I feel God is angry with me

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lizzy0513

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Hi. I’m a practicing Catholic and have had a pretty good life so far. This year has been very tough on me and my family. So far this year, the following things have happened:

My uncle died in February.
My grandma died in March.
A family friend died in April.
My uncle committed suicide two weeks ago.
My brother was hospitalized two weeks ago for something the doctors couldn’t figure out. (He was discharged last week and they still don’t know what happened)
My cousin is currently in a coma and may not make it.

I know life can be rough, but all of this happening this year is a bit too much for me to handle. 😦 I keep thinking that all of this is happening for something I did or God is angry at my family. My immediate family are practicing Catholics as well. I find myself getting angry with God for allowing all of this to happen, what seems like, all at once. It seems silly, but would God allow all of this to happen if I did something that angered him? I feel like my prayers are going unanswered or that God doesn’t care. Does anyone have any good Bible verses I can lean on during this difficult time?

Thank you and God bless.
Lizzy
 
Okay, so let me get this straight:

You think you angered God in some way, shape, or form, and he carries out YOUR personal punishment on other members of your family?

Why does that sound so wrong to me? :confused:
 
job went through worse. God was with him the whole time.

just remember that God never gives you a cross that is too heavy for you to bear. keep your chin up, keep praying, and you’ll make it through this and anything else that might happen and your faith will not only be intact, but stronger for it. 🙂

my rosary intention for today will be for you and all the bereaved.
 
I’m so sorry you’ve been through so much lately. Please accept my condolences for the loss of your family members. NO, God is not angry with you nor is He angry with your family members. We must remember that God is always in control, and if He allows something to happen (even something bad), then we must trust that He can and will bring good out of it. If we live our lives realizing that everything that happens to us, happens for our own good or for the good of others (meaning SALVATION), then we can get through life’s difficulties much better.
 
Please accept my condolences, as well. God is not punishing anyone in your family. Death happens every day to some people somewhere. God knows when each of us will die but he doesn’t “inflict” death on others for our sins/errors. It’s hard to take so many losses coming one right after the other, but it has nothing to do with your sins. It’s just “bad timing” that so many died when they did. God knows your sorrow, so give it to him, as Christ gave his to his Father on the cross.

Oftentimes when we are stressed and hurting, we aren’t open to hearing God speak to us. The pain blocks our ability to receive like a black curtain blocks the sun, but the sun is still shining. God has not abandoned you or your family. If your family members were faithful Catholics, you can think of them as guardian angels, praying for you while you go through your time of grief. And you can pray for the repose of their souls, especially the one who committed suicide, poor man. Think of what they would want to believe/how they’d want you to react. I’m sure they would want you to have hope even through your tears. God bless you. I will remember you and your family at Mass this evening. :crossrc:
 
No, Lizzy, God isn’t punishing you. I’m so sorry that you and your family have had such sorrows and worries. Things WILL get better as time passes.

Unfortunately, we learn from the time we’re little that things will be hunky-dory if we’re “good,” mind our parents, obey our teachers, study hard, and practice our faith to the best of our abilities. Not true. Not if we equate things being hunky-dory, or okay, with having all of our life events run smoothly.

That doesn’t seem fair, but life isn’t fair. It happens; life happens. One thing after another occurs in the course of living and we react to those events the best we can. We’re properly taught by our parents, our Church and our teachers to be the best we can be, to look ahead and plan where possible. We falsely assume that if we give it our best shot we’ll have no disappointments, no illnesses (in others or ourselves), and no sorrows. We must rethink.

Here’s where a large part of the mystery becomes even more mysterious. Why? Why does this or that happen? We have no definitive answers. It’s not for us to know them, but to trust in God, that He knows what He’s doing. Posters here have spoken from their hearts and from a wisdom that comes from years of hacking through life. Trust in God. He will help you get through these discouraging times.

Cling to your faith. There will be times in which you’ll feel that you have only your faith, so hang on to it tightly. Learn more about it through prayer, reading, discussion, and, of course, reception of the sacraments. Satan laughs and dances when we’re overcome by our burdens because maybe–just maybe–he can nudge us into turning away from our Catholic faith if we begin to feel that life isn’t fair or that we’re being unfairly punished or that nothing makes any sense. Keep your faith! Pursue learning more about it; hold tightly to it as it is more precious than anything else in your life. It’s your passport to eternal happiness with God in His heaven.

