Prayers unanswered

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Margarete_Faust

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Hi. I am in the middle of an ongoing spiritual crisis, and I guess I just need answers.
I have been struggling with depression for the past 5 years, and my faith has been tested greatly, and it feels like I am losing the battle. Part of my problem is lack of good influence from those in my surroundings, but my main problem is myself. I am fixating on something in my past, and while I recognize the problem and am doing my best to overcome it, it feels like I am losing. I have been begging God to help me. I don’t expect God to swoop down and take the problem away in a puff of smoke, but it seems like my prayers are going completely unanswered. I try to talk to priests, and they always refer me to someone else. I try to reach out to friends and ask for help, and they do the exact same thing. At this point, everyone has just decided to push me away completely, probably because I can’t be “fixed”. Maybe I am becoming too much of a burden, but when I am crying out for help, it feels like that even my Lord is turning His face from me. All I was expecting was to get better little by little with love and support from those around me, but I am completely alone, and it is literally breaking my heart. I have such bad chest pains to the point that I sometimes lose my breath completely, and I am only 24 years old! I have gone to the doctor, and they cannot explain my chest pains at all. I think my heart actually breaking!
I can’t help but think that God is punishing me for past sins (I have many), but why is it, when I am trying to get better, that the means to get better are not there? I have not even been picky about how the help comes… a simple prayer of “Please help me, God!” is somehow not being answered.
Please pray for me. I feel starved of love, and it is causing me to break down completely.
 
God has certainly not abandoned you even if you don’t currently sense his presence. It’s during times of suffering that He’s in fact closest to you. If you’ve confessed your past sins to a priest and received absolution, then have confidence that God has put those sins as far away from you as east is from west.

There can be many reasons why the Lord has permitted all this in your life. First, He sometimes purifies us through suffering. Second, He sometimes gives us a share in his redemptive work by letting us gain graces for others through suffering. Some people can’t see that God exists or hear his voice. Some have souls diseased with sin or even completely dead in mortal sin. When John the Baptist was suffering in prison, Jesus sent word to him: “Go and relate to John what you have heard and seen: the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are made clean, the deaf hear, the dead rise again, to the poor the gospel is preached.” (Lk 7:22)

Whatever God’s reasons may be, if you surrender yourself to his holy will you’ll experience a tremendous spiritual advance. When Job suffered loss of all of his children and his livestock, he said: “Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away: as it hath pleased the Lord so is it done: blessed be the name of the Lord.” (Jb 1:21, DRV) By the same token, you can pray: “Lord, there have been times in my life when you saw fit to bless me with better health, with much support from family and friends and more joy in my life, but now it has pleased you to withdraw all this from me. Blessed and exalted be your Holy Name.”

How much God loves you! Cling to Him for comfort and strength during this time.
 
Remembering you in my daily prayers, Margarete. For a long time and until very, very recently, I was in a similar place.

God bless you! :hug3:
 
I agree with the second poster.

I have gone through dark times myself and wondered why why why… and God did something dramatic for me.

My grandmother passed away, my beloved mother in law was diagnosed with parkinsons disease and my husband of 9 years had left me with two small children. Shortly after that I got into a serious accident…and then a few days later another near miss with the car. I pulled over and said out loud, “God what do you want from me?” Clear as a bell, I heard God say to me, “You can’t take a step without Me.” I realized I had been trying to ‘manage’ it all alone, through thoughts, actions, etc. I needed to totally surrender myself, my mind, heart, and will to God. I am nothing, I can do nothing on my own.

I began by going to Mass, and I converted to Catholicism. I read books by good Catholic authors. I prayed, listened to Christian music. I filled all the spaces in my life that I could with good influences.

This isn’t fair, I know…but sometimes when we are down either with chronic mental depression or physical illness, etc…it wears out people near us. They try to help in the way they know how and it hurts them to still see us in pain even though they feel they have tried to help. To you, it may seem like too little or not effective…but to them they have tried and failed. People don’t like to fail…they don’t like to see someone they care about in pain. After a while, they just can’t let your pain affect them as much, it’s a self protective thing. Like I said, it isn’t fair in a way, certainly doesn’t seem fair, but no one can live in another’s pain for long. We have to try to be as positive as we can. This might sound simplistic, and I’m sorry if it does, but sometimes I’ve done a “fake it until I make it” attitude. I try to be upbeat and light even if I am not feeling that way, for the sake of others and also I offer it to God as a sacrifice. I do feel better at times doing this…and at least I know I’ve tried to do a charitable thing.

I hope you feel better soon, find the help you need. xo saying a prayer for you.

(have you ever prayed to St. Padre Pio? He’s awesome.)
 
