Why can't I believe? Please help

  • Thread starter Thread starter Matthew_Ruiz
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
M

Matthew_Ruiz

Guest
The oral tradition couldn’t have changed so much for the fundamentals of the faith to be false. Apparitions, healings, padre pio, I mean how could the
Y all be false? It just doesn’t make sense. I just can’t feel God in my heart. I want to but I just cant. I dont want to be an atheist. I don’t want to become an agnostic. I want to be a Christian. The morals of Christianity really appeal to me, and I just want to be a Christian. Why do you believe in god? What have you seen, what miracles have been answered? Why do you believe?
 
I believe in God because I don’t have the faith required to believe that all of creation came to be out of nothing, by random circumstance. To look at the intricacies of the universe, and examine how things could simply not have come into existence as we know them if so many different things were just slightly off from what they are (from the rotation of the earth, to the physical properties of water, to our distance from the sun), and ultimately conclude that it was all by mere chance, is akin to an archaeologist finding a handful of arrowheads and spearpoints, and concluding that they were just a handful of rocks that formed the shape they held by pure chance.

Notwithstanding the intellectual response. Ultimately, we believe through faith. Faith is a gift, and is received from the Holy Spirit. Obviously the Holy Spirit is working within you, or you would have no explaination as to why you concern yourself with this. So, with that said, when I read you “can’t feel God in your heart” a few things came to mind immediately. First was 1Kings 19:

The LORD said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by.” Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. 12 After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.

Perhaps you are looking so hard for what you THINK God is supposed to be, that you are not predisposed to recognize Him as he actually is.
 
Matthew_Ruiz said:
The morals of Christianity really appeal to me, and I just want to be a Christian. Why do you believe in god? What have you seen, what miracles have been answered? Why do you believe?
Click to expand...
I am sorry for the struggles you are experiencing, my friend. Here is a method of growing to know God:
  1. Want everyone to be able to experience happiness (contentment to intense joy) without ever losing any peace (freedom from disturbance).
  2. Set out to master being unconditionally patient and kind so that your relationships and self may experience happiness without losing any peace. I heavily recommend the first 10 days of the Love Dare.
  3. Find the solution to the following problem:
    Given ALL the following:
    -You, as a thinking, feeling, acting, living being exist in solitude (Hint: It is best to think of yourself existing as a single-celled being, similar to how you first came to be).
    -There is nothing else in existence.
    -The only method to create something, living or non-living, is to first think of it in full detail.
    -You want to experience limitless happiness without ever losing peace.
    How do you make that happen? I recommend first thinking about what are the requirements and trying to figure out how to make those happen individually. For example, one requirement: To experience a limitless happiness, one cannot know everything. Since in your initial existence you have to know everything, you will have to think of a way of sacrificing all knowledge.
Rather than why do I believe, it is why do I know?: The Morals of Jesus Christ are Absolute Truth. When lived perfectly, they maintain an unbreakable peace for every member of society, while granting the experiences of limitless happiness.

If you have any questions my friend, please ask. I thoroughly enjoy pondering how to become more simple, more vast, and a better guide to Jesus Christ and His Church.

Thoughts?
 
Matthew_Ruiz said:
The oral tradition couldn’t have changed so much for the fundamentals of the faith to be false. Apparitions, healings, padre pio, I mean how could the
Y all be false? It just doesn’t make sense. I just can’t feel God in my heart. I want to but I just cant. I dont want to be an atheist. I don’t want to become an agnostic. I want to be a Christian. The morals of Christianity really appeal to me, and I just want to be a Christian. Why do you believe in god? What have you seen, what miracles have been answered? Why do you believe?
Click to expand...
I believe for all the reasons you mention…The faith just makes too much sense to be false.

As for “feeling God in my heart” let me ask you this…

Do you feel Love for your fellow man? Do you wish the best for others? Do you seek to do good by all you know and even those you don’t know?
If the answer to these things is “yes” then I have news for you…You ALREADY “feel God in your heart” for God is Love. Read this:
1John 4:7-8
Beloved, let us love one another; for love is of God, and he who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God; for God is love.

So - what say you. Do Love??

Peace
James
 
Well I mean like when I pray. I just don’t feel what I used to. I don’t fell that presence I used to feel. That’s what I no longer have.
 
It seems that God is testing you by not allowing you to sense Him–perhaps a dark night of the soul.
 
Have you ever read about the miracles of Guadeloupe and Fatima? If not, perhaps doing so will help you regain your faith.
 
