Help me if you can

[scimitar60]

Hi, Im catholic and love god/Jesus. I need some help and some advice, somtimes i really feel god and love him, and other times I dont feel him at all and question whether he exists or not. This scares me alot and I want to keep my faith until I die. Can anyone leave some inspirational stuff that makes me happy about my religion or somthing i really dont know what else to say

 

[Apagano]

Please don’t confuse Faith with feelings. You believe and have faith in God because of an intellectual choice. Feelings come and go. They come and go with everything. Ask anyone who’s been married longer than 3yrs if they always feel in love with their spouse, and if they’re honest they’ll tell you no.
St. John of the Cross, from what I understand went through a very dark time where he didn’t “feel” God. And he became a great Saint. Blessed Mother Therese in her writings to her confessors talks about “feeling” abandoned by God. She didn’t “feel” Him for almost 50yrs. And yet she held fast to her faith and the truth that whether we “feel” God or not He is there and Loves us. Our feelings don’t change reality or Truth. Hold fast to the faith and take courage!!

 

[DexUK]

Mother Theresa, of greatly blessed memory, spent years and years without feeling the presence of God in her life. And yet she was one of the most saintly people of modern times.

It is not always necessary to feel a direct connection to God. It’s also perfectly natural to question - think of Doubting Thomas, for example and Jesus’ response to him of “blessed are those who believe and yet have not seen.”

You haven’t seen, but you have, at times felt the movement of God in your life. At the other times, when you feel like you’re on your own, it’s because God is trusting you to be yourself (you are, after all, a free creature). Remember those times when you felt that extra dimension at work within you, that special connection. They are the spiritual lifelines that you can hold on to.

Spend time in meditation. Use that time to open your heart to the Holy Spirit. Consider also the sacrifice of Our Lord and study the reasons why it had to happen. Look at all the ways in which the coming of Christ and the teachings he expounded fulfilled the prophecies. Nowhere else does this happen. Nobody else has this revelation at the heart of their faith.

Pray, even when you feel alone. Use the words “Lord, help me in my unbelief.”

Be still and let your heart be flooded with His grace.

 

[Katrina5]

Sometimes feelings motivate actions.

Sometimes actions motivate feelings.

Continue to go through the motions, and the feelings may or may not come back.
This is true with any feelings we have, because we are physical beings with souls and hearts and minds that are interconnected.

Love is more than a feeling. It is also action, and so much more.
I noticed recently that many saints have written prayers that express this.
They had dry spells, where they prayed for God’s help to bring back the feeling.

I still have times when my only prayer is “God help me” and it is horrible.

I now know the devil can try to dry up your faith. It was the desert where he tempted Jesus, so maybe I’m being too concrete with this image.

Keep praying. Just say “Thank You and I love You”. He hears us.

I might also add that the Sacrements and sacred spaces and objects can help.

 

[jspieldenner]

One of the most beautiful things about the Catholic Church, is that we can know that TRUTH exists, even when we can’t FEEL it. Unfortunately, some Protestant denominations emphasize the “joy” or “feel good” of Christianity and not the reality that God does not always spoon feed us witness to His existence. He has surrounded us with His glory in creation and we can feel His warmth in the sun and voice in the breeze.

The Lord tells us in Proverbs 3:5,6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight.” So in other words, we are to trust and believe in Him even when our “feelings” tell us otherwise. If you study some of the saints, they write about feeling far from God themselves.
God Bless you in your journey of faith!

 

[Carlan]

One of the most beautiful things about the Catholic Church, is that we can know that TRUTH exists, even when we can’t FEEL it. Unfortunately, some Protestant denominations emphasize the “joy” or “feel good” of Christianity and not the reality that God does not always spoon feed us witness to His existence. He has surrounded us with His glory in creation and we can feel His warmth in the sun and voice in the breeze.

The Lord tells us in Proverbs 3:5,6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight.” So in other words, we are to trust and believe in Him even when our “feelings” tell us otherwise. If you study some of the saints, they write about feeling far from God themselves.
God Bless you in your journey of faith!

Such wonderful council from everyone. Also find a Church with perpetual Adoration. Pray always for the gift of perseverance during the dry dark times.Peace, Carlan