GodsThespianChic Posted April 9, 2004 Share Posted April 9, 2004 Anyone feel so completely empty in their faith right now? I feel like my faith is just leaving me...and for no particular reason. Like, I know God is there...but the more that I don't feel Him, the less I tend to believe. And I know that in my heart, I have to believe, because why else would I try soo hard to try to bring others to Christ if I didn't believe? I'm so confused and I don't know how to get out of this empty hole. If any of you guys have been through this and know how to get out of it, please tell me...I hate feeling this way... Part of my attempt to fill this hole is going to Notre Dame this summer...(let me know if you guys are going, so I can meet up with some of my Pham...) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Theoketos Posted April 9, 2004 Share Posted April 9, 2004 Dark night of the Soul by John of the Cross is something that you should read right now! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sammy Blaze Posted April 9, 2004 Share Posted April 9, 2004 I've felt like that before, actually pretty recently But I've since overcome it. It seemed I had been on fire for my faith for so long and became so involved with my parish and my community and just one day "I ran out of gas," spiritually speaking. It felt as if I hit a wall and I no matter what I tried I just didn't seem to be growing more spiritual. I know it's a crummy feeling. I started to question my faith and my service to something I had trouble believing in. My YM helped me understand how spiritual growth is kinda like a cycle, and knowing that we all struggle from time to time with our faith, it helped me to be patient and not lose hope. Eventually, it just took the simpliest things for God to reveal his presence in my life, you know one of those "In awe of God" moments. The saying is true " You may not hear Him when you call Him, but He's always on time." hope this helps some, Pax Christi ~S. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GodsThespianChic Posted April 9, 2004 Author Share Posted April 9, 2004 Thanks Theoketos, I'll definately check that out (I just got paid today, so I will make a stop at B&N or Borders tonight) and Sammy, you're lucky to have a great YM. At the moment, our youth group doesn't even have a YM because there has been so much turmoil within the parish...Thanks guys...I appreciate it...and keep me in your prayers, will ya? lol... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PassionistF Posted April 10, 2004 Share Posted April 10, 2004 [quote name='GodsThespianChic' date='Apr 9 2004, 06:32 PM']Anyone feel so completely empty in their faith right now? I feel like my faith is just leaving me...and for no particular reason. Like, I know God is there...but the more that I don't feel Him, the less I tend to believe. And I know that in my heart, I have to believe, because why else would I try soo hard to try to bring others to Christ if I didn't believe? I'm so confused and I don't know how to get out of this empty hole. If any of you guys have been through this and know how to get out of it, please tell me...I hate feeling this way... Part of my attempt to fill this hole is going to Notre Dame this summer...(let me know if you guys are going, so I can meet up with some of my Pham...)[/quote] I can honestly say that I experienced these sort of feelings a few months ago. I felt this way for about two months on and off. I experienced aridness with regard to prayer and Scripture reading, I entertained doubts and felt very "dark" for days at a time. Prayer was very difficult to me to begin or end. The suggestion to read Dark Night of the Soul is a good one. May I offer a few contemplative thoughts written by St. Paul of The Cross (Passionist order founder) by way of snipets from letters that he wrote to those he mentored: [u]Purification through Trials[/u] "Do not be disturbed at the passing trials that you are going through, since you must know that similar trials will come often. Our Divine Savior visits those servants who are dear to Him and purifies them with trials to develop their fidelity. Be of good heart. You are on the right road." [u]Seeing God behind trials[/u] "Take the trials you suffer, whether in body or in spirit, also any other storm which arises from men or devils, and all the desolations, abandonment, darkness, temptations, etc. - take them all, I say, without any intermediary, from the most gentle Heart of Jesus". And St. Paul himself shared similar sufferings of his own with those he mentored: [u]Silence In Trials[/u] "We shall have victory, but first we must endure great trials. I am in the sea in the midst of a great storm, desolate within and without, and I seem to have neither faith, hope, nor love. But no one knows this or notices it, otherwise I would be afraid, But, what will become of me?" (end of letters) Take heart my friend, many, many Saints and holy people experienced similar trials that you face today. Mother Teresa shared in her writings that she would endure very long periods of such darkness in her own life. May you find peace soon, may you endure your trials on this most holy day of our Lord's Passion and death. Join Him in his holy Passion and ask Him to lead you through your Gethsemane, along the way of the Cross to the resurrection of Sunday! I will pray for you. May His Peace be with you, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GodsThespianChic