Just know that one thing or another popping up to cause distress is the way life works. When you rely upon prayer and trust in God, along with common sense in carrying out your school, work, home life, and social life, you’ll somehow find the strength to keep on keeping on. Never despair. No matter what happens, Jesus is always there. You must reach for His hand; talk to Him; trust in Him.

It’s often difficult to remember that it’s how we react to the adversities we encounter that determines how well we’ve learned life’s lessons and lived our lives. God has special plans for each of us. The negatives that occur just happen; but you are not being punished. God will never forsake you. He promised that he would always be there for us. Like angry children, we may turn away from Him, but He never turns away from us.

Keep the faith! I’ll join other readers in keeping you and your family in my prayers. Best wishes to you.
 
Dear Lizzy I’m sad for all the sorrow and loss that you and your family have been and are experiencing. My family has been through some years like this, and it does test various aspects of faith, especially when your prayers seem to remain unanswered.
You have a lot of grief to process, and I do hope you have someone close to nurture you through all this. I hope that your other family also has the love and support that you all need, especially regarding your Uncle’s suicide and your cousin’s condition.
Please God your brother will recover, and if there is any recurrence, that the cause will be evident and he will receive whatever care is needed.

Saint [Padre] Pio wrote this in his letters:

“The longer the trial to which God subjects you, the greater the goodness in comforting you during the time of trial and in the exultation after the combat.”
“The most beautiful credo is that which comes from your lips in darkness, in sacrifice, in pain, in the supreme effort of an unbending will for good. It is this which, like a stroke of lightening, penetrates the darkness of the soul; it is this which in the flash of the tempest lifts you and leads you to God.” (Saint Pio) .
 
Sorry for your losses. God is not punishing you. I will pray for you and your cousin.
 
lizzy0513 said:
It seems silly, but would God allow all of this to happen if I did something that angered him? I feel like my prayers are going unanswered or that God doesn’t care. Does anyone have any good Bible verses I can lean on during this difficult time?
Lizzy
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Sounds like what happened to Karol Wojtyla, who later became Pope John Paul II. As a young man he lost his entire family. He was the youngest of three children and his mother died in 1929 when he was just nine years old. His brother, who worked as a doctor, died when Karol was twelve; he lost everyone in his family - a sister, brother, mother, and father - before he became a priest. Those incidents shaped whom he became in life.

http://imageshack.us/a/img528/8227/truevine.jpg
 
God is surely longing for you to draw nearer and nearer to Him. God has loved you and your family with an everlasting love (cf. Jeremiah 31:3), and a mother would sooner forget her little child than He would forget you; He even has you carved on the palms of His Hands! (cf. Isaiah 49:16). For you and your loved ones, He desires the greatest possible fulfillment in this earthly life and eternal salvation.

God can bring good out of evil - even out of our sinfulness - but we must, for our part, pray earnestly and persevere in charity. Lay your heart before God in prayer. Pray, even if you don’t feel like it. Meditate on the Mysteries of the Rosary, especially the Sorrowful Mysteries - the latter in particular will bring you closer to Christ. Always offer it up for your special intention(s) and remember to offer it in adoration and thanksgiving to God - He is with you always and pours out His Grace and Divine Mercy in uncountable ways.

If there is a counselling service at your local church, it might be worthwhile checking that out. Irrespective of whether there is one or not, keep posting here, and remember that there are many others who feel just like you and are suffering. It’s easy to pray for those with whom you can identify, and I feel that when we pray for others in a spirit of charity, no matter who they are, God opens our hearts more and works in us to bring us closer to Him.

As for Bible verses, try Psalm 143.

Remember:

[BIBLEDRB]1 Peter 5: 6-7[/BIBLEDRB]

I imagine that there may not be much comfort in what I say - I do tend to ramble on. But my main advice is to pray as much as you can - adoration, contrition, thanksgiving and supplication - including little aspirations, brief prayers that can be said when you’re not saying your ‘main’ prayers of the day (e.g., morning and evening prayer, Grace before and after meals).

