Where was God?

[wjp984]

First of all, I highly doubt you committed murder so I don’t think you have broken every commandment but are you really sure God didn’t answer your prayer? I mean, what is your definition of a sign? Here is the definitions I got from dictionary.com and if you consider definitions 1, 2 in paticular and perhaps even 4 or 5 or 10 if you stretch it to relate to your life. Think about it. Are you really so sure God didn’t give you a sign?

1. a token; indication.
2. any object, action, event, pattern, etc., that conveys a meaning.
3. a conventional or arbitrary mark, figure, or symbol used as an abbreviation for the word or words it represents.
4. a motion or gesture used to express or convey an idea, command, decision, etc.: Her nod was a sign that it was time to leave.
5. a notice, bearing a name, direction, warning, or advertisement, that is displayed or posted for public view: a traffic sign; a store sign.
6. a trace; vestige: There wasn’t a sign of them.
7. an arbitrary or conventional symbol used in musical notation to indicate tonality, tempo, etc.
8. Medicine/Medical. the objective indications of a disease.
9. any meaningful gestural unit belonging to a sign language.
10. an omen; portent: a sign of approaching decadence

 

[wjp984]

The point is from the information you gave in your post you gave God a whole lot of leeway in answering your prayer in a way that best fit you. You are back in the Catholic Church and you are sorry for your sins and you are now hopefully a good practicing Catholic. Seems like the prayer was answered to me. Did you place any time limit on this prayer? Perhaps it took this many years for you to realize you were wrong and desired the Catholic Church. And about the guilt? Think of it this way. Were you really that happy all those years or was there a lot of misery, confusion, depression, or any ther kind of suffering? Why have guilt. God forgives you and now you can live a happier life and have already made atonement partially by suffering through the years when you perhaps could have been closer to God. Now you are more knowledgable and ready to return back to God. And about the why didn’t God give you a sign earlier? Do you really think you would have been capable of understanind it if he did? You might have met that boy and been like, oh this is so unfair and I am going to do this sin anyways. Then you would feel even more guilty about breaking the rules and going against God in ways that you fully understood. God allowed you to make your mistakes though and willingly choose to be sorry and now be a good Catholic.

 

[tptram]

God was right beside you for the years past.
His mercy keeps you alive, although wounded by sins that you committed, but still alive.
His constant beckonings, whisperings calling you back.

The sins are like arrows that impaled in your flesh.
With Reconcilation, they have been removed but the holes still there. The guilty feelings are the holes. With prayers (balms) and Eucharist (nutrition), you will recover and healed.

St. Paul was converted rather dramatically.
It took a few tries before St Peter decided to follow Jesus.
And he denied the Lord 3 times.

My re-conversion to the CC took a year.

Hang in there.
Remember the Foot Prints poster?

Tak

 

[myfavoritmartin]

As I mentioned earlier the Kingdom of God is about rightousness peace and joy. Rightousness in the nature of God’s compassion, peace in God’s will and Joy in his presence.

Romans 14:17

1 sam 8:7

Please don’t remove this post, I am giving the best present one can give another, scripture;the Word of God.

Lord, in all that we know you are! we pray for your guidance for our dear friend, in your wisdom and love and compassion we know you’ll pull him in! you’ll bring him to you as long as he desires being with you with the eyes of his heart. Thank you Lord for your Love and compassion.

 

[Kendy]

Kendy,

If teaching RCIA is not something you can do right now, maybe you could look into doing prison ministry, or bereivment counseling, or pro-life work.

Whenever we feel down about things and feel like God doesn’t hear us or isn’t listening, the best thing to do is focus our attention on others who are suffering. I believe it was Mother Theresa who said she saw the face of Jesus in the suffering around her.

I pray you find peace during this difficult time.

I am doing pro-life work, and I am trying to teach RCIA.

 

[Kendy]

First of all, I highly doubt you committed murder so I don’t think you have broken every commandment

Abortion is murder.

but are you really sure God didn’t answer your prayer? I mean, what is your definition of a sign? Here is the definitions I got from dictionary.com and if you consider definitions 1, 2 in paticular and perhaps even 4 or 5 or 10 if you stretch it to relate to your life. Think about it. Are you really so sure God didn’t give you a sign?