Posted April 11, 2004 Author Share Posted April 11, 2004 Wow, thank you so much, PassionistF!! That was an awesome response! I'll definately keep all that in mind..You're the best! ~GTC~ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PassionistF Posted April 11, 2004 Share Posted April 11, 2004 [quote name='GodsThespianChic' date='Apr 10 2004, 11:55 PM']Wow, thank you so much, PassionistF!! That was an awesome response! I'll definately keep all that in mind..You're the best! ~GTC~[/quote] You're very welcome. Often times, it is very natural to feel alone during dark times in prayer and spirituality. The fact is as I wrote earlier, all of us either have gone through this, or will in the future. You are not alone, in fact you are in very good company first and foremost with your Brother and Lord Jesus Christ! And of course, all of your Brothers and Sisters in Him who have gone before us. I would like to offer two more reading suggestions when you have time and the resources. Even if you don't read them right away, in my opinion they are an invaluable resource in any library. The first is [url="http://www.crossplace.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=PP&Product_Code=106&Category_Code=DAS"]Spiritual Direction According to St Paul of the Cross[/url] and the second would be the book that I quoted from. This would be a small daily prayer book called [url="http://www.cptryon.org/hoagland/catalog.html"]Living Wisdom for Everyday by Bennet Kelley, C.P. ($5.25).[/url] Good luck, God Bless you and take heart, you are not alone. Peace of the Risen Lord be with you, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
littleflower+JMJ Posted April 12, 2004 Share Posted April 12, 2004 i hope things are better GTC...i got ya in my prayers!! :hearts: you can see this through, your awesome and your faith is one that is and will grow and bear great fruitnow and in the future. :wub: God bless you! flowery +JMJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GodsThespianChic Posted April 12, 2004 Author Share Posted April 12, 2004 Awesome, PassionistF, I'll look into those books! Thanks Flowery, thanks for your support, girl! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
let_go_let_God Posted April 12, 2004 Share Posted April 12, 2004 One of our Life Nights at Life Teen kinda explained this. The brief way: it's a way of the devil trying to stop your faith. That you have an awesome faith and the devil wants to prevent you from getting closer to God. So just keep on praying, and don't let the devil get to you. God is there, even if you can't feel Him there. May God bless and keep you always-- LGLG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crusader_4 Posted April 12, 2004 Share Posted April 12, 2004 I believe it was C.S. Lewis that compared life with many highs and lows almost like we are travelling and there are mountains and valleys there are times where we are at the top of our faith and then there are the valleys but we are still on a journey. I see God a lot like a Sun sometimes the clouds of our lives cover him up but beneath him he is still there shinning his warmth and light even if its tough to make it out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iacobus Posted April 12, 2004 Share Posted April 12, 2004 I used to have that problem (probly will again). I like numbers. Numbers to prove everything and I don't trust generalities without numbers. SO to beleive in God was hard. I wavered, slipped and fell. I tried to put my faith but it was forgein to me. Blind trust isn't something I am good at till one day it all changes. I was at a retreat and during the adoration something filled me, some was in me, next to me, above me, all around me, as the Host passed. With that I no longer needed faith to belive I KNEW God was there and have grown everyday from than. I was reconneted with God and reassured of His presense. Something will come to you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GodsThespianChic Posted April 15, 2004 Author Share Posted April 15, 2004 thank you ALL guys for sharing with me and helping me out here... I :wub: you guys! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willguy Posted April 15, 2004 Share Posted April 15, 2004 When I have "Dry spells" in my faith, I remember the Exodus. The Israelites, between bondage and the Promised Land, had to pass through the desert. It was hard, and many of them wanted to turn back, but they went on. God was always there, and He saw them to the end. We too have to go through deserts in our faith. We must remember that even in those times God is leading us. To pray when we cannot is to let God pray for us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fiat_Voluntas_Tua Posted April 15, 2004 Share Posted April 15, 2004 What faith would it be to always feel God's presence...To know God is there and not feel Him is True faith. Don't let the devil tell you that you are growing weak. It is when you sruggle to feel God's presence that He is completely holding us. Just take sometime, and think about how wonderful life is. How amazing God can work through the smallest things. and in the words of St. Ignatius..."Laugh and grow strong." Have fun, be happy, laugh, be with friends, be funny. I love you guys. Pax et Agape per Maria, Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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