Ask a Question - or - Return to the Spiritual Warfare Forum Index

Question Title Posted By Question Date
Is something wrong with me? deborah Monday, March 10, 2008

Question:

Dear Brother Ignatius,

For several years now I have been plauged with unwanted blasephemous thoughts. It mainly started when I returned back to the Catholic Church, and started to pray more, and become more educated about my faith, and more serious about my faith etc..

My question is that for a couple of months now I have been lapsed in my prayers. I pray everyday, but not to the extent I was in the past. ( I guess you could say a dry spell) , but when I am in church, I cry in church, at just about every mass. I feel like I cannot control my feelings when I am there. I focus so hard on what the priest is saying, and when it comes time to say prayers or responses I feel the tears swelling up, and needless to say it is sort of embarrasing for me.

My kids and my husband ask what's wrong with me, and the answer is I don't know. Has anyone else had this happen? Could this be another form of an attack on me?



Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM

Dear Deborah:

The unwanted thoughts may be a demonic harassment as retribution for returning to your faith. Do not let the Enemy wear you down. Perseverance is the key to the Christian life.

There is a prayer concerning Controlling Thoughts in our Prayer Catalog linked below. There are other prayers there, too, that may be helpful to you.

As for crying in Mass, there are many people who do that. I have a hard time myself to avoid crying sometimes in Mass. I do tear up in talking about or reading or watching about our Lord's Passion, or about other matters of the Faith (certain songs about grace, for example).

Such tears are borne from a knowledge of God's great love and our lack of deserving of that love. The tears are borne from knowing that despite our unworthiness, God chose to love us anyway and to die a horrible death for us. Tears are borne knowing that our sins helped to nail our Lord to the Cross. Tears are borne at the beauty of God's love and mercy that he gives to us miserable sinners to save us and bring us into His friendship.

There is a lot to cry about.

I would not worry about being overwhelmed by God's love.

If these tears also have an element of guilt in the face of God's love because you have lapsed in your prayers, well, that is an easy one -- get back to praying; force yourself if you have to. Even if you are "dry" and must force yourself, once you do that and are faithful to those prayers, the dryness will normally and eventually disappear.

Keep praying and do not be embarrassed at crying before our Lord.

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary

 


For information on how to receive help see our Help page. We suggest that before contacting us directly for help you try the Seven Steps to Self-Deliverance. These self-help steps will often resolve the problem. Also our Spiritual Warfare Prayer Catalog contains many prayers that may be helpful. If needed you can ask for a Personal Consultation.