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Question Title	Posted By	Question Date
Despair	anonymous	Friday, March 21, 2008
Question: Dear Brother, I am a Catholic, and have been away from the church for several months. I seem to have lost faith. I still intellectually believe the truths of our faith, but I have lost faith that good things can happen to me. I recently underwent a long period of fairly severe financial, personal and work related problems. There were times when i would be literally starving; family and friends knew this and refused to help me. It seemed as if one bad thing kept happening after another. Father, i want to believe, I want to go to confession, but I feel something holding me back. I think perhaps I'm angry at God. I realize that those who are to be lovers of Jesus must expect hardship and suffering, and I know that I failed. I prayed continuously for help of some kind. I'm afraid of final impenitence and of going to hell. What can I do?
Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM Dear Anonymous: I am not sure at the moment but I think it was in Shakespeare that these words are found: "Get thee to a nunnery." What can you do? GET THEE TO CONFESSION. What is holding you back is Pride. Humble yourself before God. He loves you and wants to embrace you, but you are so full of pride because things did not go your way that you are reluctant to go to our Lord. I know that you may resist this idea that pride is your problem, but believe me, it is your problem. You said it yourself that "lovers of Jesus must expect hardship and suffering." That hardship and suffering does not come because God ZAPPED us. It comes because we made bad decisions, or sinned, or someone else made bad decisions or sinned that effected us. We suffer from the consequences of our own and others' decisions. It is not God's fault. He did not want these bad things to happen to you. You must accept responsibility for any way that you contributed to your problems. If by rare chance these problems were caused by things out of your control, then you must accept these things as part of life. None of it is God's fault and thus there is nothing to be angry at God about. The anger is really at the situation, or at yourself perhaps. Whatever it is, get past it. St. Paul tells us to "be angry but do not let the sun go down on your wrath." In other words, okay you are angry, be angry and then get over it. Do not go to bed angry. To hang on to anger is to bring it to Pride. Why didn't God save me from this? Why didn't God save me from my bad decisions? Why? Why? Why? --- Whine, whine, whine. We all do this sometimes. We must get over it. God promise us that nothing will come into our life that we cannot handle (1 Cor 10:13; Rom 8:37). Either that is true or God is a liar! God promises us that all things (good and bad) will work together for good to those who love Him. In otherwords, life (or ourselves) may bring lemons, but if we allow God He can make sweet lemonade (Rom 8:28). Either that is true or God is a liar! Is God a liar? In the midst of our suffering Jesus tells us the He is sufficient for us (2 Cor 12:9). Either that is true or God is a liar! God tells us that in suffering we can become stronger (2 Cor 12:9-10). Either that is true or God is a liar! Is God a liar? No. Whatever trials and tribulations you have had to suffer and endure it is for you good, it is for the strengthening of your soul, it is to break your pride, it is to humble you. Those passages in 2 Corinthians were about St. Paul undergoing suffering. He asked God to take it away three times and three times God said no. St. Paul had a pride problem. His suffering kept him humble. Rejoice in suffering. St. Paul said, "Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Wherefore I take pleasure in weaknesses, in injuries, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong." Bite your lip and force yourself to go to Confession. There is only two things that can hold you back -- Pride and the Devil. Do not let the devil win. Do not let your pride make you stupid. You are praying for help. Well, I just gave you some help by telling you to get to Confession. You are praying for help, God provides that help in what is called the Sacrament of Confession. The Sacrament of Confession is not just about confessing sins; it is also a healing sacrament. Be healed, my friend. But, one cannot be healed if they don't take the medicine. Confession is the medicine. 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.

Question Title

Posted By

Question Date

Despair

anonymous

Friday, March 21, 2008

Question:

Dear Brother,
I am a Catholic, and have been away from the church for several months. I seem to have lost faith. I still intellectually believe the truths of our faith, but I have lost faith that good things can happen to me.

I recently underwent a long period of fairly severe financial, personal and work related problems. There were times when i would be literally starving; family and friends knew this and refused to help me. It seemed as if one bad thing kept happening after another.

Father, i want to believe, I want to go to confession, but I feel something holding me back. I think perhaps I'm angry at God.

I realize that those who are to be lovers of Jesus must expect hardship and suffering, and I know that I failed. I prayed continuously for help of some kind. I'm afraid of final impenitence and of going to hell.

What can I do?

Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM

Dear Anonymous:

I am not sure at the moment but I think it was in Shakespeare that these words are found: "Get thee to a nunnery."

What can you do? GET THEE TO CONFESSION.

What is holding you back is Pride. Humble yourself before God. He loves you and wants to embrace you, but you are so full of pride because things did not go your way that you are reluctant to go to our Lord.

I know that you may resist this idea that pride is your problem, but believe me, it is your problem. You said it yourself that "lovers of Jesus must expect hardship and suffering."

That hardship and suffering does not come because God ZAPPED us. It comes because we made bad decisions, or sinned, or someone else made bad decisions or sinned that effected us.

We suffer from the consequences of our own and others' decisions. It is not God's fault. He did not want these bad things to happen to you.

You must accept responsibility for any way that you contributed to your problems. If by rare chance these problems were caused by things out of your control, then you must accept these things as part of life. None of it is God's fault and thus there is nothing to be angry at God about. The anger is really at the situation, or at yourself perhaps.

Whatever it is, get past it. St. Paul tells us to "be angry but do not let the sun go down on your wrath." In other words, okay you are angry, be angry and then get over it. Do not go to bed angry.

To hang on to anger is to bring it to Pride. Why didn't God save me from this? Why didn't God save me from my bad decisions? Why? Why? Why? --- Whine, whine, whine. We all do this sometimes. We must get over it.

God promise us that nothing will come into our life that we cannot handle (1 Cor 10:13; Rom 8:37). Either that is true or God is a liar!

God promises us that all things (good and bad) will work together for good to those who love Him. In otherwords, life (or ourselves) may bring lemons, but if we allow God He can make sweet lemonade (Rom 8:28). Either that is true or God is a liar!

Is God a liar?

In the midst of our suffering Jesus tells us the He is sufficient for us (2 Cor 12:9). Either that is true or God is a liar!

God tells us that in suffering we can become stronger (2 Cor 12:9-10). Either that is true or God is a liar!

Is God a liar?

No.

Whatever trials and tribulations you have had to suffer and endure it is for you good, it is for the strengthening of your soul, it is to break your pride, it is to humble you.

Those passages in 2 Corinthians were about St. Paul undergoing suffering. He asked God to take it away three times and three times God said no. St. Paul had a pride problem. His suffering kept him humble.

Rejoice in suffering. St. Paul said, "Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Wherefore I take pleasure in weaknesses, in injuries, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong."

Bite your lip and force yourself to go to Confession. There is only two things that can hold you back -- Pride and the Devil. Do not let the devil win. Do not let your pride make you stupid.

You are praying for help. Well, I just gave you some help by telling you to get to Confession. You are praying for help, God provides that help in what is called the Sacrament of Confession.

The Sacrament of Confession is not just about confessing sins; it is also a healing sacrament. Be healed, my friend. But, one cannot be healed if they don't take the medicine. Confession is the medicine.

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.