1. a token; indication.
2. any object, action, event, pattern, etc., that conveys a meaning.
3. a conventional or arbitrary mark, figure, or symbol used as an abbreviation for the word or words it represents.
4. a motion or gesture used to express or convey an idea, command, decision, etc.: Her nod was a sign that it was time to leave.
5. a notice, bearing a name, direction, warning, or advertisement, that is displayed or posted for public view: a traffic sign; a store sign.
6. a trace; vestige: There wasn’t a sign of them.
7. an arbitrary or conventional symbol used in musical notation to indicate tonality, tempo, etc.
8. Medicine/Medical. the objective indications of a disease.
9. any meaningful gestural unit belonging to a sign language.
10. an omen; portent: a sign of approaching decadence

I cannot now or then remember anyway that God answered my prayer. I was very confused about the church, but I wanted to stay close to God and I asked him if I could do that better in a baptist church. I got no clear answer so I concluded that since I felt more welcomed and closer to the bible in a baptist church that’s where I should be. There was not a signle person or thing that made me wonder otherwise.

Kendy

 

[Marilena]

I realize this is not the best place to put this, but I am not sure which place is best, and I kinda like this crowd.

It occured to me last week that God has not been answering some pretty important prayers. And specifically, a prayer I made 11 years ago before I left the church. I remember feeling confused and I spent hours in the chapel asking God what to do, should I leave the catholic church and become a baptist? During that time, I had spent all summer going to a baptist church, but the year was starting and it was time to start teaching catechism (which I didn’t know myself), and so I had to make up my mind. Do I want to go back to teaching catechism or go the a baptist church. I was very confused, and in upset. I prayed, “God what should I do?” But to this day, I can’t remember getting a sign from God.

Finally, I decided that I had too many doubts and I should talk to sister (the DRE) about them and at least challenge the church. She was very upset with me, and said that I could not keep teaching catechism, and I agreed, but she didn’t do anything to help me understand the church. I was in tears because it was a tough decisions, and I wanted her to tell lme why the church wasn’t teaching the bible. But she did nothing to make me undertstand other than to say, “We can’t be fundamentalists.” She didn’t try to make me stay in the church. None of my fellow catechists got in touch with me to see why I had left. Everyone just let me walk away, and I feel, including God.

I was happily active in my baptist church for about a year, and then I met a boy fell into sin and became consumed by guilt. I went to my minister and I told him I felt very disconnected to God and I wanted to hear from Him. He tried to help me but I was a little stubborn; I wanted a sign or something. I prayed that I would feel connected to God again, but nothing, and slowly, I drifted further and further, and I can’t remember God intervening in any way to stop me.

During the years, I was gone, I broke every commandment. I did lots of things to screw up my life, and lately, as I try to put the pieces together, I can’t help but feel like God just allowed me to run away from home. And no one in my parish lifted a finger to stop. My parents were like, you want to be a baptist, go ahead! It about six years years before I had instances where I knew God was calling me back, but by that time, I was so deep into my sinful lifestyle that I really was not interested.

I guess, I am telling you this because I am a little bitter. I realized that I am at fault for all my sins, but I keep thinking how different would my life had been if 11 years ago when I was in the chapel asking God what to do, if he had sent me some help?

Kendy

perhaps He was listening to you, but did you hear Him? did you open your heart to listen to His answer? Sometimes the answer is in plain sight and we don’t listen to God.

All of us have fallen into sin at some point in our lives, but it is up to us to rectify it, and make things right with God. i feel that your being here is a step on the road to making things right with Him.

Jesus Himself says, let he who is without sin cast the first stone. Yes, iam a sinner, and i know it. we are all sinners,.
it sounds to me like your wanting to come home. call a priest
and have a long talk with him. Tell him your concerns, tell him what you told us.

The road back can be very hard indeed, but Christ is worth the effort isn’t He? look what He did for us! look at me! I lived a life of sin, i got involved in false religion, ( jw’s ) and it took me a long time to come home, but i did.

Sometimes we expect and demand things of God. God has purposes for us all. sometimes He allows things to happen for a reason. He refines us, and He reproves us. We must recognize that God can do this, and we also must recognize that God is merciful and loving.

Call upon a priest and have a long talk with him. Talk to your family as well. You’ll get alot of support here at CAF. Just remember, Jesus is calling you home, are you ready to come back? I think you are.

Merry Christmas, and God bless you.

