HELP! I don't want to lose Heaven if its all true

[Catholic29]

After seeing this image (takes a while to load, but worth it) made me want to cry.:crying:

I have had many things going through my mind lately that are making me doubt my faith. All on top of my spiritual drought that has lasted years, along with other turmoils which I have recieved little consolation for. I also feel some external force could be being trying to cheat me out of my salvation, by putting questions and doubts into my head as well as a continual throbbing depression that has been gradually wearing my strength and will down. All of this has been made clear in my mind at this moment.

This is compounded by an intelectual catch-22 I am struggling with right now, and I that is I cannot prove Christianity is true, nor can I prove it is not true. I would personally give my life to know which is right, but answers are not forthcoming from anywhere and it is tearing my soul apart. Its like I am suffering the spiritual torments of Hell right now.:crying:

And I admit to everyone here that I have been discrediting the faith in recent posts on this forum, for that I truly sorry. And I beg you all and God for his forgiveness…

I need your prayers people, and I don’t want to lose my eternity here if its all true. HELP me my brothers and sisters, help me out of this mental and spiritual abyss I am trapped in, PLEASE!!!

 

[m134e5]

Pray about it, and remember that your emotions are not the source of truth- they can play tricks on you. Have faith- ask God for the gifts of faith, and hope.

Other than this (which is rather generic advice), I cannot help you. Please see your spiritual director or confessor (if you don’t have one, see your local priest- make sure he’s a good one)- those of us on this board are not spiritual directors- and those who are spiritual directors are not your spiritual director. It could be dangerous for you for people on an online forum who know practically nothing about you to try to take on the job.

 

[Catholic29]

m134e5:

Pray about it, and remember that your emotions are not the source of truth- they can play tricks on you. Have faith- ask God for the gifts of faith, and hope.

Other than this (which is rather generic advice), I cannot help you. Please see your spiritual director or confessor (if you don’t have one, see your local priest- make sure he’s a good one)- those of us on this board are not spiritual directors- and those who are spiritual directors are not your spiritual director. It could be dangerous for you for people on an online forum who know practically nothing about you to try to take on the job.

Well, aren’t you Catholic or Christian? This is a Catholic board I trust, and this is a spirituality section. So I am relaying a dire spiritual need. And I think these needs of mine are generic enough that many others can idententify with, thats why I posted this here.

And to be honest I don’t think I would be any better off looking through my own local parish structure for this help then I could here. And who knows, maybe some spiritually well read Catholic is internet savvy enough to be on these forums as well. Now that I think about it I think I have.

If anyone wants to help me, they can. And if they don’t, they don’t. Simple as that.

 

[Libero]

Hello,

My adivce would personally be to look elsewhere. II have tried to find support on these forums, to strengthen my faith, and it has not come, in fact I have lost faith more than gained it.

I would recommend that you simply do not try to challenge what the church says. I believe that you should simply associate yourself with the messages of the church and Jesus that you know to be true. For me that message was love and charity. I looked at the profiles of some great Christians who simply loved and helped, they have inspired me to want to try and spread happiness and love. They have made me want to campaign for those who are lost, those who are the outcasts, the people shunned by even our own church.

For now, ignore the topics you cannot understand, those which you struggle with, and emphasise on those you can. In time you shall come to understand the topics that appear to be diminishing your faith.

Good Luck

 

[Zooey]

I looked at the site you linked…I assume that you realize that it is a 7th Day Adventist site?
Adventists are a Christian group that are very critical of Catholics in particular, & other Christians generally. So, their information is bound to be skewed to that perspective.
There are some great tracts over on the Catholic Answers Homepage, which address the subject of 7th Day Adventists. I sincerely hope that you will read this material carefully & prayerfully, before simply accepting what you ahve heartd or been told by these folks.
And, yes, you are in my prayers.
God bless.

 

[puzzleannie]

reading more books won’t help, more intellectual activity won’t help, seeking after consolations in various spiritual experiences, pilgrimages (real or virtual), abandoning your faith and practice of the faith will not help. The only answer for a soul in this condition is prayer and frequent reception of the sacraments. If your heart is silent that is when we turn back first to formal prayer, especially the rosary. Then we read scripture, not the difficult OT passages but especially the Gospels. Do not undertake any other spiritual reading at a time like this unless your spiritual director gives you something. then we spend time in silence in front of the blessed Sacrament as often as you can. Your prayer at this time, if you vocalize a prayer, is Lord, I believe, help my unbelief.

This is the counsel of all the classic spiritual writers. Examine your conscience, confess whatever sins or bad habits are separating you from Christ, receive communion frequently, pray like a child, and trust in God.

