What should I do with my life?

[mognar]

I guess I am having a bit of crisis. For I don’t know what should I do with my life. It seems to me that if Christianity is true, as I believe it is, there is not much reason to get attached to anything in this life, and the most reasonable thing to do is to focus on the faith and trying to live as good christian. So I guess, maybe I should become a priest. But then, the life on earth seems to me just like a waiting room for heaven. Which I find somehow depressing. But If Christianity is not true, and there is no afterlife, then I see no point in living at all ! I like the idea of becoming a priest or a monk, but in the same time I like the idea of getting married and starting a family. I think all the options I have would probably make me equally happy and equally depressed. I feel like I am standing in the middle of nowhere, having nowhere to go, just waiting for heaven.
What advice would you give me ?

 

[AKDee]

I think if you’re called to the priesthood, you will know it. If you’re unsure, I think you might pray for discernment. Actually, you should pray for discernment regardless, and ask the Lord what his will is for your life. And if you’re not sure how to hear the answer, maybe talk to your Parish priest about it and see what he says. Very likely he went through a similar situation and will have some particularly good advice.

 

[Simca]

I guess I am having a bit of crisis. For I don’t know what should I do with my life. It seems to me that if Christianity is true, as I believe it is, there is not much reason to get attached to anything in this life, and the most reasonable thing to do is to focus on the faith and trying to live as good christian. So I guess, maybe I should become a priest. But then, the life on earth seems to me just like a waiting room for heaven. Which I find somehow depressing. But If Christianity is not true, and there is no afterlife, then I see no point in living at all ! I like the idea of becoming a priest or a monk, but in the same time I like the idea of getting married and starting a family. I think all the options I have would probably make me equally happy and equally depressed. I feel like I am standing in the middle of nowhere, having nowhere to go, just waiting for heaven.
What advice would you give me ?

Gosh, I feel like this all of the time, and I’m much older than you. All I can say, is that whomever God puts in your path, love and care for them with all of your heart, and treat them with the love of God. That’s His will: that we love one another.

You may marry, you may not; you may become a priest, you may not. Remember Proverbs 3:3&4, ‘‘Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not rely on your own insight; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will direct your paths.’’

There is no simple answer to your question, but know that as long as you put God first, as you are doing, he will indeed direct your path. He will probably not strike you with a bolt of lightning and explicitly tell you what he wants you to do. But if you start going in the wrong direction, he will guide you back. Trust in Him and the people/things he puts in your path. Do this with a lot of prayer. If there is something definite that God wants you to do, He will be faithful to reveal it to you. But for now, my advice would be to just go with the flow and bring the love of God to those He puts in your path.

 

[KD8TZC]

Maybe find yourself a spiritual director… a good place to start is with your local pastor and tell him what you have shared here. He should be able to direct you.

To be honest though, I think many of us feel similar things at various points in our life.

PAX

John

 

[Joe_5859]

Life on earth is less like a doctor’s waiting room and more like the animated short that plays before the feature film.

In other words, life on earth is not just about us staring at the wall, maybe flipping through a magazine and basically just killing time until we get to heaven.

No, human history is the very drama of salvation. Jesus came and lived a life on earth and suffered and died and rose to open those very gates of heaven. We are not just idle spectators wasting time. Our path towards sanctification and spending eternity with God in heaven starts now. And we work to bring as many people along with us as we can.

Look at Jesus Himself. He spent thirty years in utter obscurity, likely working alongside St. Joseph in the carpenter’s shop for a fair portion of that time.

We don’t need to dedicate our career choices to explicitly spiritual things in order to live lives that are directed towards God. Anything we do (provided it is not intrinsically immoral, of course) can help build the kingdom. Say you’re an accountant. Well, the Church has to juggle a lot of financial issues in order to maintain Her ministries. Maybe you like to write. The Church always needs people who can effectively articulate the truths of the faith.

The Church also needs carpenters to make the pews that people sit on when going to Holy Mass, and plumbers who will keep the bathrooms functioning properly, and computer literate people who can effectively reach out to the “digital natives”. We are many parts but all one body.

But even apart from direct support of the Church, anything we do, no matter how small, can help build the Kingdom. Even priests have to deal with mundane realities like cutting the grass, laundry, cooking, cleaning, maintenance, etc. Even if we’re not called to do great things, we can do small things with great love. And that makes all the difference in the world.

The drama of our lives may be very ordinary, but it is never boring.

 

[JamalChristophr]

You should pray.

Pray for light. Pray to know God’s Will for your life.

There is a saying:

“My peace is in His Will.”

 

[TK421]

Earth isn’t a waiting room for Heaven. It is the most pivotal point in a person’s existence, because for a brief time, the world is not locked into place. St Therese said that she would spend her Heaven doing good on Earth, because Earth is where the action is. That is why the part of the Church that exists on Earth is called the Church militant. There is no struggle in Heaven, because everybody around you has been purged of all evil, and they are unceasingly succoring one another (and Earth) with tenderness. Hell is nothing but struggle, because its residents are unceasingly assaulting & blaming each other, and it is struggle without hope or accomplishment.

 

[mariemargaret]

II think all the options I have would probably make me equally happy and equally depressed. I feel like I am standing in the middle of nowhere, having nowhere to go, just waiting for heaven.
What advice would you give me ?

I would advise you, like others, to keep your focus on discerning what God’s plan is for you here on earth. Your comment about either option making you equally happy or depressed is beside the point; and I would caution you to avoid looking for what will make you feel either happy or depressed. That may lead you away from what God is calling you to. Great joy can be found in discerning and working towards God’s will for you, but it may not look like something that will make you happy from the start.

I think that comment about loving the people that God puts in your path is right on. Pray about it and get out there and do something that is loving and good, and adjust it as you feel God guiding you.

 

[JimR-OCDS]

I guess I am having a bit of crisis. For I don’t know what should I do with my life. It seems to me that if Christianity is true, as I believe it is, there is not much reason to get attached to anything in this life, and the most reasonable thing to do is to focus on the faith and trying to live as good christian. So I guess, maybe I should become a priest. But then, the life on earth seems to me just like a waiting room for heaven. Which I find somehow depressing. But If Christianity is not true, and there is no afterlife, then I see no point in living at all ! I like the idea of becoming a priest or a monk, but in the same time I like the idea of getting married and starting a family. I think all the options I have would probably make me equally happy and equally depressed. I feel like I am standing in the middle of nowhere, having nowhere to go, just waiting for heaven.
What advice would you give me ?

You’re trying to decide whether or not to join a religion. This isn’t faith.

We can’t give you faith, only Jesus Christ can do that.

Faith isn’t a choice like belief. You can choose to believe, but not have faith. Even Satan believes in Jesus Christ.

Faith on the other hand must come from the source of faith, Jesus Christ himself.

Faith is a gift, it it’s Jesus revelation of Himself, however that may happen.

The only thing you can do is be open to faith by going to Jesus and surrendering yourself to Him.

In other words, you must die to self and be born again.

This can only happen from the faith Jesus gives us.

So, if you desire faith, go to Jesus and ask for him for it.

Jim