Where does free will end and grace begin?

[clintbranam]

I converted to Catholicism three years ago and believe I’ve received much grace since then, thanks be to God. But I’ve perceived a growing resentment within myself, which I believe stems from my incessant focus on my concupiscence, sins, and complete unworthiness of God’s love. In short, I take credit for everything negative and credit God for everything good, begging Him for the grace to be pleasing to Him. From all I’ve read, that’s as it should be–but beating myself up so consistently is starting to undermine my self-worth and depress me. I wonder if it’s sustainable.

Can a man find any self-worth based on his free will beyond simply turning to God in the first place?

Is it just me or is it depressing that a man merits nothing on his own, beyond eternal hell?

Or perhaps it’s a combo or free will and grace that leads a man to be pleasing to God?

Any thoughts on this?

 

[Vico]

I converted to Catholicism three years ago and believe I’ve received much grace since then, thanks be to God. But I’ve perceived a growing resentment within myself, which I believe stems from my incessant focus on my concupiscence, sins, and complete unworthiness of God’s love. In short, I take credit for everything negative and credit God for everything good, begging Him for the grace to be pleasing to Him. From all I’ve read, that’s as it should be–but beating myself up so consistently is starting to undermine my self-worth and depress me. I wonder if it’s sustainable.

Can a man find any self-worth based on his free will beyond simply turning to God in the first place?

Is it just me or is it depressing that a man merits nothing on his own, beyond eternal hell?

Or perhaps it’s a combo or free will and grace that leads a man to be pleasing to God?

Any thoughts on this?

God gives man actual grace first. Receiving baptism brings sanctifying grace. Then, a person can freely cooperate or rebel against that grace. A person is the partial cause of the resulting eternal happiness.

Catholic Encyclopedia

Owing to the infallible decisions laid down by the Church, every orthodox theory on predestination and reprobation must keep within the limits marked out by the following theses:

a) At least in the order of execution in time (in ordine executionis) the meritorious works of the predestined are the partial cause of their eternal happiness;
b) hell cannot even in the order of intention (in ordine intentionis) have been positively decreed to the damned, even though it is inflicted on them in time as the just punishment of their misdeeds;
c) there is absolutely no predestination to sin as a means to eternal damnation.

Pohle, J. (1911). Predestination. In The Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/12378a.htm

 

[IsaiahSpirit]

Fr. Robert Spitzer of “Fr. Spitzer’s Universe,” “Credible Catholic,” and "Magis Center,’ speaks of this often. He says that if we receive a spirit of negativity anxiety, depression, and self deprecation and the like, ask for Grace because that spirit is not from God. Sure God corrects us, but God values us, so we should value ourselves. Take today’s Gospel. A Shepherd leaves the 99 sheep to go to the one who went astray, and rejoices over that sheep. God always seeks us with all of God’s Might, no matter how we subjectively ‘feel.’ Just keep letting God find you.
So just know that while God gives Grace and even Grace to cooperate with that Grace, we truly are is children, nurtured along with being corrected. It’s good to take salvation seriously and solemnly, be cheerfully diligent with The Joy of The Lord as our strength no matter what we may be enduring at any given time.
Grace helps our free will to conform, not only intellectually with God’s Ways, but how we live, more and more. Many Saints taught that if we are receiving a genuine willingness to God’s Will, with genuine affection for God, and a spirit of self giving to help neighbors, to trust that. If our freewill starts overly dwelling with anxiousness of one’s self, in negativity or depression and the like - don’t trust that.
Self reflection, prayer, mediation are good things to grow in practicing virtue and cheerful self giving virtues.
Peace.

 

[drac16]

Just remember who you are in Christ. You have a savior that loves you and He laid down His life to save you. You are one of his favorites; all His children are His favorites. Don’t try to earn your way to God’s grace, just accept it by faith. You don’t have to clean up your life so that God will love you-- He already does love you and His Spirit will continuously purify you.

 

[neophyte]

Where does free will end and grace begin?

I don’t think that they do.

 

[steve-b]

I converted to Catholicism three years ago and believe I’ve received much grace since then, thanks be to God. But I’ve perceived a growing resentment within myself, which I believe stems from my incessant focus on my concupiscence, sins, and complete unworthiness of God’s love. In short, I take credit for everything negative and credit God for everything good, begging Him for the grace to be pleasing to Him. From all I’ve read, that’s as it should be–but beating myself up so consistently is starting to undermine my self-worth and depress me. I wonder if it’s sustainable.

Can a man find any self-worth based on his free will beyond simply turning to God in the first place?

Is it just me or is it depressing that a man merits nothing on his own, beyond eternal hell?

Or perhaps it’s a combo or free will and grace that leads a man to be pleasing to God?

Any thoughts on this?

Just this thought from Peter

Peter taught Re: our faith,

we must add these 7 priorities to our faith without stopping…or we will fall.

