe in God or not. God doesn’t require your faith or existence in order to be God.

As for whether or not God is real, why not let the reality you live in be evidence of God? Why make God so unreachable in your mind that you need something as delicate as faith for God to be real to you? Do you not see God in the creation around you? Can you not feel God’s love and care in the fact that each time you exhale, there is another gasp of air waiting to keep you alive just waiting for you?

Death is not an easy thing to face. And it’s your choice how you will deal with the issue of God from this point onward. But people never really leave us when they die. Something of them stays with you. You know that. Even if there wasn’t a life after this one, you can sense something eternal, a divine spark that stays with you.

Put believing in God on the shelf for now. Try experiencing God for a change. God is here whether you believe in God or not. God is trustworthy enough to inspire your faith. It’s normal to feel as you are now. God will see you through it. Just take one step at a time with God through this.
 
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BenYosef said:
Why make God so unreachable in your mind that you need something as delicate as faith for God to be real to you?
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While I appreciate most of what you wrote, Faith is not some delicate, wispy thing. Faith can be so strong people will go to their martyrdom based on it. And it is not wrong to ask God to strengthen your faith when you’re having doubts.

It sounds like your belief system has an extremely strong concept of faith if you state something like “God is here whether you believe in God or not.” You just don’t use the word “faith”.
 
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Death is not the end. It is the beginning of the afterlife. Hope for eternal life is the beginning and end of our faith. I was with my mother when she died, and though it was painful I felt a comforting voice saying: ‘we will see each other again.’
 
I have doubts also. The more we know the more we want to know and until we reach heaven I’m sure doubts will continue. Mother Teresa had a lot of doubt near the end. Listening to atheists makes me morinsistence. They make me laugh. Like the universe was created from nothing. “Because there is a law such as gravity, the universe can and will create itself from nothing.” Gods existence is more logical than his inexistence.
 
We all understand and experience that fear. But I imagine you won’t be able to shed yourself of the hope of reunion. And hope is where you must rest. Fear will only lead you to despair. You must bank on the hope of seeing your beloved departed again. Don’t let go of it.

“Hope is a good thing. Maybe the best of things. And no good thing ever dies.” -Andy Dufresne, The Shawshank Redeption.
 
If t makes you feel better I will hope and pray with you. I’m sure lots of others will also.
 
A sincere thank you to all who have responded. You have given me much to ponder and I truly appreciate the encouragement. Never doubt that a few kinds words can make a difference in the life of someone you don’t even know. May God bless you all.
 
I am sorry that you mistook my writing as if I was calling faith “delicate.” That was not what I meant.

I was trying to find terminology that might resound with the original poster and their delicate situation they were writing about. I meant to write that their faith was in a delicate place, but it didn’t come out that way or read that way, obviously.

Chalk this up to another example to how easily people can mistake the intention of what another is writing about, especially when there is not a professional editor to proofread one’s copy, and how this can throw things off balance so easily. Consider it a demonstration of my failure to write well.
 
I’m very sorry you’re going through these sorts of doubts! Many of us do when faced with especially trying times.

I’ll pray for you, and that Mother Church can give you the comfort you deserve
 
I ain’t mad atcha. Just clarifying. Like I said, I agree your post generally, the spirit of it, etc.

I think the wording “in a delicate place” would better convey here. We have all gone through times when our faith was tested or in need of repairs or just not as strong as we would wish.
 
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