My current state..

[Fidei Defensor]

I am spiritually depressed.. i guess you could call it that.

My mind has been weighed down the past couple of days with doubts about God and the faith. I hate how this feels. Everything, and i mean everything, makes me doubts God. Doing my homework.. looking at anything at all, even thinking about random topics not even related to God.. Its depressing.

Ive been praying.. but i feel so far away, like there is nothing. I dont want to be dragged down by my feelings about things, but they drag my mind down, and depress me. I feel.. foolish.. like believing in God is foolish.. and that its.. not reasonable?

I dont know. I really hate this state. To get to the point, I just ask that you pray for me, please.

Thanks.

[Totus Tuus]

This is a great grace, believe it or not. Every time I am in your spot, when it is over I tell myself "next time tell yourself it's a grace when you're experiencing aridity" but I never can do that when it actually happens, which makes it harder. So really, it is a huge grace because there is so much merit in persevering in prayer during spiritual aridity. Much, much more than when you are at a spiritual peak or just experiencing your regular spiritual life.

As for doubts against Faith, Saint Vincent De Paul can help you with this. There was a man who came to him who was plagued with violent tempations against faith and wanted help. St. Vincent took upon himself that man's temptations, and instantly he experienced the same amount of temptation as the man had, and it was horrible for him.
His solution? He wrote down the Creed (I'm assuming the Nicene Creed) on a piece of paper, folded it up, and put it into his shirt pocket over his heart. Each time he experienced a temptation against the virtue of faith, he touched his heart where the paper was to affirm to God that he did believe. After four years the temptations left him (what a long time!) and he gained so much merit for that perseverance.

To this I would add the aspiration recommended by Mother Angelica to be said when one is experiencing a doubt about God and the Faith:
"Lord, I believe. Help my unbelief." It's a very beautiful, short, and simple prayer.

I hope this helps a bit. Count on prayers. In addition to myself, I am sure there are many more phatmassers around here who know exactly what you are experiencing. Hang in there! God bless!

Lauren

[Fidei Defensor]

[quote name='Totus Tuus' date='Nov 16 2005, 09:06 PM']As for doubts against Faith, Saint Vincent De Paul can help you with this. There was a man who came to him who was plagued with violent tempations against faith and wanted help. St. Vincent took upon himself that man's temptations, and instantly he experienced the same amount of temptation as the man had, and it was horrible for him.
His solution? He wrote down the Creed (I'm assuming the Nicene Creed) on a piece of paper, folded it up, and put it into his shirt pocket over his heart. Each time he experienced a temptation against the virtue of faith, he touched his heart where the paper was to affirm to God that he did believe. After four years the temptations left him (what a long time!) and he gained so much merit for that perseverance.
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I was wondering which saint that was!

[Totus Tuus]

Yeah he is awesome. When I was in Paris, I got to see his incorrupt body (the first incorrupt I have ever seen), and it was absolutely amazing. He is above the altar in the church, so you have to climb a staircase. Then in front of his glass case there is a kneeler that fits two. So you are literally right in front of him when you're kneeling there. It's amazing. He looks like he's just sleeping, because there's absolutely nothing rotting on him.

[cmotherofpirl]

[quote name='fidei defensor' date='Nov 16 2005, 09:45 PM']I am spiritually depressed.. i guess you could call it that.

My mind has been weighed down the past couple of days with doubts about God and the faith.  I hate how this feels.  Everything, and i mean everything, makes me doubts God.  Doing my homework.. looking at anything at all, even thinking about random topics not even related to God.. Its depressing.

Ive been praying.. but i feel so far away, like there is nothing.  I dont want to be dragged down by my feelings about things, but they drag my mind down, and depress me.  I feel.. foolish.. like believing in God is foolish.. and that its.. not reasonable?

I dont know. I really hate this state.  To get to the point, I just ask that you pray for me, please.

Thanks.
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Prayers coming. There are many times it feels like belief in God is unreasonable. But look around you, could this beautiful universe really be an accident? [url="http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html"]http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html[/url]
Does this look like randomness?
God has a plan.

Psalm 42 speaks of this:
1: As a hart longs for flowing streams, so longs my soul for thee, O God.

2: My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and behold the face of God?

3: My tears have been my food day and night, while men say to me continually, "Where is your God?"

4: These things I remember, as I pour out my soul: how I went with the throng, and led them in procession to the house of God, with glad shouts and songs of thanksgiving, a multitude keeping festival.