 

[Kendy]

The point is from the information you gave in your post you gave God a whole lot of leeway in answering your prayer in a way that best fit you.

Well, I am pretty sure He realized I was asking whether I should leave the church now.

Why have guilt. God forgives you and now you can live a happier life and have already made atonement partially by suffering through the years when you perhaps could have been closer to God.

It’s more the regret of everything. I regret ten years of my life. I feel like I wasted ten years. That every move I made is wrong, and every road brought me here to a place I don’t really want to be. And so, likre most people, when you are where you don’t want to be, you start thinking, How did I get here? Where did I make the wrong turn?

Now you are more knowledgable and ready to return back to God. And about the why didn’t God give you a sign earlier? Do you really think you would have been capable of understanind it if he did? You might have met that boy and been like, oh this is so unfair and I am going to do this sin anyways. Then you would feel even more guilty about breaking the rules and going against God in ways that you fully understood. God allowed you to make your mistakes though and willingly choose to be sorry and now be a good Catholic.

Maybe, I would have made the same decisions anyway, but I feel like I was not given a fair chance. My confirmation teacher who was a priest told me to pursue my lesbian feelings, which weren’t even that strong, just teenage confusion which I eventually got over, but not before “trying it out a little.”

My parents were like, “whatever.” I was a 16 year-old trying to understand the bible with no help. I left the church without even realizing that there was a difference between catholic and protestant communion. I was in my mid-twenties before I had heard the word Transubstantion.

But the worst part is the year before I left, I was praying very hard. I really wanted to know God. I was so excited about God’s love, but I was also incredibly alone. There was no one teaching the faith, and no one to share my passion with.

Kendy

 

[FCEGM]

Well, I am pretty sure He realized I was asking whether I should leave the church now.

It’s more the regret of everything. I regret ten years of my life. I feel like I wasted ten years. That every move I made is wrong, and every road brought me here to a place I don’t really want to be. And so, likre most people, when you are where you don’t want to be, you start thinking, How did I get here? Where did I make the wrong turn?

Maybe, I would have made the same decisions anyway, but I feel like I was not given a fair chance. My confirmation teacher who was a priest told me to pursue my lesbian feelings, which weren’t even that strong, just teenage confusion which I eventually got over, but not before “trying it out a little.”

My parents were like, “whatever.” I was a 16 year-old trying to understand the bible with no help. I left the church without even realizing that there was a difference between catholic and protestant communion. I was in my mid-twenties before I had heard the word Transubstantion.

But the worst part is the year before I left, I was praying very hard. I really wanted to know God. I was so excited about God’s love, but I was also incredibly alone. There was no one teaching the faith, and no one to share my passion with.

Kendy

Kendy, you were certainly ill-served in your Christian formation in your youth, and some, I think, will have much to answer for in not attending to your spiritual well-being and that of others (millstones around the neck and all that). As for your seeming unheard prayers and your years away from God, I think you and all of us can take heart that the whole story of the Chosen People and their struggles - with them often falling into idolatry - can be condensed into our own lives. How often do you think they wondered where God was? But in His Providence it was only through the darkness of the years wandering in the desert that they slowly came to be - though still weak and prone to infidelity - the People through which the Savior would come to all Peoples.

You wandered, you sinned, yet here you are back home in your Father’s Kingdom. We would all prefer to be as some of the Saints who, such as St. Therese of the Child Jesus, never committed a mortal sin. Yet most of us are like St. Augustine or Bl. Matt Talbott who spent long years in the desert of temptation. Some He strengthens through purity of life, others through the humiliations of infidelity. He, alone, knows what is best for each soul. We can only trust His Providence has brought us to this point in our lives and that it will be with us as we continue in Hope for the fulfillment of all He desires for us. Now you are taking what you have learned through your own sinfulness and humiliations to those you meet, letting Him reach out to them through you. Live, then, in Hope, not in self-recrimination which is a fruitless exercise and a temptation in itself.

 

[Kendy]

Kendy, you were certainly ill-served in your Christian formation in your youth, and some, I think, will have much to answer for in not attending to your spiritual well-being and that of others (millstones around the neck and all that). As for your seeming unheard prayers and your years away from God, I think you and all of us can take heart that the whole story of the Chosen People and their struggles - with them often falling into idolatry - can be condensed into our own lives. How often do you think they wondered where God was? But in His Providence it was only through the darkness of the years wandering in the desert that they slowly came to be - though still weak and prone to infidelity - the People through which the Savior would come to all Peoples.

