struggling with my faith

  • Thread starter Thread starter welsh91
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
W

welsh91

Guest
I’m 17, and I live in an area which is not very religious. None of my friends are Catholic, which isn’t helped by there being only one person my age at my local church. This environment means that I get a lot of different ideas about faith and religion, and iIm sad to say that it’s affected my own faith.
I really want to be close to God, and I pray to Him even though I often feel silly, because I don’t know if I can believe that there is anyone out there.
The death of my uncle (who was a Catholic priest) in October 2007 affected me quite badly, as it was totally unexpected. He had NHL but hadn’t told anyone in the family, probably because he was a very private and respectful man, who didn’t want to cause unnecessary fuss and upset. but I loved him very much and found it hard to understand why God had taken him. This meant that I tried to avoid Church (even though I know that you should go to Church when you’re questioning your faith, and even though I had chosen to be confirmed). Then, in the summer of 2008, two friends of mine started to become interested in Christianity, and their curiosity made me want to attend my own church. I started to become more active, even though I still questioned Christianity.
But then my grandad died on New Year’s Day, just a few weeks ago, and this has really made me want to get closer to God again. My grandad was a very devout Catholic, and I really want believe that he is now safe in Heaven, because I don’t want to believe someone as wonderful and devout as him could be anywhere else. I am doing all I can to get closer to God. As I live in an area which doesn’t have a Catholic school, the local church has catechism classes every Wednesday, which I attend (because the teacher was my confirmation sponsor and we keep in touch often, so I go there to help her out, as sadly there are two children there with learning difficulties, and she has Lupus so she finds it hard sometimes, but also because I want to remind myself of why I agreed to be confirmed). I attend Mass every Sunday, and I say all my prayers.
I go to a school 15 miles from where I live because it is a private school, so almost all of my friends live a long distance away. The two I mentioned earlier I go to a Christian youth club, which I really enjoy going to. I feel much more at ease with people whom I know believe in God. The only problem is, it is not a Catholic youth club, and my dad has warned me that if they are too Evangelical, they could try to convince me against Catholicism, and into their Church. But I am only seeking people with similar interests, and being 17 I am more interested in relationships, but I’m afraid that I will get into difficult situations, where the guy wants more than I want to give, which is why I think it would be much easier if I found someone who was Catholic.

I’m sorry for this long post, I would just like to know how to bring myself closer to God, and what I can do to resolve this situation. Are there any things out there that I can read to help myself? I really want to believe, but I am finding it hard.
 
Hi,

It sounds like you come from a really devout Catholic family, which is awesome.

You should realize that you’re not alone in what you’re experiencing right now–that many have been where you are before and that if your faith was genuine to begin with (which it sounds as though yours is) then it is only going to mature and develop with you as you overcome these hurdles in your spirituality.

To deny God is to deny Truth, and the kind of doubt you’re experiencing can only come from Satan, who is the father of all un-truths. Don’t grant him more credit than he deserves by giving in or wavering because if you notice, your faith is still stronger than him; you’re nevertheless drawn back to your search for God and that is evident in, as you say, your desire to be close to Him.

Examine what you’re doing in your daily life which you could be doing more faithfully. When you pray, are you really praying or would it be just the same if you didn’t pray at all? Do you read your Bible? Do you go to Mass faithfully and receive Holy Communion at least every Sunday? When did you last go to Confession?

You need the graces only the sacraments can grant for a rich spiritual life. You need to be reading the word daily; it’s how God speaks to us. Also, the Rosary is very powerful. Pray it!

I hope that helps. PM me anytime, if you like.

God bless.
 
In my opinion, you’re on the right path. Keep praying - God will give you what you want.

Like Jesus said,
And so I say to you: Ask, and you will receive; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you. For those who ask will receive, and those who seek will find, and the door will be opened to anyone who knocks. Would any of you who are fathers give your son a snake when he asks for a fish? Or would you give him a scorpion when he asks for an egg? Bad as you are, you know how to give good things to your children. How much more, then, will the Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!
Click to expand...
Luke 11:9-13
Click to expand...
So don’t give up, even if sometimes you don’t feel like you’re close enough to God. Trusting him is the best way to get close to him!