5: Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my help

6: and my God. My soul is cast down within me, therefore I remember thee from the land of Jordan and of Hermon, from Mount Mizar.

7: Deep calls to deep at the thunder of thy cataracts; all thy waves and thy billows have gone over me.

8: By day the LORD commands his steadfast love; and at night his song is with me, a prayer to the God of my life.

9: I say to God, my rock: "Why hast thou forgotten me? Why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?"

10: As with a deadly wound in my body, my adversaries taunt me, while they say to me continually, "Where is your God?"

11: Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my help and my God.


November can be a depressing month for many people. Remember to take of your body when you spiritually depressed, enough food, sleep, vitamins etc.

Edited November 17, 2005 by cmotherofpirl

[photosynthesis]

when I am having doubts, I recite the creed over and over again too. I thought I was crazy! Good to know I'm not the only one...

Also, another thing that helps is to write down all the thoughts going through my head. A lot of people I'm very close to are not Catholic, and often they say things that hurt me, make me doubt and question my faith. Sometimes it's very difficult when people you trust are telling you lies. So it helps me to write down these things that people say, and look at them objectively and deconstruct them and identify what is true and what is a lie.

[cmotherofpirl]

that is an excellent idea.

[robguitar]

Wow, these are great suggestions. I'm having a bad day with bad thoughts and I'm going to try these starting now.

Thanks!

[photosynthesis]

when I identify what the lies are, usually I will try to find a truth that will counteract the lie. For every lie, I find a few Bible verses or quotes from the Saints or the early church fathers. it's like an antidote to a poison. It also helps me with apologetics and defending what is true.

[photosynthesis]

The light of Christ conquers our fear and our doubts!

"I write this to you about those who would deceive you; but the anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need that any one should teach you; as His anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie, just as it has taught you, abide in Him." (1 John 2:26-27)

"For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty. For when he received honor and glory from God the Father and the voice was born to him by the Majestic Glory, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased," we heard this voice borne from heaven, for we were with him on the holy mountain." (2 Peter 1:16-18)

[Lil Red]

keep praying! that is most important!! don't stop praying!

i will say prayers to help you along and keep you going!

[Proud2BCatholic139]

Every year I go through cycles like that.

Faith isn't based on feelings, I have to keep on remembering that.

However, don't give up. Keep praying.

My God be with you.

[cmotherofpirl]

It doesn't have to be a long formal prayer.
Just say "God? HELP!!!!"

[Proud2BCatholic139]

When I am mad, I just pray the sweet name, "Jesus."

[Ash Wednesday]

I saw Father Robert Spitzer on EWTN and he discussed theistic implications that are evident in the design of the universe and even the laws of science. These laws themselves point to the existance of God. I think if anybody told him that a belief in God is foolish, he would clean house.

[url="http://www.meta-library.net/bio/spitz-body.html"]http://www.meta-library.net/bio/spitz-body.html[/url]

His interests of study include, and I quote: "ethics in organizations, and the culture, metaphysics, ontology of physics, and the dialogue between faith and reason. Currently working on a manuscript on quantum cosmology entitled Real Time: Horizons and Parameters of Reflecting on Quantum Cosmology."

I understand spiritual aridity -- been through it before and will probably go through it again (and again, and again, and again.) The only way out of it is through it. I am praying for you.

[Lil Red]

there is a great priest, Monsignor Lorenzo Albacete, a Catholic priest and physicist with a degree in Space Science and Applied Physics - you should read his book: [u]God at the Ritz[/u]

[franciscanheart]

everything that lauren said is what i was thinking when i read your post. i wont be redundant. you have my prayers.

[photosynthesis]

[quote name='Lil Red' date='Nov 17 2005, 02:07 PM']there is a great priest, Monsignor Lorenzo Albacete, a Catholic priest and physicist with a degree in Space Science and Applied Physics - you should read his book: [u]God at the Ritz[/u]
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I love that guy!

[Lil Red]

[quote name='photosynthesis' date='Nov 17 2005, 02:22 PM']I love that guy!
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are you a member of Communion & Liberation? he is part of that movement, and definitely worth checking out.

[photosynthesis]

[quote name='Lil Red' date='Nov 17 2005, 04:29 PM']are you a member of Communion & Liberation? he is part of that movement, and definitely worth checking out.
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I don't know much about C+L... one of my friends has gotten involved. I've read a bunch of Msgr. Albacete's articles though...