This is not the time to make big changes in your practice of piety and religious observance, nor other life changes. Not a time to change jobs, go back to school, have an affair, leave your husband, take up a new demanding volunteer assignment etc. The soul in this state of what John of the Cross would call melancholy should not make big decisions at this time. Above all, do not abandon the basic practices of the faith–daily prayer, reading scripture, Mass and the sacraments.
trust in God
pray before the crucifix when you can’t pray before the Blessed Sacrament
trust in God

 

[JMJ_Theresa]

I have gone through periods of doubt. I know your pain. It is a horrible state to be in. Here are some things that have helped me to regain my faith:

1. read the Gospels.
2. read Lee Stobel’s The Case for Christ
3. read biographies of St (Padre) Pio, St. John Bosco, St. Faustina, Ann Ball’s Modern Day Saints I and II
4. Go to confession and confess doubt. Doubt can be a sin. Most often it is not, but you may get good advice. For sure, you will get Grace.
5. Do what you are doing here–ask for prayer. Many times I have been in difficulty and out of pride I do not ask for prayers. I am amazed again and again how things improve once I break down and ask.
6. Accept. This is a hard one. But, I’ve found that once I have accepted a doctrine or moral teaching without understanding, then I have been given understanding.
7. Pray. This is also a hard one when you are struggling. It is perfectly okay to say to God–He all ready knows it anyway–I don’t believe. Help me!

I hope this helps. I will pray for you. In fact, today I will fast for you.

Your sister in Christ. Theresa

 

[JMJ_Theresa]

Puzzleannie and I posted at the same time.

I have to disagree. Reading has helped me a great deal in difficult times. But I agree that you have to seek spiritual remedies in the sacrament concurrently.

Every soul is different. That is why I have stated things that have helped me. You may find a different remedy. God will lead you. He hears the cry of the anguished heart reaching out to him.

Also, whatever the source of the picture you linked, God is using it to bring you to Him. So, perhaps meditating and reading and speaking with others about Heaven is the path for you.

By the way, the picture made me smile in joy. Thanks. I needed a refocus today.

 

[Flounder]

Cath29 -
The apostles were convinced enough to die cruel deaths. Because of our Faith, we know that God is aware of your suffering and is offering the answer. You must be sincerely open to his help and grace:

Catholic29:

Well, aren’t you Catholic or Christian? This is a Catholic board I trust, and this is a spirituality section. So I am relaying a dire spiritual need. And I think these needs of mine are generic enough that many others can idententify with, thats why I posted this here…

For instance, the suggestion preceeding this quote was a good one … don’t you think it would be a great help if you could sit down and talk face-to-face with with a spiritual advisor? Yet it seems you saw it as someone dismissing you.

Is it possible you are suffering from depression as well? It might be worth looking into with your doctor.

We’re praying for you.

 

[TOP]

Catholic29,
ITS TRUE! God saved me a near suicide. He answers prayers in His time. He has saved my life a # of times, yet I still have depression. I miss the love I first felt, and feel His intervention puts me into a life of servitude that is hard to keep. I live my life in fear of a fall from the Grace I felt last year. Sometimes I feel like Thomas, who had to see to believe in the resurection of Christ. God has proven Himself to me, yet this has cost me some faith. My life will never be the same again. Treasure your faith and build on it, but I wanted to tell you He’s there for sure. Tim

 

[joyfulmess]

Lets look at the meaning of “FAITH”. It is defined as accepting something as true even though you cannot see it. In order for faith to be accepted, there must be trust. A crisis of faith occurs as a result of not trusting and consequently having faith.You are experiencing intense internal conflict producing doubt, which is the opposite of trust. The source of doubt must be reconciled to begin trusting. This generally happens when one is on the verge of spiritual growth and is a critical process. I agree with the advice of the spiritual director helping you through this process. I also believe that at this time starting immediatley, you should begin praying the Divine Mercy Chaplet. Ask God for mercy…the message of mercy is that He loves you very much and He waits for you. He wants you to approach Him in prayer constantly, no matter how great your sins are, His mercy is greater than your sins. He knows you are at a spiritual crossroads now and He is ready to pour His mercy on you. Through the passion and death of Jesus, an infinite ocean of mercy was made available for all of us. But He created us free, and will not force anything upon us, not even His mercy. He waits for us to turn to Him and ask for mercy . He delights in all souls who ask for His mercy and He promises to grant even more than you ask for. Pray that He helps you to trust and believe, and you will have faith. I will keep you in my prayers and pray the Divine Mercy for you. Trust in Him, He is the best spiritual director.

May God Bless you abundantly Catholic 29

 

[joyfulmess]

The Divine Mercy can be found here too. The first Sunday after Easter is the designated day that is the Feast of Mercy. Go and participate in this. :bowdown2:

 

[coyote]

Libero:

Hello,

My adivce would personally be to look elsewhere. II have tried to find support on these forums, to strengthen my faith, and it has not come, in fact I have lost faith more than gained it.

Me too.
And on this topic, just how accurate a representation of Catholics and Catholic thought is the diaglog on this site?

I’ve been around this block a few times. I truly love my Catholic heritage, Catholic tradition and ritual. I have great admiration, affection and regard for the Holy Father. But, as a definition of reality, it just isn’t working. I can not ignore the contradicitons and the injustice. I can not be more than a Catholic by heritage any longer.

I have thought about starting just this sort of thread, but could not compose what I wanted to say properly. Also, I do not expect support, but criticism. I do not ask to be convinced otherwise (back into faith).

So, your doubt and struggle does not make you alone. I wish for you that you get answers that lead you to a place of contentment and surety.

