I always have this frequently.
I pray every night. I first thank him for what I have, then I ask for what I want, then I pray for others, then I finish with a our father and hail mary.
But this prayer takes around 10-15minutes because as I’m praying I always think “Why is God real?”
“How do I know God is real?”
Have you ever had any of these questions? I always go back to the Lord though because whenever I’m alone he’s always there for me.
Also I Padre Pio is a miracle to me. He’s been dead for I think over 30+ years and hasn’t rotted at all. That just shows God in him.
How do I get these thoughts out of my mind, and how do I 100% believe in Christ.
P.S. I’m in 8th grade about to make my conformation, please pray for me as I struggle with this and I’m asking Christ every day to help me believe in him.
Thank you and bless you all!
I’m so happy that you are going to be confirmed. You are already so brave to ask such questions. The fact that you question your faith and before making the beautiful Sacrament of Confirmation shows that you already have faith. Just the fact that you are thinking of Him who loves YOU so much.
Our faith in Jesus is really a process. For example, if you look at the story of the woman at the well who meets Jesus in John 4:1-42. The Samaritan woman experienced the stages of faith in Jesus. First, she meets Jesus. Second, she learns about Him. Third, she came to believe in Him. Fourth, she went and told people about Jesus so that other people listened to her and they too came to believe in Him.
This is a remarkable story about how God knows everything about us and how He loves us anyway. The story takes place with Jesus and His Apostles travelling on their way to Galilee from Judea.
The ordinary route from Judea to Galilee was to travel through Samaria. But, the Jews and Samaritans did not get along and they were in a big fight mostly over the place God’s people were to worship Him. So, Jews avoided Samaria and would never travel through that town but they would avoid going through by going around Samaria along the Jordan river even if it took twice as long.
So, what does Jesus do? He goes straight through Samaria and encounters the woman at the well.
Jesus meets the woman at the well at a time when women were generally not at the well for it was during the heat of the day and it was very hot out. The women usually gathered their water together in the morning or early evening when it was cooler out. The woman was also alone which is unusual as the women would go together to the well to gather their water and share in friendship. But, this woman is alone, showing that she is an outcast.
Also, Jesus speaks to her. Jesus asks her for a drink. She is surprised that a man, a Jew would speak to her and to drink out of the same cup as they are suppose to be enemies. The cup implies togetherness and friendship. A ritual that we celebrate today at Mass when we receive Holy Communion.
Jesus does 3 things that a Jew would normally not do:
- He speaks with a woman in public, which at that time, men only spoke with a woman in public if they were related to them.
- He shares a drink with her, a Samaritan.
- He associates with a recognized sinner.
Jesus proceeds to talk to the woman about the living waters and tells her that whoever drinks this water would never thirst, that the water that He gives becomes like a spring of water welling up to eternal life.
Through our baptism we have been given this living water. St. Paul describes Baptism in terms of drinking from the Spirit in 1 Cor. 12:13. Jesus speaks of this living water as the life and vitality of the Spirit.
The woman is so excited and so happy after speaking to Jesus that she left her water jug behind. She becomes the first Evangelist because she goes and tells everyone in her town about Jesus, The Messiah, the one who knew everything about her and loved her anyway.
Its interesting that she addresses Him first as “Sir”, secondly as “Prophet” and then third, she comes to know Him as “the Christ”, “the Messiah” - “The Savior of the World.”
The water jug that she leaves behind symbolizes the fallen desire of man that draws pleasure from the dark wells of the world but is never satisfied for long like things like material wealth, things, addictions, selfishness, etc.
Conversion to Christ moves us like the Samaritan woman to renounce the world, leave behind the desires of our earthen vessels and follow a new way of life.
Jesus shows us how He meets with the poor, the sinners and the broken. He meets us whereever we are broken with a desire to heal us and fill us with His love like nothing else can fill. It did not matter to Jesus that the Samaritan woman was a sinner. Jesus wants us all to know that we are all welcome to know and love Jesus. And the more we know about Jesus, the more we want to share about Jesus with other people. So, where do you meet Jesus?
I leave you with a link about the Holy Spirit:
ewtn.com/devotionals/pentecost/pent1.htm
And, a prayer by St. Pio (who led me into the confessional after being away for many years):
Let the Holy Spirit act within you. Give yourself up to all his transports and have no fear. He is so wise and gentle and discreet that he never brings about anything but good. How good this Holy Spirit, this Comforter, is to all, but how supremely good he is to those who seek him.
— St. Pio of Pietrelcina
Padre Pio’s Prophetic Spirit
And lastly, I leave you Peace.