[BIBLEDRB]Matthew 11: 28[/BIBLEDRB]

I’m praying for you and your loved ones. :hug1: :gopray:
 
Thank you so much everyone for you kind and sweet replies!! Reading through these brought tears to my eyes. I’m so blessed to have stumbled upon this board. Your words of encouragement have greatly helped me! God bless you all!!
 
lizzy0513 said:
Thank you so much everyone for you kind and sweet replies!! Reading through these brought tears to my eyes. I’m so blessed to have stumbled upon this board. Your words of encouragement have greatly helped me! God bless you all!!
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God bless you too, and grant you peace and a return to happiness. 🙂
 
lizzy0513 said:
Hi. I’m a practicing Catholic and have had a pretty good life so far. This year has been very tough on me and my family. So far this year, the following things have happened:

My uncle died in February.
My grandma died in March.
A family friend died in April.
My uncle committed suicide two weeks ago.
My brother was hospitalized two weeks ago for something the doctors couldn’t figure out. (He was discharged last week and they still don’t know what happened)
My cousin is currently in a coma and may not make it.

I know life can be rough, but all of this happening this year is a bit too much for me to handle. 😦 I keep thinking that all of this is happening for something I did or God is angry at my family. My immediate family are practicing Catholics as well. I find myself getting angry with God for allowing all of this to happen, what seems like, all at once. It seems silly, but would God allow all of this to happen if I did something that angered him? I feel like my prayers are going unanswered or that God doesn’t care. Does anyone have any good Bible verses I can lean on during this difficult time?

Thank you and God bless.
Lizzy
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Sounds like my last two years.

Last year I was forced to move due to a weird neighbor and his friend the manager on bogus reasons. I was accused of doing something I wasn’t even there to do. I had been at a company party with 20 witness. The manager just refused to sign my renewal lease for his friend. Moving cost me big $$$$$
Broke my foot before a major hiking trip $$$$$ not to mention ended my kayaking for the season.
This year My Aunt who I was very close to had cancer survived it only to die a few months later due to another illness.
My car got decimated in a hail storm in May then was crashed a week later. Had to buy a used car only to have it die in a bad part of the city a week later. Had it towed and fixed but again it died a week later and had to be repaired $$$$. Then after that repair my car…yes again died a month later of the same issue $$$$.
My cat got ill several times and eventually had to be put down and I owe the vet $$$$$
I could go into more stuff but my luck has always been bad. Yes sometimes I blame it on GOD too. Is God angry at me for something I don’t know my bad luck goes way back before I could do anything that was blame worthy. I think some folks are just marked out for more trouble than others.
 
Luvz2travel said:
Sounds like my last two years.

Last year I was forced to move due to a weird neighbor and his friend the manager on bogus reasons. I was accused of doing something I wasn’t even there to do. I had been at a company party with 20 witness. The manager just refused to sign my renewal lease for his friend. Moving cost me big $$$$$
Broke my foot before a major hiking trip $$$$$ not to mention ended my kayaking for the season.
This year My Aunt who I was very close to had cancer survived it only to die a few months later due to another illness.
My car got decimated in a hail storm in May then was crashed a week later. Had to buy a used car only to have it die in a bad part of the city a week later. Had it towed and fixed but again it died a week later and had to be repaired $$$$. Then after that repair my car…yes again died a month later of the same issue $$$$.
My cat got ill several times and eventually had to be put down and I owe the vet $$$$$
I could go into more stuff but my luck has always been bad. Yes sometimes I blame it on GOD too. Is God angry at me for something I don’t know my bad luck goes way back before I could do anything that was blame worthy. I think some folks are just marked out for more trouble than others.
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I’m sorry for all your troubles. I have a long list of misfortunes, as well. I think many of us do. What I’ve learned from them is to not list them nor dwell on them because that changes nothing and does no good. I say this as one who has been there and done that. 🙂

Keeping our eyes on eternity really does lessen the hassles of life. Money has been a huge issue for my dh and I as well. We are perpetually broke and always trying to catch up. We’ve tried budgets and being frugal, but something always comes along that knocks down all our efforts. The last incident caused me to have something I’ve never had before in all my 64 years–an anxiety attack. It wasn’t pretty. Then I simply turned a corner. I’ve prayed and prayed and prayed to just trust God and not worry, but the last incident finally made it real for me, somehow, in God’s own time, I guess. Since then the IRS has told us we owe money from 4 years ago that we know we don’t, we’re behind on the mortgage–again, but I feel like a butterfly on a leaf. I have no worries or fears this time around. I finally internalized the fact that God is in control, not me.