Matthew_Ruiz said:
Well I mean like when I pray. I just don’t feel what I used to. I don’t fell that presence I used to feel. That’s what I no longer have.
Click to expand...
I don’t personally know of any Christian who has not gone through this (at least not any that I believe to be telling the truth).

One of my favorite sayings is “Love is not a feeling; love is a choice”. I find it a bit ironic that your lack of feeling causes you concern is that you have lost your love of God, yet you obviously mourn the loss.

I think that it is exactly when someone goes through what you are going through that it is important to simply “stay the course”. After my reversion (20+ years absent) back to the Church, the Holy Spirit set me on fire for the faith, as often happens. Then that fire died down, and seemed to disappear for a while. It really is only now starting to rekindle.

God’s ways are not ours, and sometimes we do need to simply be still and listen for Him.
 
Matt, I’m going to assume that you are a young adult, like me. So, what you are going through is a part of growing in life. It’s not going to be easy and it will take true faith on your part. You could begin “feeling” that God exists within days, years, or possibly never again. Either way, you will need to have faith and trust. Good luck and God bless.

A. Heuchler
 
Matthew_Ruiz said:
The oral tradition couldn’t have changed so much for the fundamentals of the faith to be false. Apparitions, healings, padre pio, I mean how could the
Y all be false? It just doesn’t make sense. I just can’t feel God in my heart. I want to but I just cant. I dont want to be an atheist. I don’t want to become an agnostic. I want to be a Christian. The morals of Christianity really appeal to me, and I just want to be a Christian. Why do you believe in god? What have you seen, what miracles have been answered? Why do you believe?
Click to expand...
Why should I even want to think about God? He has given me no direct reasons to believe in his presence, and I don’t feel God in my heart like others do. But I think about him because he has created me to think about him. Hard-wired, if you will.

Why do I believe? Not because of my own experience of the supernatural. But because of the experiences of others. Because of the martyrs who died in the arenas and on crosses and on pyres. Up until then, wishing for an afterlife was just that — a wish. Now, through Jesus’ resurrection shown to contemporary eyewitnesses, they received a whole new cultural understanding of what hope really was — that our deepest wish, through belief in Christ, was actually real. It was worth relinquishing one’s life for it.

Because of little Bernadette Soubirous. Because of Jacinta, Francisco and Lucia. Because of Knock, Ireland. Because of Juan Diego. Because these stories, in the innocence of these witnesses, all deliver a message that takes my breath away and at times moves me to tears, beyond any logic or reason. They speak to the very core of who I am.

Only my creator could have fashioned me in this inexplicable way. That is why I believe.
 
Matthew_Ruiz said:
Well I mean like when I pray. I just don’t feel what I used to. I don’t fell that presence I used to feel. That’s what I no longer have.
Click to expand...
As another has already mentioned, this is not an uncommon occurrence. I often feel this “aridity” in prayer - and indeed in my life.
This is how God provides the opportunity for us to grow ever more reliant on Him. To recognize how much we truly DO need Him. Also, it affords us the opportunity to discover just how much we have grown in holiness.
It’s not unlike the child who, after going everywhere with their parents has the opportunity to go somewhere on their own. How much of the “training” they have received from their parents “stuck”?

One other point here is the matter of “Familiarity”…After a time, we can become “use to” the feeling of God being near…He becomes a part of our every day. Like an “old married couple”. They are still “deeply” in love, but their is a different tenor to their relationship…It’s not as “exciting” or “immediate” as it use to be…They are still there, still loving, still close by…but they just don’t “feel it” like they use to…

Excuse my crude efforts at analogies - I hope something in them is of help.

Peace
James
 
Thank you all so much your answers have helped me. I’m only 14 and I’m getting to that transitional phase from childhood. I have battled with this for about 8 months and only recently has taken this big of a toll on me. So just keep the answes coming
 
Matthew_Ruiz said:
Thank you all so much your answers have helped me. I’m only 14 and I’m getting to that transitional phase from childhood. I have battled with this for about 8 months and only recently has taken this big of a toll on me. So just keep the answes coming
Click to expand...
Matthew, most of us, if we’ve been honest with ourselves, have been where you are now. The first step in finding truth for yourself is to admit you don’t know it already. But if you seek God, with whatever degree of sincerity you can muster, you will find Him-or He will find you. 🙂 It’s really that simple. And I will testify that He can reveal Himself to us in such an intense and powerful, direct way as to leave you awestruck; everything you were taught about God suddenly becomes something you’ve experienced in an unimaginable, immediate way, leaving you wonder-struck, elated, at total and complete peace. But whether or not that actually happens in this life, our faith, itself, something you can actually ask for (as per Mark 9:24), is a supernatural gift that gives us continuous glimpses into the heart and mind of God. He’ll answer.
 
