Nothing

[HoldingGodsHand]

I have no faith anymore, nothing. God is gone, or he was never there at all when I had thought he was. Who was I praying to these last few years? If it was God then why after trying so hard to change and to live a life of faith did God leave me with nothing? I used to believe my faith was a gift from God, but then I struggled and tried and struggled. I always struggled with my faith. Maybe it’s because God was never really there, I only let myself believe that it was God. He was never there all along and he’s not here now. I’m alone. The silence is deafening.
I have no hope. There is no the light for my darkness.

 

[Edward_H]

I have no faith anymore, nothing. God is gone, or he was never there at all when I had thought he was. Who was I praying to these last few years? If it was God then why after trying so hard to change and to live a life of faith did God leave me with nothing? I used to believe my faith was a gift from God, but then I struggled and tried and struggled. I always struggled with my faith. Maybe it’s because God was never really there, I only let myself believe that it was God. He was never there all along and he’s not here now. I’m alone. The silence is deafening.
I have no hope. There is no the light for my darkness.

Well said. It’s the beginning of a great prayer, a conversation with God. Pray what you said like this:

I have no faith in You anymore, nothing. You are gone, or You were never there at all when I had thought You were. Who was I praying to these last few years? If it was You God then why after trying so hard to change and to live a life of faith did You leave me with nothing? I used to believe my faith was a gift from You, but then I struggled and tried and struggled. I always struggled with my faith in You. Maybe it’s because You were never really there, I only let myself believe that it was You. You were never there all along and You’re not here now. I’m alone. The silence is deafening. Help me to want to believe in You.

 

[tawny]

I have no faith anymore, nothing. God is gone, or he was never there at all when I had thought he was. Who was I praying to these last few years? If it was God then why after trying so hard to change and to live a life of faith did God leave me with nothing? I used to believe my faith was a gift from God, but then I struggled and tried and struggled. I always struggled with my faith. Maybe it’s because God was never really there, I only let myself believe that it was God. He was never there all along and he’s not here now. I’m alone. The silence is deafening.
I have no hope. There is no the light for my darkness.

Don’t give up. You are a child of God. God never leaves you, He in His infinite mercy & love is always with us. It may seem like God isn’t hearing our prayers; but remember God answers us in His time, not our’s. God does not give you any cross that He & you can’t handle together. Put on the armour of Christ & go forth. Remember the story of “Footprints”. I’m praying for the Holy Spirit to give you strength. God bless.

 

[pianistclare]

Well said. It’s the beginning of a great prayer, a conversation with God. Pray what you said like this:

Excellent advice.
Many people begin by talking at God. Enter the conversation.
Sounds like it might be hard…but opening up in total submission to God’s will is just as the previous poster has advised.
Be at peace…tell the Lord how much you desire His presence on your life.
He will respond hear one.
We will pray for you and your intentions .

 

[PietroPaolo]

Sometimes God will withdraw His presence (and the resulting feelings) for our spiritual growth. We love feelings. We love to feel God’s presence. But, this can lead to us going to God for the way it makes us feel rather than for God. In essence, we end up worshiping the feelings we get (the feeling of God’s presence) instead of worshiping God. When we do this we make an idol of those feelings, we end up, in the end, worshiping ourselves. Read some of the great saints, they all talk about going through such “dark nights of the soul”. Check out The Fulfillment of All Desire by Ralph Martin as a good starter. God bless you.

 

[Michael_Mayo]

You are not alone.

Psalm 88

1 O LORD, the God who saves me, day and night I cry out before you.
2 May my prayer come before you; turn your ear to my cry.
3 For my soul is full of trouble and my life draws near the grave.
4 I am counted among those who go down to the pit; I am like a man without strength.
5 I am set apart with the dead, like the slain who lie in the grave, whom you remember no more, who are cut off from your care.
6 You have put me in the lowest pit, in the darkest depths.
7 Your wrath lies heavily upon me; you have overwhelmed me with all your waves. “Selah”

8 You have taken from me my closest friends and have made me repulsive to them. I am confined and cannot escape;
9 my eyes are dim with grief. I call to you, O LORD, every day; I spread out my hands to you. 10 Do you show your wonders to the dead? Do those who are dead rise up and praise you? “Selah”

11 Is your love declared in the grave, your faithfulness in Destruction ?
12 Are your wonders known in the place of darkness, or your righteous deeds in the land of oblivion?
13 But I cry to you for help, O LORD; in the morning my prayer comes before you.
14 Why, O LORD, do you reject me and hide your face from me?
15 From my youth I have been afflicted and close to death; I have suffered your terrors and am in despair.
16 Your wrath has swept over me; your terrors have destroyed me.
17 All day long they surround me like a flood; they have completely engulfed me.
18 You have taken my companions and loved ones from me; the darkness is my closest friend.