2 Pet 1:
5 “For this very reason make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, 7 and godliness with brotherly affection , and brotherly affection with love. 8 For if these things are yours and abound, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For whoever lacks these things is blind and shortsighted and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins. 10 Therefore, brethren, be the more zealous to confirm your call and election, for if you do this you will never fall; 11 so there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”

Note: the 2nd priority is knowledge .

And we see the key idea in scripture, that goes to our own responsibilities for our actions, that is said in different ways, is

"Once one comes to the knowledge of truth" then… consequences take place good and bad for our actions… right?

Just as an observation, I don’t see much activity expended in these priorities among very many people today.

 

[John_Martin]

When a little child learns to ride a 2-wheel bike, he is excited and joyful shouting, “Daddy, Daddy, look at me; I am riding my bike!!! [giggles, laughter, smiles]”
The little child does not have eyes in the back of his head to see Daddy holding on to the seat and running behind as fast as he can to balance the child.
Daddy says, “Wow! You are really doing it well!”

When you are successful, but thinking it is all God’s Grace, forget that - instead shout with Joy, “Jesus, Father, look how well it is going for me today; I am living like you called me to live!!!”
Enjoy it. Shout your joy at being like your Father, and like your Brother.
Let God worry about running behind you with his hand on the seat (Grace, aka, Holy Spirit).
There is time enough when you are older to realize how he balanced you.

Free will is that you want to pedal and your feet can come off the pedals, rather than being forced to pedal with your feet tied to the pedals as God pushes.
Grace is that God is balancing until you realize what balance really means.
Free will is focused on something other than the focus of grace, and both are absolutely necessary.

A little child needs to pedal willfully, and a Daddy needs to balance for the child. One or the other missing, then there is no bike ridden.

 

[Latin]

A little child needs to pedal willfully, and a Daddy needs to balance for the child. One or the other missing, then there is no bike ridden.

Excellent post, good explanations, I only like add to it.

It is crucial to understand for we all have inner piece that God’s Providence always provides all the graces necessary that we all willfully pedal.
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We need to understand:
Without God’s provisions of all the graces necessary, we could not only not able to willfully pedal, we could not even able pedal at all.
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To have inner peace and with confidence look forward to our future, first we must understand; without God we can do nothing, it is His responsibility to provide us all the graces necessary for that we all willfully pedal.

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The way, we have the responsibility to feel up our motor vehicle with fuel for able to properly perform.

In the same way, it is God’s responsibility to infuse all of us with all the graces necessary which enables us that we all willfully pedal.

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If we would neglect our vehicle to feel it up with fuel, could not perform and that would be our fault.

In the same way, if God would neglect us and He would not infuse us with all the graces necessary for that we all willfully pedal, that would be His fault.

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WITHOUT GOD’S NECESSARY GRACES NO ONE COULD PEDAL AT ALL

Fundamentals of Catholic Dogma by Ludwig Ott;

The three Divine or Theological Virtues of Faith, Hope and Charity are infused with Sanctifying grace. (De fide.)

For every salutary act internal supernatural grace of God (gratia elevans) is absolutely necessary, (De fide).
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God’s call to eternal life in Heaven is supernatural, coming TOTALLY from God’s decision and surpassing ALL power of human intellect and will. – CCCS 1996-1998;

CCC 308 The truth that God is at work in all the actions of his creatures is inseparable from faith in God the Creator.
God is the first cause who operates in and through secondary causes:
"For God is at work in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.“171
Far from diminishing the creature’s dignity, this truth enhances it.
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Aquinas said, "God changes the will without forcing it . But he can change the will from the fact that he himself operates in the will as he does in nature,” De Veritatis 22:9. 31. ST I-II:112:3. 32. Gaudium et Spes 22; "being …
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CCC 298 Since God could create everything out of nothing, he can also, through the Holy Spirit, give spiritual life to sinners by creating a pure heart in them. 148
And since God was able to make light shine in darkness by his Word, he can also give the light of faith to those who do not yet know him.

There is a supernatural intervention of God in the faculties of the soul, which precedes the free act of the will, (De fide).
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If God infuses us with all the graces necessary, we all willfully pedal to Heaven.
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As our cooperation with His graces is caused by His graces, our salvation is 100 % up to God and 0 % up to us. – Of curse we all freely cooperate, caused by His graces.
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God bless

 

[clintbranam]

Thanks very much–this makes sense. I appreciate you taking time to share your thoughts on this.

 

[clintbranam]

Thanks for your response–it makes sense to not trust that negative sentiment, as you mentioned. That had crossed my mind. I appreciate you taking time to respond. I will check out Fr. Spitzer too.

 

[clintbranam]

Thanks very much for taking the time to respond–I think this is a great analogy. Perhaps I need to ease up on the internal mortification and seek a better balance in that regard. Thank you again.

 

[Vico]

…
As our cooperation with His graces is caused by His graces, our salvation is 100 % up to God and 0 % up to us. – Of curse we all freely cooperate, caused by His graces.
.
God bless

Per the dogmas of the faith, one is the partial cause of one’s own salvation in the order of execution in time, and in the case of damnation, the sole cause.