Strange feelings of anxiety and depression

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PraiseTheLord

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Hi everybody!

I have no idea what’s going on. I lately I started feeling the calling to priesthood and only a few days ago I decided that I will do God’s will and that the calling is real. I decided that all I want to do in my life is to follow Christ and do whatever he asks me to do. I felt a lot better in the past few day and I felt that I have new strengths in my life, though sometimes I was doubting my decision etc. This Sunday was a great day and I never felt closer to God. I went to confession and to two masses and I also prayed a lot that day. I felt very close to God and happy…I believe I felt the Grace God had given me to lead better life.

But on Monday I suddenly started experiencing nervousness and perhaps anxiety. I felt it slightly in my stomach and I wasn’t sure why. Then I started thinking that maybe I’m desiring to spend another day like on Sunday and I felt the nervousness that people experience as if waiting for something to happen. However the feeling didn’t go away and got stronger the next day. The feeling actually started bothering me and I felt very uneasy. In fact it started preventing me from concentrating in prayer and started depressing me. I think it was yesterday that I felt week I started suddenly questioning my faith for some reason. Well, I’m not sure whether it was me…but like something started asking me questions about whether I’m sure I don’t believe in lies and I felt like it even shouted at me. I thought that it might be Satan so I prayed and told him to leave me. The thoughts disappeared. It could be him or it could be just me, I don’t know.

But today the anxiety and the feeling of weakness didn’t disappear and in the evening it started becoming very strong. I felt like God has abandoned me and like there is just me and the depressive feeling. I prayed to God to help me but I felt like I’m all alone. After I said Hail Mary about 50 times I got a bit better so I decided I would ask.

What do you think is going on? Do you think it’s Satan protesting against my decision? Or do you think I’m just trying to find a source and blaming it on him? Have you experienced something like this and what have you done? I feel scared! I feel like I’m weak and I fear for my faith. 😦

I beg you on my knees, please pray for me. Whether it’s an evil spirit or something else it’s depressing.

I hope I don’t sound crazy or paranoid, I just thought that you might have some experiences. I’m normaly a very happy person who doesn’t suffer from depression or anything like that. :o

In Christ,
PraiseTheLord
 
Prayers out brother. Your post gave me deja’ vu bigtime, for whats thats worth. Don’t let the old boy get you down. Tim
 
I’ll be praying for you! This may be oversimplifying the situation, but change is hard on people, even “good” change. And maybe the excitement of the decision passed and you’re faced with scary changes in your life now. Sort of like post-Christmas let down when you were a little kid and all the presents were opened. Hang in there! 🙂
 
I may be incorrect, but I think a “decision” to be a priest has to be discerned again an again. It is not something could or should be easily decided. If it is just lately that you feel to be called to priesthood, it is only the beginning of your discernment. How long have you been praying about this? Have you talked to your pastor? Do you have a spiritual director to help you discern?

Maybe your decision is kind of premature so it unconsciously caused the anxiety. Talk to your pastor first and go from there.
 
InLight247 said:
I may be incorrect, but I think a “decision” to be a priest has to be discerned again an again. It is not something could or should be easily decided. If it is just lately that you feel to be called to priesthood, it is only the beginning of your discernment. How long have you been praying about this? Have you talked to your pastor? Do you have a spiritual director to help you discern?

Maybe your decision is kind of premature so it unconsciously caused the anxiety. Talk to your pastor first and go from there.
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Hi! I agree - I think you’re correct. It was a poor choice of words on my side. What I meant is that I decided *to answer *what I believe is the call and do all that is necessary to follow (considering the call is real). I’m still in a very very early stage and so all I have right now is the believe and hope that I’m doing the right thing. I still haven’t spoken to any of these people but I’m planning to speak to my priest as soon as I can (which however means waiting few more months since I’m away for whole summer).

cecilia97 and TOP: Thank you for your prayers! I really appreciate them.
 
Well Praise, from someone who has:confused: :confused: b attled anxiety and depression most of her life all I can say is hang in and pray. Is this a test, a cross I am being given to bear in my journey, a spiritual attack? I dont know but I just tried to stay focused on Jesus and ask Our Ladys help.
 
PraiseTheLord said:
Hi everybody!

I have no idea what’s going on. I lately I started feeling the calling to priesthood and only a few days ago I decided that I will do God’s will and that the calling is real. I decided that all I want to do in my life is to follow Christ and do whatever he asks me to do. I felt a lot better in the past few day and I felt that I have new strengths in my life, though sometimes I was doubting my decision etc. This Sunday was a great day and I never felt closer to God. I went to confession and to two masses and I also prayed a lot that day. I felt very close to God and happy…I believe I felt the Grace God had given me to lead better life.

But on Monday I suddenly started experiencing nervousness and perhaps anxiety. I felt it slightly in my stomach and I wasn’t sure why. Then I started thinking that maybe I’m desiring to spend another day like on Sunday and I felt the nervousness that people experience as if waiting for something to happen. However the feeling didn’t go away and got stronger the next day. The feeling actually started bothering me and I felt very uneasy. In fact it started preventing me from concentrating in prayer and started depressing me. I think it was yesterday that I felt week I started suddenly questioning my faith for some reason. Well, I’m not sure whether it was me…but like something started asking me questions about whether I’m sure I don’t believe in lies and I felt like it even shouted at me. I thought that it might be Satan so I prayed and told him to leave me. The thoughts disappeared. It could be him or it could be just me, I don’t know.

But today the anxiety and the feeling of weakness didn’t disappear and in the evening it started becoming very strong. I felt like God has abandoned me and like there is just me and the depressive feeling. I prayed to God to help me but I felt like I’m all alone. After I said Hail Mary about 50 times I got a bit better so I decided I would ask.

What do you think is going on? Do you think it’s Satan protesting against my decision? Or do you think I’m just trying to find a source and blaming it on him? Have you experienced something like this and what have you done? I feel scared! I feel like I’m weak and I fear for my faith. 😦

I beg you on my knees, please pray for me. Whether it’s an evil spirit or something else it’s depressing.

I hope I don’t sound crazy or paranoid, I just thought that you might have some experiences. I’m normaly a very happy person who doesn’t suffer from depression or anything like that. :o

In Christ,
PraiseTheLord
Click to expand...
I am also discerning the call to the priesthood, and yes i have just recently felt alot of anxiety and deppression. It feels as if God has abondoned you but remember that Jesus never abandons us, but He does put us to the test. Don’t feel disheartend, prayer constantly, increase your faith my reading the Sacred scriptures. Dont look for comfort in unbelievers or earthly objects, but look for comfort in doing good, and the fact that God is real and is present among us.

Remember that God can allow Satan sometimes to test our faith, but God will give us strength when the test comes, so that we may see that only by faith in God we can overcome sin and all forms of temptations.

Remember that because of original sin, our flesh rebels against our spririt. So ask God in prayer that your spirit may be stronger and that you can persevere untill the end.

May God Bless you and keep you.👍
 
I truly believe that Satan attacks us very strongly as we grow closer to our Lord or are getting ready to do something that will strengthen the Body of Christ. Of course Satan will do whatever he can to keep you from answering your call to the priesthood - one less shepherd to help lead the flock! My husband and I have faced similar attacks ever since we met - I think Satan’s scared:bigyikes: of the family we will build. We pray together (and separately) for God’s continuing grace and for strength and courage in this battle as well as spend part of our day reading the Bible together. I can’t count the number of times I’ve prayed to St. Michael the Archangel. I will pray for you as well. :gopray2:

:knight2: Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray; and do Thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host - by the Divine Power of God - cast into hell, satan and all the evil spirits, who roam throughout the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.
 
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