You wandered, you sinned, yet here you are back home in your Father’s Kingdom. We would all prefer to be as some of the Saints who, such as St. Therese of the Child Jesus, never committed a mortal sin. Yet most of us are like St. Augustine or Bl. Matt Talbott who spent long years in the desert of temptation. Some He strengthens through purity of life, others through the humiliations of infidelity. He, alone, knows what is best for each soul. We can only trust His Providence has brought us to this point in our lives and that it will be with us as we continue in Hope for the fulfillment of all He desires for us. Now you are taking what you have learned through your own sinfulness and humiliations to those you meet, letting Him reach out to them through you. Live, then, in Hope, not in self-recrimination which is a fruitless exercise and a temptation in itself.

Thanks, I don’t know what’s wrong with me today. I am not having a merry christmas.

 

[Prayer_Warrior]

Kendy,

I do not doubt that God was with you the whole time. As others have said, He may have answered you, but in your confusion you did not hear. It may be that He is answering you now and that you needed to suffer some trials before you could do the work He has planned for you. You’ve made some terrible mistakes, as we all do. I assume that since you came back you went to confession, but you are still carrying the guilt and pain. You must accept the forgiveness of Our Lord. He has forgiven you for everything you did during those ten years. Of course, you’re right to do penance. Fasting and prayer and indulgences will remit temporal punishment…but do these things with a clear conscience that knows you have been forgiven. Let the guilt go and do your good works out of love for God. Know that with your pro-life work you may be preventing many, many women from making the mistake you did (at least that was the implication from your previous post, sorry if I misunderstood). Do your RCIA work with your whole heart knowing that you are educating people firmly in their faith…so that they don’t walk away as you did for a while.

Though God does not want us to sin, He permits it. And He knows, ahead of time, who is going to turn it around. He knew that you would come full circle. He knew you would come back and do the type of work you are doing. Had you not gone astray, could you honestly say that you would be teaching RCIA or doing pro-life work? You just have no way of knowing of course. But God knew then and He knows now what is next for you.

I’m so sorry you are having a “blue” Christmas. If you haven’t already, go to the Lord in the Blessed Sacrament. Offer every bit of pain you are feeling up to the Lord. Join your suffering to His suffering. Then “go forth and sin no more”. Don’t carry even a bit of all this with you, except for the lessons learned. Easier said than done, I know. But give it a try.

God Bless You, Kendy, for your active work in the Church and pro-life movement. If you feel you are suffering from some depression, seek a good Catholic counsellor. Also, I know that if you did have an abortion, there is help at an organization called Rachel’s Vinyard. Hope this helps.

 

[Kendy]

Kendy,

I do not doubt that God was with you the whole time. As others have said, He may have answered you, but in your confusion you did not hear. It may be that He is answering you now and that you needed to suffer some trials before you could do the work He has planned for you. You’ve made some terrible mistakes, as we all do. I assume that since you came back you went to confession, but you are still carrying the guilt and pain. You must accept the forgiveness of Our Lord. He has forgiven you for everything you did during those ten years. Of course, you’re right to do penance. Fasting and prayer and indulgences will remit temporal punishment…but do these things with a clear conscience that knows you have been forgiven. Let the guilt go and do your good works out of love for God. Know that with your pro-life work you may be preventing many, many women from making the mistake you did (at least that was the implication from your previous post, sorry if I misunderstood). Do your RCIA work with your whole heart knowing that you are educating people firmly in their faith…so that they don’t walk away as you did for a while.

Though God does not want us to sin, He permits it. And He knows, ahead of time, who is going to turn it around. He knew that you would come full circle. He knew you would come back and do the type of work you are doing. Had you not gone astray, could you honestly say that you would be teaching RCIA or doing pro-life work? You just have no way of knowing of course. But God knew then and He knows now what is next for you.

I’m so sorry you are having a “blue” Christmas. If you haven’t already, go to the Lord in the Blessed Sacrament. Offer every bit of pain you are feeling up to the Lord. Join your suffering to His suffering. Then “go forth and sin no more”. Don’t carry even a bit of all this with you, except for the lessons learned. Easier said than done, I know. But give it a try.

