Looking for help

[GhostMan]

What do you do when you’ve lost all hope? The easy answer is prayer and adoration – easy to say, more difficult to do. What is left when all your hopes and dreams are gone, when your life seems nothing more than a long trek without joy? How have any of you coped when you’ve gone from the heights of life to the depths? When you’ve lost the things you valued most? When you are dead inside and have no emotions left except remorse, regret and the overwhelming sense of your own failure? I’m not talking about a transitory thing, but something that lasts months or even years.

What if you can’t speak of such things to anyone? When you know that any words you speak will only make things worse. How do you handle the emotions that are welling up inside you and threaten to make you mad? What if you seem to lack the faith to simply give them up and trust God? Is that the prayer I should offer: to have the grace to give my care to God and lean on Him for support?

 

[Em_in_FL]

What do you do when you’ve lost all hope? The easy answer is prayer and adoration – easy to say, more difficult to do. What is left when all your hopes and dreams are gone, when your life seems nothing more than a long trek without joy? How have any of you coped when you’ve gone from the heights of life to the depths? When you’ve lost the things you valued most? When you are dead inside and have no emotions left except remorse, regret and the overwhelming sense of your own failure?** I’m not talking about a transitory thing, but something that lasts months or even years. **

What if you can’t speak of such things to anyone? When you know that any words you speak will only make things worse. How do you handle the emotions that are welling up inside you and threaten to make you mad? What if you seem to lack the faith to simply give them up and trust God? Is that the prayer I should offer: to have the grace to give my care to God and lean on Him for support?

I would advise you to speak to a doctor, psychiatrist, or counselor…
Just my thoughts from reading your post.

Some people don’t like discussing depression on a relgious board… and I’m not saying that you ARE depressed… that’s only for a doctor to say…
But when you are so closed up inside you cannot live the life that God intended you to live… sharing His love and spreading the Gospel… then what purpose does the suffering serve?

I personally see a major difference between going through a spiritual challenge and having an illness. When you cannot push yourself through the challenge in order to bring you and others to a greater spirituality I would personally start to look in another direction for help.

Just my thoughts.
God bless…

 

[Belle10]

What do you do when you’ve lost all hope? The easy answer is prayer and adoration – easy to say, more difficult to do. What is left when all your hopes and dreams are gone, when your life seems nothing more than a long trek without joy? How have any of you coped when you’ve gone from the heights of life to the depths? When you’ve lost the things you valued most? When you are dead inside and have no emotions left except remorse, regret and the overwhelming sense of your own failure? I’m not talking about a transitory thing, but something that lasts months or even years.

What if you can’t speak of such things to anyone? When you know that any words you speak will only make things worse. How do you handle the emotions that are welling up inside you and threaten to make you mad? What if you seem to lack the faith to simply give them up and trust God? Is that the prayer I should offer: to have the grace to give my care to God and lean on Him for support?

GhostMan, don’t give up. Jesus loves you so much, that if you were the only person who ever lived, He would have died just for you. You are a beloved child of God, and He doesn’t want you to live in darkness, but live in His light. Find a Catholic counselor, priest, or friend, and let you guard down – talk to them, and talk to Jesus.

I would encourage you to pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, and to read St. Faustina’s Diary. I think you’ll find them to be a blessing just as I have.

Here’s a hug: ((((((((((((GhostMan)))))))))))))))
(you can pretend it’s Jesus’ arms if you want)
:console:

 

[WordisLove]

I do not know your particular situation but I can say that I have been in a similar place before. It is in these moments that I looked more directly for God, even when I felt farthest away from Him. At first I found myself doing this to occupy my time and keeping my mind off other things, this soon changed however and brought a new hope and joy to my life where I thought none could be found. Continue to pray for the change you seek, lay it all out there for Him and good will come, just do not hold the Lord to your schedule. One thing that I realize after I had lost everything was how I tried to do everything myself, my relationships, my work, my family…we need God’s help to do anything successfully and with joy. I discovered that I put too much emphasis on the wrong aspects of relationships, possesions, money, friends, you name it. Adoration and Christ centered lives rearrange everything into a manageable form with a lense for us to view the world and ourselves in the correct way.

As for speaking with someone, speak to your priest, in private or confession. Have you thought about a therapist as well. In the past I have had luck with this. If so make sure they are not pill pushers and it helps if they are catholic or at least have a true faith so as they may relate. I hope this helps, feel free to PM me if you need someone to talk with. Luckily we have the anonymity of the internet which can be a good thing sometimes.

Peace Through Christ.

 

[GhostMan]

Thank you for your responses. I have already worked with doctors and councilors and have been receiving treatment for a long time, but this is a spiritual issue now for me. My faith is so weak right now. I had everything that a man could want and have lost so much of it.

