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Beaver
Guest
Yes, I have always been in love with Jesus, and My Broom has made MARRIAGE with Him enjoyable.
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SwissGuard
Guest
Faith takes dedication and commitment…but it also makes life worth living, in my opinion. It gives us all a purpose.
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LauraL
Guest
I said “Other.” I don’t think of my faith as “enjoyable” – after all, I enjoy iced tea with mint on these hot summer days, and Faith is not even in the same ROOM as that!
Rather, faith is the center that gives focus and meaning to other dimensions of my life. I’m glad I’m a Christian; my identity as a Catholic Christian is the most important thing in my life. But somehow, “enjoyment” is not at all the way I’d describe it. Satisfaction, maybe, gratitude, awe, “chuffed” blown away…
Rather, faith is the center that gives focus and meaning to other dimensions of my life. I’m glad I’m a Christian; my identity as a Catholic Christian is the most important thing in my life. But somehow, “enjoyment” is not at all the way I’d describe it. Satisfaction, maybe, gratitude, awe, “chuffed” blown away…
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montanaman
Guest
Lol. I had a brief four-month period where I thought I’d found some kind of peace, but life got complicated, and faith was put back in the box in the attic. Still, the only thing worse than being Catholic is *not * being Catholic, so there must be *something * enjoyable about faith…
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randall_brown
Guest
Squirt ~
Yes, the faith life is hard. But remember ( and I am paraphrasing here ) what Jesus said about taking the narrow path ? I imagine He’s talking about our faith.
there’s a couple I know who I really look up to. They seem to have all the happiness and joy in their lives, all from their faith. But they’ve told me that it was really such hard work in the beginning. What they sowed, now they are harvesting. . .
Just my 2 1/2 cents in . .( Inflation, don’t you know )
D
DeniseTOCarm
Guest
I do not care for the idea of parsing out sentences, words, but it depends on what “enjoyable” means. If it mean "have fun’, the way many people use the word then I would say No. If it means “Rejoice in the Lord” i.e., give praise and thanksiving to Our Lord, then I say always, which is how I voted.
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Joanna
Guest
It’s my mainstay. I was driving to Mass this morning, praying as I went. I felt full of gratitude even though I’m waiting on the answers to some Monica-prayers. I was thinking how God has been part of all my days through all these many years. More gratitude. Then I wondered if God hadn’t filled all those moments, what would I be filled with now. A really frightening thought. Much, much more gratitude!!
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Scott_Shelton
Guest
Is faith enjoyable?
Yes and no, when my faith is strong it is very enjoyable, when its not strong it’s a struggle.
When faith is strong worldly concerns don’t overwhelm me. I can take great joy in family and friends. I can see the good in people and the opportunity in situations. Its not like I’m walking around being Mr. Joyful, joyful wearing rose colored glasses. But I ‘m not micro focused on problems.
When faith is weak it is a struggle because I start wishing I was free to do things that in the long run would be bad for me, or those around me. Like verbally slap down someone I find annoying. Or skip mass or skip prayer. Discipline and habit keep me acting like I should be it isn’t easy. Especially because when faith is week I tend to see the shadows more than the light.
That almost sounds like I have a split personality but I don’t just some days its easy being me and some days its not.
Unfortunately for me faith is like an ocean with high tides and low. But just as low tide on the ocean is a good time to gather drift wood. Low tides of faith are a good time for me to read on the saints, or study church history, things to prepare me for the next high tide or storm.
Scott
Yes and no, when my faith is strong it is very enjoyable, when its not strong it’s a struggle.
When faith is strong worldly concerns don’t overwhelm me. I can take great joy in family and friends. I can see the good in people and the opportunity in situations. Its not like I’m walking around being Mr. Joyful, joyful wearing rose colored glasses. But I ‘m not micro focused on problems.
When faith is weak it is a struggle because I start wishing I was free to do things that in the long run would be bad for me, or those around me. Like verbally slap down someone I find annoying. Or skip mass or skip prayer. Discipline and habit keep me acting like I should be it isn’t easy. Especially because when faith is week I tend to see the shadows more than the light.
That almost sounds like I have a split personality but I don’t just some days its easy being me and some days its not.
Unfortunately for me faith is like an ocean with high tides and low. But just as low tide on the ocean is a good time to gather drift wood. Low tides of faith are a good time for me to read on the saints, or study church history, things to prepare me for the next high tide or storm.
Scott
J
Joanna
Guest
Scott Shelton:
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Joanna
Guest
"When faith is weak I tend to see the shadows more than the light." (Scott Shelton)
Thank you for this. A very good thing to remember when in a “dark valley.” Psalm 23 is good medicine for these times.
Thank you for this. A very good thing to remember when in a “dark valley.” Psalm 23 is good medicine for these times.
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Deacon_Tony560
Guest
When things go well, we enjoy our faith. when things go badly, we practice our faith.
