Losing my Faith

[Jeanette_L]

There is a parable about the bastard son and the legitimate son.

In this parable, the legitimate son is the one who seems to have the hard life, because he is being trained to inherit all that his father has.

The bastard son seems to have the better life, he is allowed to do as he pleases, his is not critisized, worked hard, disciplined, he seems to have the better part.

But when we look at the big picture, what appears to be the better life is temporary and short sighted. The legitimate son, who is the pride of his father, will inherit everything, and will be worthy to do so when the time comes because of all his father has invested in him.

Be patient dear friend, God is making you worthy, and this because He loves you - you are His joy! You will have a magnificent inheritance - if you hang in there. So don’t give up! It is natural to have down times, to become weary, but pray for strength and grace to endure. Keep putting one foot in front of the other, even when you don’t seem to have the strength to do so. And if you slip and fall, get up, brush yourself off, and get back on the road.

As others have stated above, this life is so fleeting, so temporary, and it’s trials can be hard and seem to take forever. Don’t lose sight of the bigger picture. :console:

 

[Godlovestrength]

Brother you could remember that there are those who have nothing at all and won’t get anything more and still they love God.
Think about it this way maybe OK!
Jesus had the most extrordanary degree, He is the greatest teacher, He gave until there was seemingly nothing left to give and still He asked for more to give. His credentials are so above what you say you have and yet He was never respected. Oh you might say but He was ( is) God. Remember He was a Man, He lived on this earth.

I have ***two degree ***one away from from masters. My job is not what I would want in my humanness (is this the way you are thinking), but each day I ask Jesus to use me to allow others to see Him in me. I invite the Holy spirit to come into and to use me., and He does, Why? because God’s ways are not our ways, God gave me the job HE wants for me. The job He can use me best in, the job He knows will be more profitable for His needs.
Is Jesus waiting for you to allow Him to get through to you in the same way as He did with me? Is Jesus trying to tell you that He has the job for you …not what you want in the flesh…but what you will know will fulfill your every need in the spirit when you let go of your humanness and allow the spiirit to guide you

 

[FLCathMom]

One of the most difficult things to learn is how to embrace our sufferings, to take up our crosses and follow Jesus. If we want to become more Christ-like, we must first be broken from what we were so that we can become what God wants us to be.

God wants to give you good things, to make you wealthy, but not on this earth, rich in spirit. Patience, perseverence, prudence- the virtues, these are the riches you will gain. How does God teach you patience and perserverence? By making you wait a loong time! I recently had a prayer answered after praying every day for seven years, and I am sure that there are many more here that can attest to the same thing. God answers in His time, not ours.

My prayers are with you.

 

[Godlovestrength]

One of the most difficult things to learn is how to embrace our sufferings, to take up our crosses and follow Jesus. If we want to become more Christ-like, we must first be broken from what we were so that we can become what God wants us to be.

God wants to give you good things, to make you wealthy, but not on this earth, rich in spirit. Patience, perseverence, prudence- the virtues, these are the riches you will gain. How does God teach you patience and perserverence? By making you wait a loong time! I recently had a prayer answered after praying every day for seven years, and I am sure that there are many more here that can attest to the same thing. God answers in His time, not ours.

My prayers are with you.

Amen to those words yes it is Jesus who we have to want to have all of us NOT our humanness.
Let go, and Jesus will give you your hearts desire, and you will then realise that it is not the flesh, but in the spirit that you will have all joy.

Godbless

 

[Godlovestrength]

Brother in having two degree I know what it is like, and I tell God I’ll do anything He wants.
Then I put in for every job I think I could do
Then I tell Jesus to shut all the door’s He does not want me to have
Then I go for more jobs , my degree are in Psychology and HR management, well at present I am a security guard (2 1/2 yrs)which I am really not, but Jesus is beiing blessed there in ways I never thought He would. God’s time is purfect, not mine. I want Him to be blessed and that is where I get blessed.

Godbless

 

[JRKH]

Joey,
I am coming to the discussion late and have not read the responses because I want to concentrate on your post. - So please excuse if I repeat what others have said.

After reading and considering responses to this, I find that I must be blunt. Please take this in the spirit it is intended - one of Christian Love.

I came to Christ and the Catholic Church about 5 years ago after being raised and baptized, confirmed, as a non practicing Catholic.

I come from a similar background except I my family was and is practicing catholic. However I did spend about 30 years away fromt he church. (just to provide a frame for may answers)

I was on fire and happy when i first came to Christ and found out about Catholicism and it’s teachings. Now i am struggling to hang onto any faith in God. I feel he doesn’t answer my prayers and i don’t understand why. I see people with no faith and living drastically different lives than me doing well and doing fine on their own without God. Yet i try to be faithful and i do not see the rewards.

The first thing I notice about this is how self centered it is. Not to be harsh, but “I” appears 8 times in 5 sentences. This is a strong clue to the problem.

I cannot find a job and have two degrees and am struggling to see why God doesn’t help me. Yet others prosper living in the sin and the way i used to be. I am not prefect but i try to be faithful and prayerful and i believed and practiced everything the Catholic faith teaches.

So - because others have things that you covet but without God, you feel that God has somehow failed you? Why does the posession of material things (name removed by moderator)act your faith in God?

I am struggling badly now and almost becoming angry with God. I see others succeed on their own without God and I think that why should i try anymore when it just makes me miserable and disappointed.

Your attitude here is unsettling. God does not work for you.

I think i was better off before i came to Christ.

How so? Please explain.

I pray for faith and beg for help and i get no consolation.I am human and if prayer or something doesn’t work for me why would i continue to do it.

What are you praying for? Help in your plans or trying to dicern what God wants from you.

If God is all knowing wouldn’t he know that this would happen to me so why wouldn’t he help me maintain my faith.

Why should God help you maintain a faith that is so self centered?

i am sure he was happy that i came to know the faith 5 years ago so why wouldn’t he help me and i ask for help to.

First of all I don’t believe you “know the faith” as well as you think you do. I suspect you think of it like another “degree”. “I do this and I believe that and poof, something good that I want should happen”.

You would think he would care that i am about to leave and give up, you would think he would help me a give me grace to persevere and not want me to leave.

Of course he cares, but he is also a loving father and knows what is best for his children. You have been back for 5 years and so far it looks to me like it has all been “gimme-gimme-gimme”.

So why? I don’t get it, it makes no sense to me. It makes me mad and sad and i want to be happy.

If you want to be happy, then place yourself at God’s disposal. Don’t pray for a job, or for “things”. Pray for God to do his will with you. AskGod into your innermost heart and open that heart to His Will for you. And when you do not receive the answer you want, accept the answer he give you.

This isn’t working for me so why continue when it doesn’t make me happy or work for me and i see others around me doing fine on their own. I just don;t get it and i am about done.

How do you know they are doing “fine”. Do you see into their hearts? Do you know what demons they wrestle with? Do you understand the pressure they are under, with no one to rely on but themselves?. Do you really think that they are better off because they have treasure here?

I am sorry to be so harsh, but an obviously inelligent person should know his God, and our brother Jesus better than that. I suggest you spend some time with the Gospels.
He promises hardship, and tests, and tears in this world so we may be made pure and Holy.
Look hard at parable of the sower. What kind of ground are you?

Peace

James