Struggle with false religion

[swancrown]

I do not experience fear when practicing pagan religion. When I repent and return to Christian faith, I experience fear in everything. Why does this happen? Should I not be convinced of the power of Christ and his holy angels to protect me and keep me safe? How can i build a solid trust in Him and in the angels that guard us?

I sometimes think it is hopeless to even try anymore.

 

[Anglewannabe]

Sound like the work of the devil. Pagan religions tell you what you want to hear to keep you coming back. The Catholic religion in theory (since not everyone in it is genuine) should be telling you the God’s honest truth that is not easy to hear

 

[808Catholic]

I do not experience fear when practicing pagan religion. When I repent and return to Christian faith, I experience fear in everything. Why does this happen? Should I not be convinced of the power of Christ and his holy angels to protect me and keep me safe? How can i build a solid trust in Him and in the angels that guard us?

I sometimes think it is hopeless to even try anymore.

What about the Christian faith scares you? Be specific. Write down your fears and address them with someone you trust in the church. God created us in His Image and Likeness and gave us the intelligence to discern what’s right and wrong. I don’t know your specific fears but it may be warranted because what you are doing is dangerous (paganism.)

God IS protecting you but you keep putting yourself deeper and deeper into danger. Stop. Turn around. Believe in the power of God and trust that He is Supreme. No evil can prevail against His Power but you must have faith or you’ll end up like Peter walking the stormy seas. When Peter’s faith falters, he begins to sink. But you know what happens, right? Christ is there to raise Peter up again! Trust in God!

 

[howirenic]

Psalms 111:10: “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom…”

We are called to fear God, not out of some base animalistic instinct, but out of awe of His Glory. That is a higher fear, the fear for which the psalmist calls. You shouldn’t feel anxious about God. You should feel humbled and contrite. It’s a very cathartic feeling that I have been blessed to feel on more than one occasion.

Do not mistake this for the false fear that God will smite you or abandon you. Everything He does, He does in love. Now that is something awe-inspiring.

 

[Skye_Ariel]

I think it’s the enemy trying to draw you away from God and Christianity by putting that fear into you whenever you start to seek God. It’s the devil that trembles and fears at the mention of the name of Jesus. Don’t let his plan work, ignore the fear and push closer to God and Christianity. The fear is just a diversion.

 

[aicirt]

I do not experience fear when practicing pagan religion. When I repent and return to Christian faith, I experience fear in everything. Why does this happen? Should I not be convinced of the power of Christ and his holy angels to protect me and keep me safe? How can i build a solid trust in Him and in the angels that guard us?

I sometimes think it is hopeless to even try anymore.

As an Anglican, you are aware that you should not be putting false gods before our God. If you are an Anglican, why are you even dabbling in any pagan religion?

“How can I build a solid trust in Him and in the angels that guard us?” You make the choice to practice a pagan religion. I don’t know what you expect. It is your free will to make that decision. Christ isn’t going to interfer. In your heart you know it is wrong but you do it anyway and then expect Him to come and do what? He has not abandoned you but you have wandered off away from Him. Stop with the pagan stuff . Pray and study what Christianity is all about.

 

[swancrown]

What about the Christian faith scares you?

It isn’t a fear of God. It is a fear that God , Jesus , and the angels might not be stronger. It is a fear that perhaps God is the pretender and that I am trusting in the wrong thing. It is fear that the pagan entities will be able to hurt me.
I know God is the god of Light. I know He is the creator, but these niggling thoughts seem to rise up frequently. It has proven to be too much in the past and I find myself right back where I was. I do not want to repeat this cycle again and so I am trying to tear this thought process apart and figure out what triggers it, where it comes from.

 

[swancrown]

As an Anglican, you are aware that you should not be putting false gods before our God. If you are an Anglican, why are you even dabbling in any pagan religion?

“How can I build a solid trust in Him and in the angels that guard us?” You make the choice to practice a pagan religion. I don’t know what you expect. It is your free will to make that decision. Christ isn’t going to interfer. In your heart you know it is wrong but you do it anyway and then expect Him to come and do what? He has not abandoned you but you have wandered off away from Him. Stop with the pagan stuff . Pray and study what Christianity is all about.

Thank you for your pragmatic advice.
If it were as simple as all that I would have done it long ago. And I beg to differ, Christ has interfered or I would not be here now. My particular brokenness has something in it that keeps drawing me into these fearful thoughts and I am trying to do everything I can now to figure the puzzle out because if Jesus cares enough to interfere on my behalf I owe it to Him to meet him where I can and address the problem. It’s like a partnership, right?

I imagine that you have never struggled with these sorts of thought patterns and I pray you never do. I do struggle, however. It really is not so simple as “just don’t do it”. Not for me. I am perhaps not as strong as you, but I hope to be one day. I am studying what Christ is about. Also, I’m a baby Anglican, quite new to the faith. I converted years ago to Roman Catholicism and my faith formation was quite lacking.