 

[Beryllos]

Praying…

 

[Christy_Beth]

Could it be that you just aren’t hearing His replies? Sometimes the answers to our prayers are ones we don’t want to hear. I know that many of my prayers have gotten negative replies. Other, “wait awhile,” or “not yet.” And many times I’ve been praying for the wrong things. It’s hard when those times come. But I know that as long as I lean on him, as long as I have faith in him, then he will lead me to the path he wants me to take.

 

[david_patrick]

hi,
i checked out your other posts-as i feel that you struggle/ as you mentioned one of the tinity-the Holy Spirit-i believe that you will learn to love him…that is not a profound word…only a process/ not to despair…
well i think-i don’t mean to shock you…please challenge my words and advice…
but question the ‘spirit’ you now think , in rational thought and emotion to be God…i think upon a few days of introspection and hindsight/ it was not God at all/ this will be a relief/
i cannot explain that is the way it words sometimes/ now what?
well this is ‘discernment of spirits.’ the nothingism that you feel could be coming, as per you future reflection-a not so conscious belief in nihilism - well think about it…the extreme opposite is How do i treat myself as a child of whom i love? or would i even think about treating myself as a child -i love? this is the conclusive hopeful and peaceful end you seek…
so after next week -you decide it was not God at all, the real one, bothering you-in living nightmares…what to do? consider the best kept secret in catholicism-Mary…
she is intercessor; as if to say-you might pray for another-so does she…get to know her;
i find an easy approach-if i am angry at God, i might (in error) think God is angry at me/ unhappiness ensues as in to have some rather negative view of Jesus/ carry an unhappy representation of Jesus, take religion as phrases that i remember, leading only to a God as a concept./No matter Mother Mary give a man of God -his confidence back/

She knows the sinners approach-she see him coming/
when things turn worse for the nihilistic end-then God is far away/i say good! does this suprise you? Not to be supised-the real Holy Spirit will slowly creep back in a discernment of spirits/ as you now are suspicious something is wrong/ keep the process going/ keep this version of God far away where it needs to be/ for the moment, keep Mary in your heart/ she has a maternal heart-meet the women-the new Eve-the new ark of the covenant-She will help and explain everything-i think -in quiet moments of you and Her-that she may confirm what i have been saying-The God you were talking to did not exist/ good she will say-now meet the real one…(three persons of the trinity you see?)

 

[hazcompat]

this psalm has been my companion often…

Psalms, chapter 38

1A psalm of David. For remembrance.

2LORD, do not punish me in your anger;

in your wrath do not chastise me!

3Your arrows have sunk deep in me;

your hand has come down upon me.

4There is no wholesomeness in my flesh because of your anger;

there is no health in my bones because of my sin.

5My iniquities overwhelm me,

a burden too heavy for me.

II

6Foul and festering are my sores because of my folly.

7I am stooped and deeply bowed;every day I go about mourning.

8My loins burn with fever; there is no wholesomeness in my flesh.

9I am numb and utterly crushed; I wail with anguish of heart.

10My Lord, my deepest yearning is before you; my groaning is not hidden from you.

11My heart shudders, my strength forsakes me; the very light of my eyes has failed.g

12Friends and companions shun my disease; my neighbors stand far off.

13Those who seek my life lay snares for me; they seek my misfortune, they speak of ruin;

they plot treachery every day.

III

14But I am like the deaf, hearing nothing, like the mute, I do not open my mouth,

15I am even like someone who does not hear, who has no answer ready.

16LORD, it is for you that I wait; O Lord, my God, you respond.

17For I have said that they would gloat over me, exult over me if I stumble.

IV

18I am very near to falling; my wounds are with me always.

19I acknowledge my guilt and grieve over my sin.

20My enemies live and grow strong, those who hate me grow numerous fraudulently,

21Repaying me evil for good,accusing me for pursuing good.

22Do not forsake me, O LORD; my God, be not far from me!

23Come quickly to help me,l my Lord and my salvation

Peace

 

[LegoGE1947]

this psalm has been my companion often…

Psalms, chapter 38

1A psalm of David. For remembrance.

2LORD, do not punish me in your anger;

in your wrath do not chastise me!

3Your arrows have sunk deep in me;

your hand has come down upon me.

4There is no wholesomeness in my flesh because of your anger;

there is no health in my bones because of my sin.