God Bless You, Kendy, for your active work in the Church and pro-life movement. If you feel you are suffering from some depression, seek a good Catholic counsellor. Also, I know that if you did have an abortion, there is help at an organization called Rachel’s Vinyard. Hope this helps.

Thank You.

 

[Eden]

Kendy, I have a program you might want to listen to, “Sunday Night Live” with Fr. Benedict Groeschel from EWTN. I don’t know if you have an iPod, but I listened to a program Fr. Groeschel did - a whole hour - on just this topic since he said he gets lots of inquiries about why prayers sometimes seem to not be answered. You don’t have to have an iPod to listen, since you can listen from iTunes right on your computer, it just makes it easier for me to direct you to the right place if you do. I really think this program will help you through this. I’m going to do some research and will, hopefully, be back with a link soon.

 

[water]

Thanks, I don’t know what’s wrong with me today. I am not having a merry christmas.

Why shouldn’t you have a merry Christmas knowing that God is mercy, knowing that God has taken you back to His path – this is more than you ever wanted. Trust in God’s mercy that He has forgiven you whatever you had done wrong in the past.

Do not allow the thought of not having a merry Christmas in your mind. Accept the fact that God has answered and brought you back to the Church.

Don’t you agree with me that Satan is trying to make you feel miserable and not believing in God’s Mercy.

Sometimes we might upset God more with our own doubt about His Great Mercy than the sins we had committed.

Rejoice my friend and pray with the chaplet of Divine Mercy.

 

[puzzleannie]

I .

I guess, I am telling you this because I am a little bitter. I realized that I am at fault for all my sins, but I keep thinking how different would my life had been if 11 years ago when I was in the chapel asking God what to do, if he had sent me some help?

Kendy

is it possible the God did speak to you many times during those years, through many people, the DRE, other catechists, the children you taught, the priests at our church, your baptist minister, your fellow baptists, family members, etc. yet you did not hear or understand the message? or that you heard and understood the message but chose to disregard it? I am reminded of the OT story of the prophet who waited to hear God speak, he listened to the storm, the wind, the fire, the tempest, yet when God did speak it was only in a still small voice.

 

[Kendy]

Kendy, I have a program you might want to listen to, “Sunday Night Live” with Fr. Benedict Groeschel from EWTN. I don’t know if you have an iPod, but I listened to a program Fr. Groeschel did - a whole hour - on just this topic since he said he gets lots of inquiries about why prayers sometimes seem to not be answered. You don’t have to have an iPod to listen, since you can listen from iTunes right on your computer, it just makes it easier for me to direct you to the right place if you do. I really think this program will help you through this. I’m going to do some research and will, hopefully, be back with a link soon.

Thanks.

 

[Kendy]

Why shouldn’t you have a merry Christmas knowing that God is mercy, knowing that God has taken you back to His path – this is more than you ever wanted. Trust in God’s mercy that He has forgiven you whatever you had done wrong in the past.

Do not allow the thought of not having a merry Christmas in your mind. Accept the fact that God has answered and brought you back to the Church.

Don’t you agree with me that Satan is trying to make you feel miserable and not believing in God’s Mercy.

Sometimes we might upset God more with our own doubt about His Great Mercy than the sins we had committed.

Rejoice my friend and pray with the chaplet of Divine Mercy.

I know that God has forgiven, but years of promiscuity, material excess, vain ambition, and abortion has seriously damaged my life. I feel like I have destroyed my own house, and don’t have the strength to rebuilt it. I don’t know where to start.

Kendy

 

[Kendy]

is it possible the God did speak to you many times during those years, through many people, the DRE, other catechists, the children you taught, the priests at our church, your baptist minister, your fellow baptists, family members, etc. yet you did not hear or understand the message? or that you heard and understood the message but chose to disregard it? I am reminded of the OT story of the prophet who waited to hear God speak, he listened to the storm, the wind, the fire, the tempest, yet when God did speak it was only in a still small voice.

Well, maybe, he did speak, I didn’t hear it. Is it my fault I don’t speak God?

Kendy

 

[Kendy]

Okay, Gotta go catch an airplane. Thanks for all your kindness. I will speak to you guys later.

 

[puzzleannie]

Well, maybe, he did speak, I didn’t hear it. Is it my fault I don’t speak God?

Kendy

very good!
God speaks our language, though, so that’s one good thing. Where would we have been without Moses and all those other guys who do speak God!