One thing I do know now, I am not giving up. Would you pray for me? I need it.

 

[wildfood]

swancrown:

It isn’t a fear of God. It is a fear that God , Jesus , and the angels might not be stronger. It is a fear that perhaps God is the pretender and that I am trusting in the wrong thing. It is fear that the pagan entities will be able to hurt me.

Do you fear that the pagan entities will hurt you if you do not practice the pagan religion?

And of course we will all pray for you.

 

[aicirt]

Thank you for your pragmatic advice.
If it were as simple as all that I would have done it long ago. And I beg to differ, Christ has interfered or I would not be here now. My particular brokenness has something in it that keeps drawing me into these fearful thoughts and I am trying to do everything I can now to figure the puzzle out because if Jesus cares enough to interfere on my behalf I owe it to Him to meet him where I can and address the problem. It’s like a partnership, right?

I imagine that you have never struggled with these sorts of thought patterns and I pray you never do. I do struggle, however. It really is not so simple as “just don’t do it”. Not for me. I am perhaps not as strong as you, but I hope to be one day. I am studying what Christ is about. Also, I’m a baby Anglican, quite new to the faith. I converted years ago to Roman Catholicism and my faith formation was quite lacking.

One thing I do know now, I am not giving up. Would you pray for me? I need it.

Yes, I will pray for you. You might want to say the Pray to St. Michael who defended heaven against Satan. Have a crucifix blessed and wear that or another medal of your choice.

 

[swancrown]

Do you fear that the pagan entities will hurt you if you do not practice the pagan religion?

And of course we will all pray for you.

I suppose I do believe they will hurt me. I have seen what they can do up close and personal. I sent some time today trying to come up with just what exactly it is that is driving this. I believe they seem stronger because they have more “tools” and seem more resent. God comes as a whisper. These other things come like a tidal wave.

I know its all an illusion, but it seems very real when happening. I am reading scripture, praying, have asked others to pray. I found my crucifixes (all blessed) and am in the process of putting up in the house now.

Thanks to all who are praying.

 

[wildfood]

I suppose I do believe they will hurt me. I have seen what they can do up close and personal. I sent some time today trying to come up with just what exactly it is that is driving this. I believe they seem stronger because they have more “tools” and seem more resent. God comes as a whisper. These other things come like a tidal wave.

I know its all an illusion, but it seems very real when happening. I am reading scripture, praying, have asked others to pray. I found my crucifixes (all blessed) and am in the process of putting up in the house now.

Thanks to all who are praying.

You know it’s all an illusion yet you are still fearful. I understand this, irrational fears take ahold of us just as temptations take ahold of us.

Your body has a nervous system that acts on it’s own, it controls your breathing, your blood pressure, your heart rate, etc.

Police officers often deal with fear and the physical response it exerts on the body and mind. They are actually taught a technique to interrupt this hold that the nervous system can have over the mind and body during fearful situations.

During fearful situations your body wants to make your breathing shalllow if not make you actually hold your breath.

You know how sometimes your body breathes on it’s own and sometimes it breathes with your conscious effort? Breathe consciously.

Combat breathing was developed to help police and military personnel in rapidly regaining control over their bodies reactions during intense and dangerous situations and is considered a high priority aspect of successful training.

Alexis Artwohl, PhD., one of America’s most renowned police psychologists, considers it such techniques so critical to officer training, he was quoted as saying, “Police officers should be taught controlled breathing from DAY ONE in training to the point where it becomes so automatic they do it without thinking.”

Additionally, Lieutenant Colonel Dave Grossman, a former special forces soldier who taught psychology at West Point and who created the widely used and praised training video “The Bullet-Proof Mind.” has taught the breathing exercise and its positive impact on performance during high-speed pursuits for years.

Sergeant Charles Humes explained the basics of combat breathing as follows, “**The breathing is done in cycles. Breathe in through your nose for a count of four; hold your breath for a count of four; exhale through your mouth for a count of four; hold your breath for a count of four, and then restart the cycle.

“Breath deeply and methodically – completely filling and emptying your lungs during each cycle. This simple technique will lower your blood pressure and arousal/stress level, and minimize the overwhelming side effects of an adrenaline dump**.”

anxietyreliefsolutions.com/combat-breathing-a-technique-to-reduce-anxiety/

I think you will be amazed at the effectiveness of this technique in breaking the hold that fear can have over us.

I often repeat the name of Jesus with each inhalation and exhalation.

Also, I would strongly advise talking to a priest about your fears. Do not be afraid to speak openly to the priest, they have had much experience in all areas of religious life and there is very little they have not run across.

 

[wildfood]

And one last thing, when you breathe, your belly should poke out instead of your chest rising. This is breathing with your diaphragm, a muscle specifically designed for breathing. Breathing with the chest rising is very inefficient.