 

[Mike_O]

coyote:

I can not ignore the contradicitons and the injustice. I can not be more than a Catholic by heritage any longer

Such as?

People who come out with these protests would always do well to air them out in the open immediately rather than veiling misconceptions in dramatic suggestions of “those contradictions/injustices/theological-points-I-don’t-agree-with.”

 

[coyote]

Mike O:

Such as?

People who come out with these protests would always do well to air them out in the open immediately rather than veiling misconceptions in dramatic suggestions of “those contradictions/injustices/theological-points-I-don’t-agree-with.”

As I have already stated

I have thought about starting just this sort of thread, but could not compose what I wanted to say properly. Also, I do not expect support, but criticism.

I am not “veiling” anything. You are presuming a motivation. I made a statement. There ARE contradictions and injustices. I can tell by the tenor of your resonse that it is unlikely that you will see them as I do. So, I consider engaging in an argument over this as pointless.

At this point in time I am not interested in voicing any examples. I am not obligated to give you opportunity to berate my experience, my perceptions or my conclusions.

Perhaps I will share later.

Oh, and just because I might not “agree with something” it can not be assumed that I am necessarily wrong.

 

[Jeanette_L]

I know that I have had times of what seemed like torture, dryness that seemed as though I would die from it. I would question whether anything I ever believed in was true. I would tell myself that it seemed absolutely preposterous that God could exist. And yet inside, I knew he did, it was like going through a dark tunnel where my vision was gone. And it didn’t seem as though I could find relief anywhere. I would try everything I knew and was devastated when nothing helped.

But the one thing I never gave up on, I always cried out to God. I would just tell him over and over again what a mess I felt I was in spiritually. I would tell Him about my doubts, about my pain, about my sudden blindness. I would beg for Him to show up. And in time He did. But it was in His time, not my time. He let’s us go through these things, but He never abandons us, He shows up and rescues in the nick of time.

I have been reading a little book called The Three Conversions of the Spiritual Life (I think that’s the correct title, I don’t have it handy right now) and it talks about the different levels we all go through on our Christian journey, and what you are experiencing is a common part of the journey.

Hang in there. The sun will indeed shine again!

 

[Mike_O]

coyote:

There ARE contradictions and injustices.

And there are purple Komodo dragons flying over the peaks of Kilimanjaro, but until I elaborate with specifics, my contention has as much meaning as your does; zero.

I can tell by the tenor of your resonse that it is unlikely that you will see them as I do. So, I consider engaging in an argument over this as pointless.

Let me see if this can be reworded appropriately; I might disagree with what you said, and therefore, discussing a potential disagreement is pointless.

You’ve just unraveled the basis of constructive argument as human beings know it.

I am not obligated to give you opportunity to berate my experience, my perceptions or my conclusions.

I was unaware that your own personal experience was at stake here.

Your comment leads me to believe that you nurture some misconception(s) about the Church which it would be best to correct in the interests of not having people be misled. Whatever your own “perceptions” may be, certain things which we can speak about are objective and independent of personal convictions. Speaking of presupposing motives…

Oh, and just because I might not “agree with something” it can not be assumed that I am necessarily wrong.

If you disagree with some infallibly defined Church doctrine, I can tell you already that you are necessarily wrong. However, you have said nothing about it more than the subtle mention above, and so, there we are.

 

[estesbob]

Libero:

Hello,

My adivce would personally be to look elsewhere. II have tried to find support on these forums, to strengthen my faith, and it has not come, in fact I have lost faith more than gained it.

You have not come to these boards looking for support for your faith. You have come on these boards looking for support for you profound disagreemens with the teachngs of the Church-expecially in the area of homosexuality. Why would you expect people in a Catholic Forum to support you in your disagreemetns with some of the basic tenants of out faith?

 

[estesbob]

coyote:

Me too.
And on this topic, just how accurate a representation of Catholics and Catholic thought is the diaglog on this site?

I’ve been around this block a few times. I truly love my Catholic heritage, Catholic tradition and ritual. I have great admiration, affection and regard for the Holy Father. But, as a definition of reality, it just isn’t working. I can not ignore the contradicitons and the injustice. I can not be more than a Catholic by heritage any longer.

.

Like Libero you are playing the “vicitm”. You are Shocked, just Shocked that people actually take their faith seriously here.

You are going about things backwards-wanting the Church to conform to YOUR beliefs. It doesnt work that way

 

[Pug]

Catholic29:

I need your prayers people, and I don’t want to lose my eternity here if its all true. HELP me my brothers and sisters, help me out of this mental and spiritual abyss I am trapped in, PLEASE!!!

No one can separate you from the love of Christ. God is your Father and loves you. Trust him. Turn to your Father in heaven and pray. Be gentle with yourself. Perhaps confession would help, even if you aren’t aware of any mortal sin. Spend time before Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. Or, if you can’t get there, mentally place yourself in the presence of Jesus while sitting in your chair at home. Rest in him. Place your concerns before him. If even that seems too hard, look upon a crucifix as a reminder and tell Jesus you love him.

If you have recently begun any activities that are possibly the source of upset, set them aside. Stay in your normal routine.