Also, keep helping out at your parish and meeting people your age with similar beliefs; this will only make it that much easier for you to grow closer to God.

I would also recommend reading the Bible.

👍
 
Hi Welsh and welcome to the Forums. You ask a very good question. As the previous poster mentioned, start with the basics. Pray, read Scripture, go to (at least) Sunday Mass, and keep Confession in you life. Talk to your Confirmation Sponsor and your parents too. This website also offers a lot of great spiritual education.

Is there a specific question or area we can maybe help with in pointing you in a better direction?

Take care…
 
passus: Thank you for your helpful reply. My dad and his family is Catholic, but my mum and her family is not. However, she agreed when she married my father that she would raise my sister and I as Catholics, and has always been there for us when we were younger. She herself finds it very difficult to understand some of the Catholic teachings, so she has never herself become a Catholic. But she has always come to Church with us and has always helped at fund-raisers and activities for the Church. I’m very lucky. These days I try to make sure I go to Church every Sunday, but recently this has been difficult as the distance between my home and my grandparent’s is 200 miles, and as I’m still in school, we could only travel on weekends, and my Saturday job meant that would usually be late Saturday evening, meaning we’d arrive in the early hours of Sunday. But my grandma said that we can be excused from Mass if we had been travelling and there was no later mass (which there isn’t, where she lives), is this right? I hope so. I also have a simplified version of the Bible which I read when I can, is the simplified version okay? I do have a normal English Bible, and also a Welsh one, should I read one of those instead?

Marycruz: Thanks for such a kind reply. Living in such a non-Catholic area means it’s hard to find people my age who are also Catholic, so is it okay that I am finding people who are Christian, but not Catholic? There is a larger Catholic church about 15 miles away, which my dad said we could go to every now and then (I have told him about my difficulty with belief, and he’s being very helpful), but I’m quite shy when I meet new people, and none of my friends go there, or even live nearby there. I think I will go with my dad, though.

Simon X: Thank you too for your reply. I would love it if you could recommend me any books or websites I could read to help me. Also any prayers I could say. Just any advice on how to strengthen my faith would be appreciated. This is such a confusing situation as I really want to believe, but find it hard to, because I love and understand science, but I feel that there has to be something more. On one hard, it’s hard to believe that there is that “being in the sky” sort of thing, but on the other, that this whole world and everything within it was an accident, or a fluke, or something like that. I’m afraid that I’m going to go to Hell 😦
 
welsh91 said:
But my grandma said that we can be excused from Mass if we had been travelling and there was no later mass (which there isn’t, where she lives), is this right? I hope so.
Click to expand...
Well, you aren’t excused, per se, but if it is legitimately impossible for you to get to Mass, then it simply is not a mortal sin.
welsh91 said:
I also have a simplified version of the Bible which I read when I can, is the simplified version okay? I do have a normal English Bible, and also a Welsh one, should I read one of those instead?
Click to expand...
You should be reading the full Bible. I’m not exactly sure about what you’re referring to by a “simplified” version, but most of those aren’t really Bible translations–just commentaries on Scripture and often not very good ones.
 
passus said:
You should be reading the full Bible. I’m not exactly sure about what you’re referring to by a “simplified” version, but most of those aren’t really Bible translations–just commentaries on Scripture and often not very good ones.
Click to expand...
I think the only difference is that it’s in modern-day English, so it uses “you” instead of “thou”, etc, but I will try to read the full Bible as well.
 