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Scott_Shelton
Guest
Deacon Tony.
Actually when things go badly I appreciate faith more than ever, its just not as easy to enjoy.
Scott
that bore repeating.
Actually when things go badly I appreciate faith more than ever, its just not as easy to enjoy.
Scott
C
chrystl
Guest
I think of it this way:
When things go bad…I seek God’s lap.
When things are good…I dance with God.
When things go bad…I seek God’s lap.
When things are good…I dance with God.
D
DrCat
Guest
I don’t think I’ve ever thought of faith as being enjoyable. I enjoy a good steak, I enjoy a good homily, I enjoy going to daily Mass, I enjoy reading these forums. But I can live without all of these if necessary. My faith, on the other hand, is an integral part of my life without which I would be very incomplete.
A much better question would be, is faith important to me? Yes, definitely. It is an extremely important part of my life and has seen me through many dark times during the past few years. I look back to when I did not have faith, and I cannot imagine how I made it through all those years.
John
A much better question would be, is faith important to me? Yes, definitely. It is an extremely important part of my life and has seen me through many dark times during the past few years. I look back to when I did not have faith, and I cannot imagine how I made it through all those years.
John
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squirt
Guest
I don’t know whether or not it’s a better question, as I’m kind of partial to my question.
It’s definitely a very different question than the one I asked. I was mostly looking to see what variety there was in terms of the ‘emotional’ reaction to faith across individuals.
I assume that faith is important to pretty well everybody who responded to the poll.
For me, in a lot of ways life was easier without faith. But easy is overrated.
R
randall_brown
Guest
Scott Shelton:
Just a thought
This is a good point, Scott, in that it is not “easy” to enjoy the faith sometimes. But then I guess that if faith was something so easy to enjoy, the Devil would get hold of it , and corrupt it for us. . . Perhaps he does, by making it seem so hard. . . .
Just a thought
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Rogo
Guest
Yes! Exactly!
THANK you!!
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Theodora
Guest
“Enjoyable” for me is too weak of an expression how I consider my Catholic Faith.
I am a cradle Catholic, but I tell you: I donot take my Faith for granted. In fact, I have thanked God many times for the grace of the gift of this Faith and asked Him for me to never lose it.
Even before my reception of my first Holy Communion at seven, everything that was taught me about Jesus and the Catholic Faith has fascinated me. Throughout the years, I am still fascinated and feel the strong pull of Jesus keeping me close to Him. I am very much aware, also, that everything that happened and is still happening in my life, is no mere co-incidence. There are just too many of them. All I can say is Thank You Jesus!
I am a cradle Catholic, but I tell you: I donot take my Faith for granted. In fact, I have thanked God many times for the grace of the gift of this Faith and asked Him for me to never lose it.
Even before my reception of my first Holy Communion at seven, everything that was taught me about Jesus and the Catholic Faith has fascinated me. Throughout the years, I am still fascinated and feel the strong pull of Jesus keeping me close to Him. I am very much aware, also, that everything that happened and is still happening in my life, is no mere co-incidence. There are just too many of them. All I can say is Thank You Jesus!
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Lux_et_veritas
Guest
I chose “other” for this reason: Enjoyment, like sweetness in prayer, is a switch the Lord has control over. He turns it on and off. When we enjoy our faith, it is a grace. When we don’t He is testing us to see if we will remain with Him.
People go dry in prayer and he waits to see if they will continue to be true to their devotions or weekly mass.
It’s kind of like a grandchild who visits the grandparents. Is it for the money (sweetness), or out of love? If it is out of love, then we ought not expect the sweetness and he will provide it as he desires. This means sticking with him through those flash doubts that my strike, the dry periods when we don’t “enjoy” or find it a nuiscance to follow through with something.
Never act out of enjoyment or sweetnes with regards to faith and worship. Rather, do it out of pure love, even in the absence of those things. He expects it of us.
:bowdown:
People go dry in prayer and he waits to see if they will continue to be true to their devotions or weekly mass.
It’s kind of like a grandchild who visits the grandparents. Is it for the money (sweetness), or out of love? If it is out of love, then we ought not expect the sweetness and he will provide it as he desires. This means sticking with him through those flash doubts that my strike, the dry periods when we don’t “enjoy” or find it a nuiscance to follow through with something.
Never act out of enjoyment or sweetnes with regards to faith and worship. Rather, do it out of pure love, even in the absence of those things. He expects it of us.
:bowdown:
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highland
Guest
is faith enjoyable? why not?? barring other circumstances, do u enjoy being with your wife or family members or friends?? If u do enjoy each other company, why not the same with God? I’m sure u do… For me, I’m happy at mass… sure I do get distracted at times… but I’m happy ast mass… happy, why? to feel the love of God and able to receive Him in Holy communion…
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