It's a lot harder for me to focus on Heaven than it is for me to be afraid of Hell. I think figured out why that might be the case.

It has to do with fire. I think of all sorts of imagery and descriptions in which the people are in this giant ocean of fire. I know that the greatest punishment of Hell (and the opposite of Heaven's reward) is eternal separation from God. The thing is, it's a lot easier for me to conceptualize literally being on fire than it is to conceptualize being separated from God. I've been in serious sin before, and frankly it doesn't "feel" as bad or painful as it would feel if I was in excruciating physical pain. So while the concepts of eternal life or eternal separation from God are nebulous and practically impossible to grasp, the idea of being engulfed in flames is easier for me to understand. As is such, it's far easier to focus on. At least for me.

Also, the idea of eternal anything freaks me out a little bit. Spending forever in Heaven sounds nice, but again--hard to conceptualize. I find myself thinking "dude, would god mind if I stepped out of Heaven for 30 minutes for a lunch break? All of this smiling and praising God non-stop is wearing me out." Again, I'm completely aware that Heaven is nothing like that, it's just that I find it very hard to focus on because eternity isn't something I can just grasp. And when I try to think about eternity, it's more scary than anything. I don't know if that makes a lot of sense to you. which, in my broken and fallen mind, adds to the punishment of Hell and detracts from the joys of Heaven. I know that these ideas are off-base, it's just that I don't understand how else to think about these things.

So, yeah. This is one of the issues I've been struggling with. Eh... iono.

Pax,
XIX

Ditto here; the thought of eternity terrifies me, it's the root of my entire fear of death.

Me 3 with the whole eternity thing.

Being afraid of Hell is not a bad thing. In fact, it is a good thing.

Read Hans Urs Von Balthasar's Dare We Hope That All May be Saved - With a Short Discourse on Hell.

Then read the diaries of St.s Faustina and Therese of Liseux

You are loved by an omnipotently omnibenevolant God of merciful grace who loves to save. Be not afraid.

The greatest torment of hell is the utter hopeless of eternal life without Our Lord and Savior. Having a fear of this is wonderful - it it so focusing! Keeping in mind our complete wretchedness, we can rest secure in the knowledge that our God is a God of love, whose mercy is beyond our comprehension. If we sincerely do our best to keep His commandments and to obey the teachings of His Church - we have no need to fear anything.

A reflection on Hell by St. Francis de Sales.

"Place yourself in the Divine Presence.

Humble yourself, and implore His assistance.

Imagine yourself in a dark city, burning with brimstone and sulphur, and filled with citizens who cannot escape.

Reflections

1. The damned are in the infernal abyss as in this miserable city, where they endure unutterable torments in every sense and in every member; because, as every sense and member has participated in their sin, so must they participate in its punishment. The eyes, as the reward of their false and evil gazing, will endure the horrible sight of devils and of hell; the ears, which delighted in unholy conversation, will never hear aught save weeping, lamentations, and despair, and so with the other senses.
2. Besides all these torments tehre is one yet greater, namely, that they are for ever deprived of God and of His glory. If Absolom sorrowed more over thea bsence of his father David than over his exile (2 Kings 14:32), what shall be the regret of those who are forever deprived of the sight of Thy sweet and gracious countenance, O Lord?
3. Consider, above all, the eternity of suffering which alone would make hell insupportable. How a trifling annoyance, a slight fever, makes a short night appear long and grievous to us here! What then, will be the night of eternity with its torments? That eternity whence arise eternal despair, blasphemy, and rage.

Affections and Resolutions

"Which of you can dwell with devouring fire? Which of you shall dwell with everlasting burnings?" (Isaiah 33:14). Take warning from these words. O my soul, couldst thou live for ever amidst these torments? Wilt thou indeed forsake thy God forever? Confess that you have repeatedly deserved so to lose Him. Henceforth I will follow the other paths, why should I go down into hell? I will therefore make such and such efforts to avoid the sins which will bring me to eternal death.

Thank God. Make an offering of thyself. Pray."

-From "An Introduction to the Devout Life"

"...(I)f sometimes you are moved to do good (according to the bent of your natural disposition) by fear of the pains of Hell or hope of the joys of Paradise, you may even through these motives look ultimately to the good pleasure and will of God, who delights not at your departure into Hell, but at the entrance into His kingdom."

-Lorenzo Scupoli, "Spiritual Combat"


Conclusion: fear of Hell is a good thing. If you obsess about it, that might be a problem, but overall you SHOULD be afraid of Hell and SHOULD reflect on the pains and tortures therein. You are probably on the right track, try not to be scrupulous.

Sorry if that sounds a bit harsh, I'm really just trying to help.

Very much with you on this one. Though CS Lewis' conception of death in The Last Battle has helped me a bit.

Lewis's The Great Divorce is a must-read.

um...did you even read my post? Like at all? Or did you just read the title and assume you knew what I was going to say?



All due respect, but your replies were practically off-topic. My issue is not that I think about Hell, it's that I can't balance it out with any meaningful thoughts of Heaven. So just telling me that it's okay and good to fear Hell doesn't help me any. I don't want to stop thinking about Hell, I just want to stop focusing on it.

I thought my original post was clear but I guess it wasn't.

A man sends himself to hell.