w e l s h 9 1. ❤️
welcome to the forums! 🙂 i sincerely hope and pray that you have an amazing experience here, just as i have. please know that everyone on here is so incredibly supportive, helpful and loving, and that you don’t ever need to worry about holding back or being judged. this is an amazing resource for anyone who is struggling in his or her faith or simply wants to grow closer to God, and i hope and pray that this website will help you, and that i will be able to help you as well, in at least some small way, through this post. also know that i will be keeping you in my constant thoughts and in my prayers. God bless you! ❤️

you are very close to me in age—i am sixteen, so i definitely know how difficult it is to be a Catholic teenager, especially when there are very few resources available. i can definitely relate to you in that i live in an area which is not very religious as well. in fact, i’m actually in the process of switching schools, from a confining secular one to a Catholic high school with an atmosphere that should flow much more freely with my faith, and be much more welcoming and appropriate for me. i definitely know how difficult it can be when none of your friends share your faith—i know exactly what you’re going through, as all of my friends are either atheists or non-Catholics, and it’s extremely difficult and painful to deal with. i would definitely recommend that if you get the chance, you share your faith with them in whatever ways possible, and hopefully bring them into the True Faith—of course, definitely take care of yourself, because you deserve it, and strengthen your own faith in God first. i would also recommend that once your own faith in God is strengthened, you say a Divine Mercy Chaplet (ewtn.com/Devotionals/mercy/dmmap.htm) and Rosary for each of your friends, for the intentions of their salvation and conversion. this comes later, of course—first, it’s extremely important that you strengthen your own faith, and grow close to the God Who loves you infinitely more than you could ever imagine or comprehend, and learn to love and know Him deeply. i’m so sorry that you struggle with this—when i keep you in my prayers, i will definitely pray that you find some Catholic friends who are able to help you and support you, and that you find the resources you need to grow and develop in your faith. one of the things i will pray for is that this website helps you and supports you as much as it has helped and supported me—this place is incredible, and i only help and pray that i can help you as much as others have been amazing to me. 🙂

please be sure not to put yourself down for these doubts and questions that you are experiencing. i’m not at all surprised that in a non-religious atmosphere where many different faiths and ideals collide, you are struggling with your own faith. when i pray for you, i will pray that you know the strength, courage and determination to persevere in the True Faith, and not to let the darkness around you pull you out of the Truth. the fact that you want to be close to God is amazing, and i admire you so much for it. this shows the purity and love of your heart, which is definitely a start, and shows that you are definitely headed in the right direction. 🙂 the fact that you persevere in prayer is also amazing, and i definitely recommend that you continue to pray to Him, even when all you feel and know is darkness and confusion, even when you can’t feel His Presence. prayer is such an incredible grace that God has given us, and i definitely recommend that you pray not only to God to reveal Himself to you, to Jesus to reveal His Love to you and to the Holy Spirit to fill you with Himself, but also that you pray to Mary for her help and intercession, in deepening your faith and persevering despite your questions and doubts. Jesus and Mary love you infinitely more than you can imagine, and are always ready to help you, forever reaching out to you in Love. i hope and pray that you will soon experience this Love—i will keep this as part of my prayers for you.

when you say that it’s hard for you to believe that there’s anyone out there, i definitely understand. in today’s secular culture that relies solely on what we can see and feel tangibly, it’s hard to persevere in the Truth of God’s existence. i will definitely pray, from the bottom of my heart, that God will reveal Himself and His Love to you, and draw you completely and forever to Himself. i also suggest that one night, you get down on your knees and simply pray to God with all of your heart that He reveal Himself to you and show you His Love. if you pray the sincere prayer of “God, show me You exist,” i have no doubt that God will answer it in His Own time and His Own way, and show you just how deeply and passionately He will love you forever. ❤️ i also suggest that you persevere in prayer, for i know without a doubt that God will answer your other sincere prayers as well, if you pray to grow in your faith and learn how to know Him more and love Him more, and grow closer to Him in love.
 
welsh91, i am so sorry beyond words for the death of your uncle. ❤️ i remember when i was caught up in the severe darkness of my past, and my own faith was shaken by the death of my grandmother, so in many ways i can relate to all that you’re going through. very rarely do we know why God does what He does, as we are only human and can’t ever comprehend the immensity of His Love or the wisdom behind His ways. however, i do have a feeling that God allowed this tragedy to draw you closer to Himself, using pain to remind you of your great need for Him, using your friends to draw you into an interest in Christianity so that you could be brought to Him and experience His Love completely and forever. God is so amazing in His pursuit of us—even when i was caught up in mortal sin and my soul was literally dying, stained and broken, He preserved my life through a literal miracle when i attempted suicide, and ever since then i have been on a faith journey that i hope and pray will lead me to worshipping Him forever in Heaven. i’m so glad beyond words that you developed an interest in Christianity even in the midst of tragedy, and i will definitely hope and pray for your healing from the loss of your uncle. please don’t ever put yourself down for still suffering after his death—i still miss my grandmother terribly, and it will have been three years in november. you have the right to feel whatever you are experiencing, but know that i will definitely pray that you are healed, and experience the incredible restoring power of God’s immense love for you that will endure forever, no matter what you have done or will do in the future. ❤️

