Help - I Feel Devastated

  • Thread starter Thread starter cmbergin
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
C

cmbergin

Guest
I wasn’t sure where to post this.

I’ve only recently decided to become Catholic. I’ve been attending the same non-denominational church for 25 years. I just had to tell a woman who’s been like a second mother to me that I was leaving.

This is the first time since I made my decision that I’ve had serious doubt. I’m gutted, and my hands are still trembling. She was nothing but nice and understanding, but that somehow makes it worse.

Is this a sign I’m making a mistake? How can I pray about this?
 
You are definitely not making a mistake!
It’s normal to have nerves I would think.
It is wonderful that this person was so kind. Maybe one day they will follow you to the Catholic Church.
Will say a prayer for you to St Michael and you guardian angel to ask God to help you feel calm.
 
Swisscath said:
You are definitely not making a mistake!
It’s normal to have nerves I would think.
It is wonderful that this person was so kind. Maybe one day they will follow you to the Catholic Church.
Will say a prayer for you to St Michael and you guardian angel to ask God to help you feel calm.
Click to expand...
👍
 
Swisscath said:
You are definitely not making a mistake!
It’s normal to have nerves I would think.
It is wonderful that this person was so kind. Maybe one day they will follow you to the Catholic Church.
Will say a prayer for you to St Michael and you guardian angel to ask God to help you feel calm.
Click to expand...
Amen.
 
Thank you for your prayers.

Part of what had me freaking out a bit is that we’ve always been taught that feeling distressed and/or restless after making a decision is the Holy Spirit telling you that you just made the wrong one and need to fix it.

It’s interesting - I did start feeling much better. A solid sense of peace. The timestamp on your message is about right. I would say your prayers were answered immediately. Thank all of you! 🙂
 
You are making your decision to become Catholic (to convert) for a reason – likely many reasons. Sometimes our thoughts and our feelings are not in sync with each other. It is better to have our thoughts dictate our actions – not our emotions. There have been many times in my life when doing something good and wonderful did not feel good and wonderful.

I have been Protestant and I have been Catholic (i.e., I am a revert to Catholicism). Finding my way home to my Catholic faith added to and enriched my life and my spiritual journey; it took nothing good away from me, but rather completed all that I had been given. It has been that way for many people and I suspect it will be the same for you.

My suggestion is that you find a church that has adoration and spend some quiet time of prayer and meditation in front of the Blessed Sacrament. You can still be friends with your Protestant friend who is like a second mother to you. Who knows, perhaps as another poster wrote, she will follow you into the Catholic church.
 
For what it’s worth, I have been anguished over decisions that were good decisions, so I do not share any belief that the Holy Spirit causes such feelings to let us know we’ve made a bad decision. Look at the experience of Jesus before carrying out his decision during the Agony in the Garden - even right decisions are not (always) easy to internalize.

As to your friend, it sounds like she was nice about it. See the good in that. Best of luck on your journey.
 
cmbergin said:
Thank you for your prayers.

Part of what had me freaking out a bit is that we’ve always been taught that feeling distressed and/or restless after making a decision is the Holy Spirit telling you that you just made the wrong one and need to fix it.

It’s interesting - I did start feeling much better. A solid sense of peace. The timestamp on your message is about right. I would say your prayers were answered immediately. Thank all of you! 🙂
Click to expand...
I’m glad to hear you are feeling better!

One thing about the bolded - feelings are important in the sense that they can call our attention to something. But after that, I don’t know. I’ve felt uneasy about pretty much every change in my life, but the vast majority of them have been for the better - things like first days of school, or first days of work (or interviews), moving, marriage, having children, and my own conversion.

We are blessed with free will. We are not obliged to go along with whims or impulses, or to automatically obey a “fight or flight” response. This is a good thing! Also, realize that sometimes, the Evil One can play on our natural fears and worries to keep us from what God wants of us.

My approach: interpret the feeling as “Pay attention!” Evaluate the situation and act accordingly. I don’t always pull it off perfectly, but it does mean I’m less impulsive (and more peaceful) than I used to be. 🙂

Welcome home and God bless you!
 
cmbergin said:
Part of what had me freaking out a bit is that we’ve always been taught that feeling distressed and/or restless after making a decision is the Holy Spirit telling you that you just made the wrong one and need to fix it.
Click to expand...
Never forget that our Lord felt anguished and distressed in the Garden of Gethsemane about going forward to his passion. Yet, His prayer was for the Father’s will do be done.

