WisdomSeeker Posted July 18, 2009 Share Posted July 18, 2009 [size=3]Firstly if this is in the wrong place then please feel free to move it.[/size] What do you do when you have lost faith? I have not been to mass for a month and I do not feel the desire or need to go or even to walk inside a church, I just feel nothing. I am not inspired or moved by anything that the church offers or teaches and I just feel it is best to walk away from it all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Archaeology cat Posted July 18, 2009 Share Posted July 18, 2009 There have been Saints who have gone through similar things. Our faith cannot rest on how we feel (easier said than done, I know). What I would suggest is to pray, despite not feeling like it. To go to Mass and tell Jesus your thoughts. I will say a prayer for you as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatherineM Posted July 18, 2009 Share Posted July 18, 2009 They have a saying in Alcoholic's Anonymous that is "do it until you feel it." Many people come to AA with no religious background, or have long ago given up on God. The heavy emphasis on turning things over to a Higher Power can put people off at first. They tell them they don't have to believe to go through the motions of doing things like saying the Serenity Prayer. That eventually the process of going through the motions will bring them to a better understanding of God's action in their life. That's the way we have to be at times when we feel dryness in our spiritual life. Some people feel they are being hypocrites if they go to mass or say prayers when they just don't "feel it" anymore. If your car stops working, you don't just park it and hope that it will start working again some day. You take your car to someone that can fix it. Go to mass. Be in his presence even if you don't feel him right now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deusluxmea Posted July 18, 2009 Share Posted July 18, 2009 Hello, The above poster made a good point: loss of faith is a common experience amongst the saints. Perhaps reading about their experiences may help you. I believe Mother Theresa's journals/letters have been published called "Come Be My Light" that mentions this problem. When I have experienced this problem, my prayer becomes brutally honest: "I don't know if you exist, I don't know why I should even care/etc/etc". But I keep the conversation open. Are there things you don't like about church? Not absolutely sure if you believe this or that? Join the club! You are in good company, there are millions of us! But somehow we find a way to dust off the missal and show up every week. And the continual rhythm of showing up to Mass is like good exercise, it builds on the previous workout, making you stronger, building your perseverance, especially on those days when you really don't feel like it. What I am trying to say is going to church, even when you really really don't want to, will sustain and feed you in ways which may not be immediately apparent. My advice would be to start small. Start with the Gospel of St Matthew, read it with honesty and prayer. Try going to Mass tomorrow, or if you don't feel you can do that, spend some time in a quiet church, even if your only prayer is "Lord, help my unbelief" (Mark 9:24). And if you don't feel you can do that, ponder why, despite this resistance, there is something Bigger calling to you to seek Him.. What I sense from your post is someone who doesn't want to walk away, just yet. I don't think you would post this question if you had really finished with God, so I encourage you to keep trying, praying and seeking. Much love, deusluxmea Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WisdomSeeker Posted July 18, 2009 Author Share Posted July 18, 2009 Thank you for all your advice, I am going to spend some time thinking about where I go from this point but I truly feel nothing at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deusluxmea Posted July 18, 2009 Share Posted July 18, 2009 WisdomSeeker, Forgive me if this is out of line: do you believe you may be depressed? I mention this because you've expressed sadness/emptiness in a few posts and I'm a little worried that you might need some extra help at the moment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WisdomSeeker Posted July 18, 2009 Author Share Posted July 18, 2009 (edited) [quote name='deusluxmea' post='1923781' date='Jul 18 2009, 08:01 PM']WisdomSeeker, Forgive me if this is out of line: do you believe you may be depressed? I mention this because you've expressed sadness/emptiness in a few posts and I'm a little worried that you might need some extra help at the moment.[/quote] No worries Yes I have suffered depression which was due to my Mothers passing and things that happened after her funeral and are still ongoing. The fact is that due to many things I feel that in good concience I really cannot continue to be a member of the Catholic church. I am going to step back completly for a while and see where my new path takes me. Edited July 18, 2009 by WisdomSeeker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
morostheos Posted July 18, 2009 Share Posted July 18, 2009 Would you like to share some of the things which cause you to feel you cannot be a member of the Catholic Church? If you don't want to, that's fine, but it might help us to better understand where you are coming from. It sounds like there is more than not feeling anything holding you away from the Church right now. Is that correct or did I infer too much? I don't really have any advice different from what others have said, but I can definitely relate to the not feeling anything. For the past couple of years now I haven't really felt anything either and have had very little desire to go to Mass internally. I have done my best to fight that internal ambivalence, but I don't always win. I continue trying every day because I believe God works within me even when I feel nothing and intellectually Catholicism makes the most sense to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinytherese Posted July 18, 2009 Share Posted July 18, 2009 I started a thread on something like this. You may be experiencing a spiritual dark night of the soul, which is a great test of one's faith and relationship with God. [url="http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/index.php?showtopic=88201&st=0&start=0"]http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/index.php?s...t=0&start=0[/url] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WisdomSeeker Posted July 20, 2009 Author Share Posted July 20, 2009 (edited) Thank you all for your help and advice. I still within myself feel nothing at all, and I am starting to feel very confused. I have done some thinking over the weekend and I have decided to step back completly for a while and give myself chance to 'get myself together' and figure out where I go from this point on. It may be that I return to the church and then again I might walk a new path completly, I will just be taking each day as it comes and seeing what happens. I will still come on here occasionally to see what is happening and to let you know if anything has changed for me. Thank you all again Edited July 20, 2009 by WisdomSeeker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LouisvilleFan Posted July 20, 2009 Share Posted July 20, 2009 [quote name='WisdomSeeker' post='1923819' date='Jul 18 2009, 04:15 PM']The fact is that due to many things I feel that in good concience I really cannot continue to be a member of the Catholic church.[/quote] Then you are feeling something and apparently have reasons for leaving. [quote name='WisdomSeeker' post='1923819' date='Jul 18 2009, 04:15 PM']I am going to step back completly for a while and see where my new path takes me.[/quote] There are countless "new paths" one can take within the Church... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caritas Posted July 20, 2009 Share Posted July 20, 2009 Maybe you should try talking with a priest or finding a spiritual director before you make such a decision as to step away from the Church for awhile. Just a suggestion Prayers for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WisdomSeeker Posted July 21, 2009 Author Share Posted July 21, 2009 [quote name='Caritas' post='1925650' date='Jul 20 2009, 07:37 PM']Maybe you should try talking with a priest or finding a spiritual director before you make such a decision as to step away from the Church for awhile. Just a suggestion Prayers for you.[/quote] Thank you for your prayers I am quite at peace with the decision I have made. I will walk this new path and see where it leads me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brigid Posted July 21, 2009 Share Posted July 21, 2009 it's just that we're all sad to see you leaving the Church, whether it's temporary or not. we're just hoping your own path leads you back Home. prayers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WisdomSeeker Posted July 21, 2009 Author Share Posted July 21, 2009 [quote name='Brigid' post='1926330' date='Jul 21 2009, 09:11 AM']it's just that we're all sad to see you leaving the Church, whether it's temporary or not. we're just hoping your own path leads you back Home. prayers.[/quote] Maybe my path will lead back to the church, that in all honesty I do not know. But one thing I am sure of, this is the right decision for me to make at this time. I will still visit the forums here and if I decide to return to the church then I will let you all know Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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