I just have no hope that anything will ever be good again. I am so empty and dead inside. I know that the grace of God and the love of Christ uphold me, but… I don’t know what comes after but.

 

[RWMorris]

GhostMan,
I have experienced this first-hand, of losing so much.
I ended up with no job, no house, bankrupt, in jail, with my kids farmed out to relatives. All of my own doing.
I had a nervous breakdown and had to be hospitalized for psychosis.
I went through the darkest night you can imagine.
Through it all, although I couldn’t feel the presence of God, I clung to the hope that He was with me. I prayed when I could (which wasn’t often). But I couldn’t FEEL anything about God.
Now I am on the other side of the valley of shadow. I have a home, a job, my kids, my husband, and my faith. Our God is the Lord of second, third, fourth, and umpteenth chances.
Do as I did - picture yourself clinging to the feet of Jesus as He was dying on the cross. Don’t even worry about praying. Just have that picture in your head. It got me through my bad times.

 

[Kristen]

GhostMan, I wish that I had some words that could help you, as I have carried a related cross myself and it can feel devestating.

But, I will offer what I can; I’ll offer today’s Rosary for you. I know that Our Lady will take your needs to Her Son and they will see that you get what you need.

Kristen

 

[CARose]

GhostMan,

I am so sorry for your pain. Please know that you are in my prayers.

God Bless,

CARose

 

[jules11]

GhostMan, just think of taking your problems, your emptiness, pain and heartache to the foot of the cross. Jesus, hanging on the cross in his last agony was where he showed the mercy to souls. Take everything to Him and leave it for Him. He loves you and whatever is happening right now in your life, He is there for you. You don’t need to pray with any formulated prayers in times like this… just a simple and sincere cry for help will suffice.
He will listen, and I will remember you in my prayers.

 

[LSK]

What do you do when you’ve lost all hope? The easy answer is prayer and adoration – easy to say, more difficult to do. What is left when all your hopes and dreams are gone, when your life seems nothing more than a long trek without joy? How have any of you coped when you’ve gone from the heights of life to the depths? When you’ve lost the things you valued most? When you are dead inside and have no emotions left except remorse, regret and the overwhelming sense of your own failure? I’m not talking about a transitory thing, but something that lasts months or even years.

What if you can’t speak of such things to anyone? When you know that any words you speak will only make things worse. How do you handle the emotions that are welling up inside you and threaten to make you mad? What if you seem to lack the faith to simply give them up and trust God? Is that the prayer I should offer: to have the grace to give my care to God and lean on Him for support?

Sounds like what Mother Teresa went through for 60 years…and look at what she accomplished in her life! All for the glory of Him…
I lost my husband and child on the same day and thought I would never recover from the pain of that loss.
You are not alone, my friend…trust in Jesus…He will never leave you…

 

[pyropam]

GHOSTMAN,

I ATTENDED A BIBLE STUDY ONCE ON THE 23RD PSALM… I WANTED TO SHARE IT WITH YOU…

THE LORD IS MY SHEPARD
(We are sheep)
I SHALL NOT WANT
(He will meet our basic needs)
HE MAKETH ME TO LAY DOWN IN GREEN PASTURES
(As a sheep, we would never lay down in the green pastures, he is showing us all that is good and yet making us lay there and just look at it…gives us a better appreciation of what we cannot touch)
HE LEADETH ME BESIDE THE STILL WATER
(What do you see when you look in still water?? A reflection of yourself and of your life)
HE RESTORETH MY SOUL!!
(He will give you back your peace of mind!!)
HE LEADETH ME THROUGH THE PATH OF RIGHTOUSNESS FOR HIS NAME SAKE.
(He will guide you down the right path)
YEA THOUGH I WALK THROUGH THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOW OF DEATH, I WILL FEAR NO EVIL. YOUR ROD AND YOUR STAFF THEY COMFORT ME.

See, he really is there for you…sometimes God knocks us to our knees so that we can see what is right in front of us.

 

[DJgang]

Thank you for your responses. I have already worked with doctors and councilors and have been receiving treatment for a long time, but this is a spiritual issue now for me. My faith is so weak right now. I had everything that a man could want and have lost so much of it.

I just have no hope that anything will ever be good again. I am so empty and dead inside. I know that the grace of God and the love of Christ uphold me, but… I don’t know what comes after but.

I was going to suggest a therapist, but I see that you are already doing that. Might I suggest, if a certain therapist is not helping you, change…you can shop for a therapist if you like.

I always meditate on the Passion of Christ when I get spiritually down. Also, it may help for you to find some sort of volunteer work to do, if it’s just one time, to be able to witness your own faith through works.

Praying for you.