i am also so sorry beyond words for the death of your grandfather as well. it sounds as if you’ve endured a lot in your life, as have i, which is most likely a sign that God wants to draw you very close to Himself in Love. i’m so glad beyond words that when you endured the loss of someone who i know you loved very much, it made you want to grow close to God once more. God is so incredible in how He brings beauty from pain, and i have no doubt that He will redeem all of your losses and heal you completely in His great Love. i am sure that your grandfather is safe in Heaven, but i will definitely keep him—and your uncle—in my prayers as well. it sounds as if you are definitely headed in the right direction—definitely persevere in prayer, in attending Mass and in doing all that you are doing to grow closer to God. there are several essentials that are absolutely crucial when it comes to developing faith and growing deeper in love of God, and i consider them to be prayer (especially the Rosary), fasting, reading Scripture, frequent reception of the Sacraments and time before the Blessed Sacrament and time alone with God.

here are some amazing resources that i found on all of these essentials, that i hope and pray will help you:
prayer—catholic.org/clife/prayers/
catholicdoors.com/prayers/
ewtn.com/Devotionals/prayers/index.htm
catholictradition.org/prayers1.htm
catholicity.com/links/152/
 
welsh91, i am so glad beyond words that you have found people you can relate to. unfortunately, some people tend to be so evangelical and set against Catholicism that they attempt to convince Catholics that they are living against the truth—i used to be one of those people myself! definitely continue to attend this youth club, but please be careful, and please be sure to persevere in prayer and in living out the True Faith, so that you can know the strength, courage, faith and determination needed to go on in Catholicism despite many people’s negative attitude against it. i will definitely pray for you, welsh91, that God draws you near to Himself and blesses you with a strong faith and all the graces needed to persevere in the True Faith, and that your struggles are soon replaced by His healing and hope.

there are many things that you can do to grow closer to God. i would begin with checking out the resources that i gave you—i know a great number of them, so if you’d ever like more, please let me know, and i will definitely find some more good ones that i hope and pray will help you immensely. 🙂 i would also start with praying the Rosary daily, saying the Divine Mercy Chaplet daily, persevering in prayer and in attending Mass, frequent reception of the Sacraments and time spent before the Blessed Sacrament, fasting if it is a possibility for you and reading Scripture. all of these things will definitely help you to grow closer to God, to know the depth and passion of His eternal Love for you, and to grow to know and love Him more. definitely continue what you are doing, and please don’t ever give up hope, or let your doubts and questions overwhelm or discourage you. the closer you get to God, the more desperately Satan will want to see you fall—so if you start to experience more difficulties in your faith, it may be a case of spiritual warfare, so please let us know immediately. i will definitely keep you in my constant thoughts and deepest prayers, welsh91, in all of the ways that i have mentioned.

please stay strong, please stay safe and please take care of yourself. know that you are far from alone in this, and that everyone here is always here for you, to help you and support you and lift you up in every way, never to tear you down. know that you are in my thoughts and prayers, and that you are forever a deeply beloved and precious child of God. God bless you! ❤️ 🙂 ❤️

love,
in the peace and love of Christ,
alison ❤️
 
There is a massive treasure trove of writings in the church going back 2,000 yrs. I would suggest reading the books by the saints, early fathers, doctors of the church and popes. I found that I started reading the works by the man on the following link - escrivaworks.org/ and it has led me on a wonderful journey of accumulating knowledge of the truth. I’m not a genius by any stretch of the imagination but everything I have, even if it’s little, can be attributed to the work of this man. Perhaps you will find the same experience. Millions have.👍 🙂
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top