When you have to step back

[JoyToTheWhirled]

Abortion is a really current topic right now. I am unapologetically pro life in my views. Most of my friends, atheist and Christian alike, are pro choice.
Most of my online haunts are inundated with discussion about this, and I find it particularly pernicious to every day read how very important ‘abortion rights’ are. I realized today that the glib repetition of this phrase is actually making me feel a little bit sick every time I see it.
I am a vary rational, calm individual, and I’m not given to tantrums. But I am finding myself hemmed in on all sides by this awful, awful presentation of something I find truly horrifying - the deliberate extermination of children - as a noble, human rights based crusade of righteousness. It’s a bit like watching a big group of people you respect greatly pressing for all schools to be demolished and children sent down the mines and up chimneys again. Only, obviously, even more horrific. You can’t quite believe that decent, generally pleasant people would ever think that was a great idea.

This is how a voice gets silenced. The sheer weight of the opposition, the incessant accusations of misogyny, and a genuine need to be able to raise my family and do my job without being in tears every day over what is championed by these groups. I am clinging to Christ with every last fibre of my being because to exist in a world where the secular worldview prevails is so horrible I don’t know how I would function. So I am not giving up, but there is a point at which a lone voice has to retreat and recuperate.
I often think of Christ, who gave out all the time in His three years of ministry, trying time and again to retreat privately for prayer, and people kept finding Him again. It is ok to try and step back from battle for a time, isn’t it?

 

[Elizabeth3]

It is ok to try and step back from battle for a time, isn’t it?

Yes. You’re absolutely right. Christ, too, in His humanity had to step away. It does get exhausting when people are entrenched in defending their position (even if it’s wrong) and the tenacity with which they hold it can seem so impenetrable. Make sure you are only taking on your part of the burden though. Sometimes we feel as if it will all come crashing down if we don’t shoulder the load ourselves. It is Christ who is ultimately in charge and nothing happens without His permissive will. We have to trust in Him and His wisdom, not our own. Love your husband and your babies. That is your main vocation. You don’t have to let them silence you. God’s voice is the still, small voice that is sometimes barely a whisper. Good is always more powerful than evil, even when it’s not loud and bright and obvious. Trust in that.

 

[Mtdobbs]

Burn out is a real thing and it can have really negative effects on the entire body. Being in a constant state of distress causes the stress chemicals/hormones to never dissipate properly. This can lead to an elevated risk of mental/physical illness. Take breaks! Be honest about when you need those breaks. Purposely taking breaks when you decide will be more beneficial than burning out and not being able to decide.

 

[IsaiahSpirit]

I’m in solidarity with you. And by all means recover and with prudence
reach out to who you are able.
Please offer a prayer for me. As it turns out, providence put me in a position
where the Sacredness of Life, with the new Evangelization with
The Gospel of Life is my main witness. I now live as a bachelor.
But I can truly empathize with your pain living in a world that has rejected The Gospel
in such a vast way. Being inundated with rejection, reticence, and being brushed
aside is extremely painful when Jesus Christ, through devout Teachers, and
Teachings of The Church, by The Grace of God by His Holy Spirit shines
an unshakable Light to convey this necessity, often pushed to the background;
or even ignored. And when you have heart certain clergy who shall remain nameless,
express pandering ideas and fear of reprisals from the Hierarchy; after encountering
other clergy who speak with Holy Spirit inspired compassion and courage;
it does give one pause to reflect, pray earnestly, offer it all up to God —
and strive to find prudent ways to continue to ask, seek, and knock.
I also know some of my pain is from my personal life’s decisions;
and I need to do better.
I take comfort that I strive to cooperate with His Grace; that Jesus Christ did all this perfectly; and many Saints suffered much for The Gospel.
So I pray, that The Lord opens doors of opportunity, and that no matter how successful
I am personally; God uses my suffering. It has a purpose.
I can see by what you wrote that you are aware of these things;
but I share for the sake of solidarity with thanksgiving to God;
and appreciation of your sharing.
And there are devout public figures who suffer much for the same reasons.
Peace, warm regards,
thank you very much;
and God Bless you and yours.

---

O Dear God,
please raise awareness of the need to help in this dire need
in the new Evangelization. Help us to have the Holy Spirit inspired
will expressed by John Cardinal O’Conner,
“It is my very sincere prayer that if I live
for a week, if I live for 20 years, my last
breath will be in support of the sacredness
of every human life.”
and John Paul ii;
"A great prayer for life is urgently needed, a prayer which will rise up throughout the world. Through special initiatives and in daily prayer, may an impassioned plea rise to God, the Creator and lover of life, from every Christian community, from every group and association, from every family and from the heart of every believer.”
and The Sisters of Life;
“As the Lord continues to bless our community, we eagerly await how He will continue to reveal this charism of Life ‘even to the ends of the earth.’”
Amen.

 

[Elf01]

I understand how you feel @JoytotheWhirled. To have something so terrible described as a right is sickening. I would expect a Christian to follow Thou Shalt not Kill and an atheist to realize that an unborn human is a member of the species homo sapiens and if born members of that species should not be killed then unborn members should not be killed either. Even if there is genuine doubt is it not reasonable to err on the side of caution?

 

[Dlee]

Christ retreated to the desert for 40 days, he retreated to pray the night before his betrayal. Even Noah took a 40 day retreat, out of necessity. Jonah’s time in the belly of the whale was a retreat. Go ahead, step back, pray and refresh.

 

[Delphinus]

Taking a break is not only a very healthy thing to do, but Biblical as well. Even Jesus spent some time alone - I’d imagine he needed breaks from time to time with all the darkness he saw around him, even in his own beloved disciples!

I too have had to take a step back. I cannot rationally defend life after the birth of my baby. I feel physically ill anytime someone talk about it or treats it so flippantly. The recent comments by that comedienne (Wolf, I think) literally drove me to tears…though my son loved it because we got a lot of extra cuddles in that night. Maybe someday I can jump back in, but for now I’m just focusing on loving my sweet baby.

 

[joeybaggz]

Two things I suggest you remember.
One, you are not responsible for either “winning or losing”. In the end, the Lord will judge all on their lives. I think when that day comes, you will see a smile on His face when he looks at you. So don’t let it exhaust you; and don’t ever give up your beliefs.
Two, a saying from Bishop Sheen; “a lie is a lie even if everyone believes it, and the truth is the truth even if no one believes it.” Jesus said, I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life, never turn you back on His truth.
Shalom

 

[joeybaggz]

Most of my friends, atheist and Christian alike, are pro choice.

Maybe you need some new friends??

 

[Limoncello4021]

You’ve expressed it well. Even at my (nominally) Catholic workplace I am surrounded by pro-choice and pro-LGBTQ ideology. I mostly just keep my mouth shut, but I am resentful at the silencing.
Abortion is horrifying to me too, and I struggle very hard to try to understand people who see it as not only a “right” but a positive good.
About the only conclusion I come to is that our sufferings are part of the sufferings of Christ, He is allowing them, and He is in control no matter how bleak things look. Trust.