I’m a recent convert from a Pentecostal/Evangelical background. I’ve had friends and relatives who were not so supportive. In the end, though, my faith is not about pleasing them. It’s not even about pleasing me. It’s about pleasing God. His will be done. You are in my prayers.
 
Saint Michael, the archangel, defend us in battle, be our defense against the wickedness and snares of the devil, may God rebuke him, we humbly pray. And do you, O’ Prince of the Heavenly host, by the power of God thrust into Hell Satan and all the other evil spirits who prowl about the world for the ruin of souls.

Amen.

†

Our Father who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name.

Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

Amen.

†

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee.

Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb Jesus.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death.

Amen.

†

Prayer to Our Lady of Mental Peace

O Lady of Mental Peace,
Mother of Tranquility
and Mother of Hope,
look upon cmbergin in this time
of weakness and unrest.

Teach her searching heart
to know that God’s Love
for her is unchanging and
unchangeable, and, that
true human love can only
begin and grow by touching
His Love.

Let your gentle Peace -
which this world cannot give
  • be always with her.
    And, help her to bring this
    same Peace into the lives
    of others.
Our Lady of Mental Peace,
  • Pray for us!
    Amen.
Jesus, Help Me!

In every need let me come to You with humble trust,
saying:
Jesus, help me!
In all my doubts, perplexities, and temptations:
Jesus, help me!
In hours of loneliness, weariness and trials:
Jesus, help me!
In the failure of my plans and hopes, in disappointments,
troubles and sorrows:
Jesus, help me!
When others fail me, and Your Grace alone can assist me:
Jesus, help me!
When I throw myself on Your tender Love as Savior:
Jesus, help me!
When my heart is cast down by failure, at seeing no good
come from my efforts:
Jesus, help me!
When I feel impatient, and my cross irritates me:
Jesus, help me!
When I am ill, and my head and hands cannot work and
I am lonely:
Jesus, help me!

Always, always, in spite of weakness, falls and short-
comings of every kind:
Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, help me and never forsake me!

Amen
 
I think everyone who has been a long term member of a parish / denomination goes through a (appropriate) grieving process. I have said prayers for yours.

Having gone through the same thing, there has not been a time I have regretted the decision to join the Catholic Church for a moment.

Good luck in your journey.
 
Wow, thank you all!

Thank you for reminding me of Jesus’ example. And you’re right - there are intellectual reasons for converting. And I’ve also had a great deal of joy since deciding. My Ignatius study Bible arrived yesterday, and my heart leaped. When I think of finally having my first communion, I can hardly wait, but I’ve still got RCIA classes, so I just have to be patient.

So I’ve got positive and negative emotional feedback. Why focus on just the negative? And one of the reasons I started educating myself was that I thought our church was too focused on feelings and I wanted more instruction, so… yeah. Funny how you fall back into old habits in times of stress.

Thank you for your prayers, your instruction, and your reminders. You’ve all helped a great deal.
 
The nervousness is completely normal. You are starting something big and new. It’s like the first day of school or a new job only it is much bigger than that.

You are leaving a great community of people to enter a new one. I pray that the people you used to worship with understand and do not shun you. ( I have read in this forum a few cases of this). If they are truly your friends in the Lord, they won’t. I am very glad to hear your Christian motherly friend is supportive.

Congratulations, you are embarking on an exciting journey. You will be receiving Jesus in the Holy Eucharist and Confession in a very special way. Welcome and God bless you.
 
Brassring said:
Never forget that our Lord felt anguished and distressed in the Garden of Gethsemane about going forward to his passion. Yet, His prayer was for the Father’s will do be done.

I’m a recent convert from a Pentecostal/Evangelical background. I’ve had friends and relatives who were not so supportive. In the end, though, my faith is not about pleasing them. It’s not even about pleasing me. It’s about pleasing God. His will be done. You are in my prayers.
Click to expand...
👍 well said!
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top