Hi everyone, one of my friends is a huge “end time” person, always posting stuff on social media that is supposed proof we are in the end times. I went to school with him and he used to be catholic but is protestent now.Anyway he posts stuff about the signs we see, such as earthquakes, increase of sin, war etc, etc and to be honest the whole thing gives me anxiety. We live in an area where we are prone to earthquakes and yesterday he posted an article about how we are going to be in a big one soon because God is angry. I have an infant right now that is extremely dependent on me and my husband works an hour and half away and my parents are in a totally different part of the state. I feel alone and sometimes I have panic attacks when I see him posting these things. I just can’t imagine going through something so huge and sometimes I will totally shut down or break down and cry when I imagine my little daughter dying and lately it is all I can think about even when I don’t see my friend’s post. I just feel so alone and all I do is worry about my family. But then I see people saying that Jesus told us not worry and to trust in God, but how are we supposed to do that if we are also supposed to look for signs? Sometimes at night I will try to pray and I’ll just stop and wonder if God is even listening.
Aw. He is ALWAYS listening, but many times we cannot tell.
Ellam I had these same concerns when my son was very young and there were plenty of people saying the same thing your friend says - more even, because Y2K was on the way and it looked like that was going to be used to usher in the end times chaos. How are you supposed to “be not anxious” when you are a Mom? But Jesus tells us again and again, and that is His will. So if your friend makes you anxious, ought you not cut him out of your circle (starting with Facebook account) in order not to disobey what God asks of you? I mean, if this friend cannot talk to you of the end times in some way that it does not worry you, then he must be doing it ALL WRONG. And what about *his *infant? Oh - that’s right, he probably doesn’t have one, or any kids either, am I right?
There are lots of end-times modern day prophets who WILL be happy to give you lots and lots and lots of instructions on how to prepare. Generally not to swindle you, either - they are genuinely concerned. Yet Jesus tells us not to be anxious. Its His voice you listen to when voices conflict.
Well my son is 19 now and the tribulation did not yet come. God is merciful. Yes, there are lots of signs of the end times and we don’t know the day or the hour, or probably even the year, only that they are coming. But how fast? Who can know? God in His mercy may be taking His time, to save as many as possible.
One thing I realized worrying about how I would keep my son alive in a world without food and with civil unrest is that even if I stockpiled the entire house with food, even if I could create secret niches in my house (but I could not), how could you eat without feeding your starving neighbors. And then theirs, and then theirs. You supply for your little family could be gone in a week just with sharing. Then there is stealing - in the chaos, people woudl steal your cache. Some say go make a hideout in the country, but a gang could come and take over and kick you out. So people explained to me that in these cases you would have to count on God for multiplication of food. That I can believe. God says trust Him, and in some cases this would be the only way He could provide.
God wants us to be not anxious, and to trust Him. So the best thing you can do to prepare is to practice trusting Him, and practice being not-anxious in situations a person would naturally be anxious. To grow in this way, you have access to the gold mine - the Sacraments of the Church - the ordinary way God pours out supernatural graces so that we can grow in grace. Bottom line is that is really all you need to do. To be in a state of grace, and to have quiet time with the Lord - that is key. Doing this you will learn to hear His voice, and you can trust Him to make it clear if you should do something other. The directions of God are accompanied by peace. The directions of “other” are accompanied by anxiety.
A little piece of Catholic gold I discovered is the ministry
Directions for Our Times, and that link is to all the volumes and booklets (maybe start with one of the little booklets to get the feel of these works). On the web you can see the credentials - Anne submits all her work to her local bishop who approves their publication (and has assigned a priest to her ministry) and all the works are submitted to the Vatican for review. So its all proper form, and nothing has been found contrary to our faith or doctrine. And the end times are talked about, though not prevailingly, the emphasis being instead the return of Christ the King, and the aspects of that - the best preparation being the focus on our daily walk today. Its a balanced view that will not make you anxious, even in the few times its mentioned that the coming difficult times are ahead - Our Lord knows how to speak of such things without making us anxious, but instead, reassured.
I think it woudl be wise to tell your friend that this is not a subject you want to discuss, because you get anxious when he does, and that is not good at all for the Mom of a small infant. And its not good because Jesus has made it clear He does not want you to be anxious so, it interferes with God’s will for you.
I think Our Lord not wanting us to be anxious has a lot to do with our inability to hear Gods small voice inside when we are anxious. Its in peace that we hear Him, and He thirsts to be with us, and not be standing by yet
shut out by our anxiety.
God bless!