5My iniquities overwhelm me,

a burden too heavy for me.

II

6Foul and festering are my sores because of my folly.

7I am stooped and deeply bowed;every day I go about mourning.

8My loins burn with fever; there is no wholesomeness in my flesh.

9I am numb and utterly crushed; I wail with anguish of heart.

10My Lord, my deepest yearning is before you; my groaning is not hidden from you.

11My heart shudders, my strength forsakes me; the very light of my eyes has failed.g

12Friends and companions shun my disease; my neighbors stand far off.

13Those who seek my life lay snares for me; they seek my misfortune, they speak of ruin;

they plot treachery every day.

III

14But I am like the deaf, hearing nothing, like the mute, I do not open my mouth,

15I am even like someone who does not hear, who has no answer ready.

16LORD, it is for you that I wait; O Lord, my God, you respond.

17For I have said that they would gloat over me, exult over me if I stumble.

IV

18I am very near to falling; my wounds are with me always.

19I acknowledge my guilt and grieve over my sin.

20My enemies live and grow strong, those who hate me grow numerous fraudulently,

21Repaying me evil for good,accusing me for pursuing good.

22Do not forsake me, O LORD; my God, be not far from me!

23Come quickly to help me,l my Lord and my salvation

Peace

It’s never nothing. It’s always something!

 

[JimR-OCDS]

If you want faith, go to the source of faith, Jesus Christ and ask for it.

Be prepared to surrender all of yourself to Him in exchange.

Jim

 

[LegoGE1947]

If you want faith, go to the source of faith, Jesus Christ and ask for it.

Be prepared to surrender all of yourself to Him in exchange.

Jim

In exchanging yourself for faith in Jesus, you’ll be getting the better part of the deal:thumbsup:

 

[oldgraymare2]

I am so very sorry for your struggles.

Sometimes God is closest to us when we are far away from Him. He never changes. He is always there.

When I have really struggled, I have gone to Adoration before the Blessed Sacrament.

When I couldn’t get to Adoration, I would go to church early before Mass, and just sit quietly in church. I would talk to the Lord and would just ask Him to help me through the dark times with my faith. I don’t think that there has been anyone who hasn’t had any dark times of faith. At least that has been my experience.

As others have said, don’t give up. Keep trying. I will pray for you, dear one.

 

[HoldingGodsHand]

If you want faith, go to the source of faith, Jesus Christ and ask for it.

Be prepared to surrender all of yourself to Him in exchange.

Jim

Surrender myself. He can have me. I wish he would take me!! Please take me!

 

[JimR-OCDS]

Surrender myself. He can have me. I wish he would take me!! Please take me!

That’s not what surrendering off self means.

Surrendering means surrendering your ideas and agendas for his will to be done in your life.

It seems the level of faith a person receives is proportional to how much of themselves they give to God. To many have a hand to the plow while looking back at what they desire.

Jim

 

[HoldingGodsHand]

That’s not what surrendering off self means.

Surrendering means surrendering your ideas and agendas for his will to be done in your life.

It seems the level of faith a person receives is proportional to how much of themselves they give to God. To many have a hand to the plow while looking back at what they desire.

Jim

I have no more faith. How do I do anything with no faith. I can’t even pray or talk to God anymore. I’ve failed at everything. There’s no where to go.

 

[JimR-OCDS]

I have no more faith. How do I do anything with no faith. I can’t even pray or talk to God anymore. I’ve failed at everything. There’s no where to go.

And we can’t help you.

Faith doesn’t come from us, but from God.

Your goal is merely to be open to God.

Jim

 

[HoldingGodsHand]

And we can’t help you.

Faith doesn’t come from us, but from God.

Your goal is merely to be open to God.

Jim

Never mind. I never asked anyone here to give me faith. All I can ask for now is to pray for me. Right now I have no faith. I’m sad, lonely and miserable. I want to have the strength to go back to confession this weekend. Please I need prayers.

 

[Edward_H]

Never mind. I never asked anyone here to give me faith. All I can ask for now is to pray for me. Right now I have no faith. I’m sad, lonely and miserable. I want to have the strength to go back to confession this weekend. Please I need prayers.

Bring this to God, in your confession.

Often the best way out of such a puzzle is to forget yourself by offering yourself in service to others. Throw yourself into real and costly service for others, where you get nothing out of it. No recognition, no applause, no visibility…just outbound love and effort. Exhaust yourself for others. And in that work…increase your conversation to your Father God…“I am doing this work for you, for others…I can’t do it myself. If faith is needed to love, to do these works…you must give it to me, Lord.” Just the way a trusting child talks to his father.