St. Job, please pray for Margarete
St. Dymphna, please pray for Margarete
St. Philomena, please pray for Margarete
St. Benedict Joseph Labre, please pray for Margarete
 
I too have been in that dark lonely place, my sins were many, I found it easy to forgive others but not forgive myself, I didn’t think God could love someone like me. My story is too long to be related here but through years of prayer and accepting the "Little crosses"and “offering it up” one morning I woke up and I knew I was forgiven. Don’t give up Margarete, there is a God and he does love you and he will forgive you, let him, then forgive youself, then spend your life praying for others .
“The man who fears to be alone will never be anything but lonely, no matter how much he may surround himself with people. But the man who learns, in solitude and recollection, to be at peace with his own lonliness, and to prefer it’s reality to the illusion of merely natural companionship, comes to know the invisible companionship of God.”
Thomas Merton
I am praying for you Margarete
 
Margarete_Faust said:
Hi. I am in the middle of an ongoing spiritual crisis, and I guess I just need answers.
Click to expand...
Dear one…I am so sorry that you are struggling so. Please know that we are here to help if we can…
I have been struggling with depression for the past 5 years, and my faith has been tested greatly, and it feels like I am losing the battle. Part of my problem is lack of good influence from those in my surroundings, but my main problem is myself. I am fixating on something in my past, and while I recognize the problem and am doing my best to overcome it, it feels like I am losing. I have been begging God to help me. I don’t expect God to swoop down and take the problem away in a puff of smoke, but it seems like my prayers are going completely unanswered. I try to talk to priests, and they always refer me to someone else. I try to reach out to friends and ask for help, and they do the exact same thing. At this point, everyone has just decided to push me away completely, probably because I can’t be “fixed”. Maybe I am becoming too much of a burden, but when I am crying out for help, it feels like that even my Lord is turning His face from me. All I was expecting was to get better little by little with love and support from those around me, but I am completely alone, and it is literally breaking my heart. I have such bad chest pains to the point that I sometimes lose my breath completely, and I am only 24 years old! I have gone to the doctor, and they cannot explain my chest pains at all. I think my heart actually breaking!
I can’t help but think that God is punishing me for past sins (I have many), but why is it, when I am trying to get better, that the means to get better are not there? I have not even been picky about how the help comes… a simple prayer of “Please help me, God!” is somehow not being answered.
Please pray for me. I feel starved of love, and it is causing me to break down completely.
Click to expand...
You are and will be in my thoughts and prayers.

Sometimes we can try too hard, and be too focused. I know this from my own life and struggles. Sometimes there are “helps” that we are missing because we have tied ourselves up so tightly that we can’t seem to get loose…
One way to overcome this - to at least loosen the bonds - is to try to let go of some things that are troubling us and rather than “cry for help” for ourselves, to go out and be of help to others.
Some of the most wonderful “medicine” from God is tied up in what we do for others. So perhaps you should consider what corporal acts of mercy - charity etc you are doing. What can you do to help others?

Please consider this and perhaps pray - “God show me who I can help”…

Peace
James
 
A priest friend once told me the dark night is like going outside after a fresh snowfall and being blinded at first. It takes a while for the "eyes’ to adjust. I’m sure the Lord has you in His hand, but you may not sense it at this time. Continue to hold on to hope and trust Him as He is the good teacher. When tested in school, did the teacher speak? No. Hold on to trust. Prayers out. Tim
 
May the God of mercy make know to you His love for you so you may know you are forgiven and then be able to forgive yourself. Let us ask for the strength to believe that all things are possible with Christ. And may God open a clear path to the proper health professionals to aid you with your depression. Let us give thanks to God for this and for all the good he has done.

Amen.
 
When Jesus suffered the agony in the garden, he asked His Father to “let this cup pass from me.” His prayer wasn’t answered either, he received a no. His example of resignation, acceptance and love makes us realize that the Father has our lives in His hands and nothing happens to us that is not for our own good. Praying for you.
 
Margarete I am so sorry you are suffering.I always find helping others helps me so much! I try to pray every single day for others (like yourself) and enjoy having the privilege and opportunity to pray for others.

I know myself I have been and am still going through some very difficult times in my life.
God does hear and answer our prayers.

I would suggest it may help you to pray for others aswell as for your own needs and see how much better you feel about your own difficulties.

I shall keep you in my prayers

God bless

Memorare (Prayer to Our Lady)
Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to your protection, implored your help, or sought your intercession, was left unaided.
Inspired by this confidence, I fly unto you, O Virgin of virgins, my Mother. To you do I come, before you I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in your mercy, hear and answer me. Amen
 
***Hail Mary,
Full of Grace,
The Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou among women,
and blessed is the fruit
of thy womb,
Jesus.
Holy Mary,
Mother of God,
pray for us sinners now,
and at the hour of death.

Amen***
 
Thank you everyone for your kind responses. I will try to take the advice to pray for others and to keep in mind that God has a plan, even if I don’t always understand it. I do have some people to pray for, and I will try to at least pray the rosary whenever I feel like I am about to fixate on the recurring issue in my spiritual struggles. I will also try to forgive myself for my own sins. Thank you. I see a little light.
 
God bless you Margarete 🙂

Memorare (Prayer to Our Lady)
Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to your protection, implored your help, or sought your intercession, was left unaided.
Inspired by this confidence, I fly unto you, O Virgin of virgins, my Mother. To you do I come, before you I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in your mercy, hear and answer me. Amen
 
Lord I myself have experienced long periods when You seemed deaf to my urgent prayers,
but in surprising and blessed way, in the end, You answered them.
Please assure Margaret that this is sometimes how things occur, and in the meantime deepen her faith as witness to her love and faithfulness.
Please console Margaret, and grant her all that is for true joy, peace, and spiritual welfare.
 
***Hail Mary,
Full of Grace,
The Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou among women,
and blessed is the fruit
of thy womb,
Jesus.
Holy Mary,
Mother of God,
pray for us sinners now,
and at the hour of death.

Amen***
 
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