It’s like being the passenger in the front seat of the car. No matter how much you rail at the driver or cringe when you think he’s driving you both over the line/into oncoming traffic,/whatever, you can’t do a thing about it, so you may as well sit back and enjoy the scenery. I still pray for our needs and others and I’m not impervious to hassles, but I’m just not worrying about what God should be doing or over what I’m going to do because what is out of my control and can do nothing about. So, I’ll just trust until they put me in the ground. Life’s easier that way. 😉
 
Veronica97 said:
We must remember that God is always in control, and if He allows something to happen (even something bad), then we must trust that He can and will bring good out of it.
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Yes, but it would be nice if He was a little more forthcoming in his motives once in a while.
 
Della said:
I’m sorry for all your troubles. I have a long list of misfortunes, as well. I think many of us do. What I’ve learned from them is to not list them nor dwell on them because that changes nothing and does no good. I say this as one who has been there and done that. 🙂

Keeping our eyes on eternity really does lessen the hassles of life. Money has been a huge issue for my dh and I as well. We are perpetually broke and always trying to catch up. We’ve tried budgets and being frugal, but something always comes along that knocks down all our efforts. The last incident caused me to have something I’ve never had before in all my 64 years–an anxiety attack. It wasn’t pretty. Then I simply turned a corner. I’ve prayed and prayed and prayed to just trust God and not worry, but the last incident finally made it real for me, somehow, in God’s own time, I guess. Since then the IRS has told us we owe money from 4 years ago that we know we don’t, we’re behind on the mortgage–again, but I feel like a butterfly on a leaf. I have no worries or fears this time around. I finally internalized the fact that God is in control, not me.

It’s like being the passenger in the front seat of the car. No matter how much you rail at the driver or cringe when you think he’s driving you both over the line/into oncoming traffic,/whatever, you can’t do a thing about it, so you may as well sit back and enjoy the scenery. I still pray for our needs and others and I’m not impervious to hassles, but I’m just not worrying about what God should be doing or over what I’m going to do because what is out of my control and can do nothing about. So, I’ll just trust until they put me in the ground. Life’s easier that way. 😉
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Well I’m not complaining really though it would be nice to have a break so I could get out of debt but for some reason GOD has decided debt will be my cross to endure. My whole family has pretty much has the same luck. We had so many family members die in one decade I don’t think there was a Christmas without someone passing for over a decade. My mom included and even our cat. Life if full of adversity either you suffer through it and move on or let it eat at you.
 
Della said:
What motives do you think he has? Seriously, not be snarky. 🙂
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That’s just it; we don’t know. It would be nice if we could ask “Hey Lord? Where exactly are you going with this?” and get a straight answer instead of being kept in the dark.
 
lizzy0513 said:
Hi. I’m a practicing Catholic and have had a pretty good life so far. This year has been very tough on me and my family.
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I am sorry you have been having a rough year Lizzy.

I think you know this but your feelings about what has happened are not good indicators of God’s love for you. Neither are the facts that some bad things have happened in what seems to be a short time span.

God loves you because the the sun shines, birds still sing, and it rains sometimes. Mostly we know that God loves us because Jesus died for us.

God doesn’t stop loving us when he permits the consequences of sin to result in bad things happening to us. That’s the big trick that God played on Satan.
 
Lost_Sheep said:
That’s just it; we don’t know. It would be nice if we could ask “Hey Lord? Where exactly are you going with this?” and get a straight answer instead of being kept in the dark.
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God has told us why:

James 1:[2] Count it all joy, my brethren, when you meet various trials,
[3] for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.
[4] And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
[5] If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives to all men generously and without reproaching, and it will be given him.

Without experiencing hardships we learn nothing. It’s not the hardships that are the problem, it’s how we face them and what we do about them. God doesn’t want us to remain like babies, just being fed milk and being held in his arms, he wants us to grow up, learn courage, patience, faith, and trust. These things can only be gained through weathering hardships.
 
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