Hi brother 🙂

I HIGHLY recommend you read this. It’s helped me ALOT.

Blessings 🙂
 
Mathew, do a search for Gary Habermas minimal facts theory where he show that even with the facts that even critical scholars of the new testament believe that the empty tomb of Christ is a historic fact, and once the empty tomb is accepted by the majority of new testament scholars whether they are pro christian or not, the only explanation that fits the empty tomb is the resurrection of Christ.

The disciples who abandoned Christ and were fearful wimps suddenly were transformed into fearless tigers who happily went to their deaths rather than betray their faith in Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior. Paul was on the Damascus road ready to persecute and kill more Christians when suddenly saw the glorified body of Christ and suddenly became a believer.

This is just one piece of evidence. The shroud of Turin is another. The most scientifically studied artifact in history which scientists even today cannot duplicate the image of Christ which many people (including me) believe was created during the resurrection process. It is the only 2d image on earth with 3d topographical information on it.

Look up Saint Joseph of Cupertino, the flying saint who levitates and even flew whenever he thought of Jesus or Mary and was seen by many people in his village doing this on many occasions and even floated before the pope.

The list goes on and on. You could be going through a dark night of the soul which I know about very well ( and still fighting through). Just know that this has also happened to some of the greatest saints like mother Teresa, saint John of the Cross etc etc etc

You are also learning now that faith is more than just feelings.
Your in my prayers my friend:)
 
Hi Matthew,

There are plenty of good reasons to believe in God, and also to be convinced of the truth of Catholicism, as others here have very ably pointed out. The Church has a rich intellectual component, which is very satisfying to the mind. However, it seems to me you want to be convinced in the heart.

Ask God to give you joy in your heart, open yourself up to Him. Put away anything in your life which is contrary to His Love and you will find a deep conviction of his presence. Read about His saints, those fiery beacons of God’s Love and joy. As you read, I hope you will find a kindling in your heart and a desire to be like them.

Never stop praying, even if, for the moment, you don’t feel anything. If you persevere, and order your life properly, this moment of dryness will pass and be superseded by something greater. Try to be joyful - you are being offered a great gift!

Praying for you - God bless.
 
Matthew_Ruiz said:
Thank you all so much your answers have helped me. I’m only 14 and I’m getting to that transitional phase from childhood. I have battled with this for about 8 months and only recently has taken this big of a toll on me. So just keep the answers coming
Click to expand...
Yes indeed…At this age so much is happening in your body, mind and spirit. It’s a tough time as you grapple with all that you are becoming aware of.
Mostly I suggest that you be patient with yourself, and with God. Trust in what you have been taught, but do keep reading good spiritual books. St Therese’s book “Story of a Soul” might be a good read. It isn’t a very big book at all and since she was such a young saint, her journey might be of special help to you.

I have found over the years that, no matter what else is troubling me, if I hang on to the idea that, “God is Love”, I can pretty much get through it.

Peace
James
 
Ring the local parish priest and arrange a time for a chat.

It does’t matter if you go to church or not. Part of the role of priests are to help us find our way with God

I do believe and go to churchbut for a time struggled and that is recent. Admittedly I get on well enough with the priest and still it took all my effort to ring. But it was worth it as saved my faith.

Priests can explain things to us and help us on our way where we try but fail. Ring and tell him what you’ve said here and hopefully he will guide you that will help you believe.

Don’t be shy about ringing a priest. They are there for all of us, not just the ones who go to church.
 
Matthew_Ruiz said:
The oral tradition couldn’t have changed so much for the fundamentals of the faith to be false. Apparitions, healings, padre pio, I mean how could the
Y all be false? It just doesn’t make sense. I just can’t feel God in my heart. I want to but I just cant. I dont want to be an atheist. I don’t want to become an agnostic. I want to be a Christian. The morals of Christianity really appeal to me, and I just want to be a Christian. Why do you believe in god? What have you seen, what miracles have been answered? Why do you believe?
Click to expand...
Matthew Ruiz,

We believe by way of grace and it is independent of feelings. By grace we are able to believe and accept that which is unseen.

Pray for grace and endurance…I will pray for you my brother.

God bless.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top