Need Spirtual Help/Guidence?

Question

I'm a Roman Catholic, who sad to say, is loosing faith. I know God exists....it just feels like i've been "empty" for at least 2 years. I defend my religion like my family, but when it comes to mass or praying, i feel like i know it won't do anything for me....and pushing it aside. I just wanted to know if anyone who has experienced this or knows what to do to help me regain faith and feel like God is caring for me and my family.

I feel like praying is talking to myself and wonder why my life, although looking on the up and up, on the inside i feel like crap. Thanks and i hope someone can help/ guide me to the beginning of a better relationship with God.

Answer 1

I know what you mean....as far as finding a place to experience your faith. I feel better by praying because it helps me feel connected in the grand scheme of things. The wonderful thing about having a relationship with God...is that it is yours and no one elses. Your experiences thru life, to me help define your connection to God. Think about all your blessings in your life....they can be big or small...and just try to reach a point of gratitude. When you feel the gratitude, you are on your way. My children always ground me and give me a sense of knowing there is a greater power. I can just think of them, their good health, their innocence and it feels me with such love. To me...God is love. Having faith is KNOWING God is there and only wants good things for you. This always makes me feel better...hope that helps!

Answer 2

Everyone goes through times of doubt.
But the time will pass, just hold onto any bit of faith and hope you possess...I know it may seem you possess none but we can never completely lose all faith.
I would suggest talking to a priest or spiritual director of some sort, helping someone out, praying even though its not wholeheartedly and it means almost nothing to you it means everything to God and its a very special connection you have with him think that fact that u botherd to pray has got to help some, i mean even if u dont really feel anythig Gods hearing it and its better than nothing By praying, it shows that you care somewhat about it. its better then not praying at all, and listen to someone else's problems...that'd open your eyes then you can be grateful because you have it so well, you see there is always someone who has it worse! find that someone. I think you dont trust God very much, for some reason you dont feel like he can handle your problems, but he can...give him control of your life. Trust him, believe me he knows what he's doing.
God Bless!!!

Answer 3

You need some time apart with God alone. Call the monks at Trappist, KY and ask if you can come for a retreat. Or call another monastery near you.

In order to have a relationship with anyone, including God, one has to spend quality time with that person. After a weekend at one of these places you will have a new prespective on things. And you can talk to one of the priest there too. They have a different take on things than a parish priest would.

Here is a link:
http://www.monks.org/aloneingod.html

Answer 4

Hi,

Listen, I have to be honest, I'm not a religeous man by any stretch of the imagination. That doesn't mean that I don't have faith. I strongly believe that there needs to be more faith in the world. Forty years or s o ago, the vast majority of the civilized world still believed in God and still practised their religion. As far as I can tell, the world, although we still had our problems, was a better place to live. There are as many reasons to lose faith as there are to find it and I'm still stuck in the middle. If I took anything away from sunday school ( and that was very many years ago ), it was this. Have faith. As far as I'm concerned faith is in your heart, not in your feet. Or your knees. God knows that you are faithful, if you can fall asleep, knowing, believing, that you have faith, that is enough.

Answer 5

It sounds like you are going through a religous routine and are missing the actual relationship with God. God is not in a religion or in any house of worship, but in the believers. And God is caring for you and loving every minute of everyday even when we lose our hope and faith he's right there.

Answer 6

nature is on the mend and so are we. Armageddon is the battle between nature and religion... you sound as if your soul has received a natural healing.... when you say when I pray if feel I'm talking to myself... that is how it is in nature when a christian prays... in nature the action of prayer is silently listening as in meditation nature is still working and healing itself... in time the guardians will come clearer... you feel like crap because your mind has yet to catch up with this healing and can continue to cause turmoil... you are relying on a form of spiritual practice that is about to become extinct... The way of nature,,, enjoy life for you only have one... live by the laws of karma,,, and give up religion...the last is a hard one because our societies have been inundated with very little else for thousands of years... The healing has just begun beautiful and wonderful things are coming.

Answer 7

First of all ... dont give up! I am proud of you for trying :-) And i know what you are going through. I am sort of going through the same htings now and it is really tough. But i do know that it is my fault - i am having trouble opening up and just having faith.

Church has helped me - i can feel the lord is very close then. But at times i can also feel him close when i really just need him. Praying helps - even if it is awkward - dont give up! You are not praying to the floor or the roof or to your imaginary friend - you are praying to your lord and god who died for your sins!!! Remember that. And know that he is listening and that every day he is walking with you even if you dont know it.

Seek guidance from a wise christian - they may be able to help. But most of all seek guidance from the big man himself. He will guide you - i promsie and if you dont give up then you will feel better. Just dont give up!

Good luck and if you want to talk give me a buzz via email :-)

Bets of luck and god bless... i will pray for you =)

Answer 8

Look... let me be honest with you. I am not Roman Catholic and never will be. I would rather enjoy my religion than fear it. However, Luthernism (if thats the right word) has really caught on to me. Certain churches that are not missouri senit have alot of fun with worshiping God. You need to experience God before you can really know hes there. Go on a faith journey with a completly random church (habitat for humanity) and see how easily EVERYONE accepts you. Thats Gods work man. Hes there... Go find em...

Answer 9

First thing, examine yourself, God has not left you nor will he ever. Look to find if sin is separating you from God. Search yourself and pray for him to reveal his presence to you. Pick up the word of God daily and pray fervently. Don't try to balance your checkbook during prayer, really seek the face of God. He is there, waiting for you to break through and find him.

HEB 13:5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I WILL NEVER LEAVE thee, nor forsake thee.

Make sure that a sin is not keeping you from him, remember God saught out Adam after he had sinned and had to ask him where HE was.

\GE 3:9 And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, WHERE ART THOU?

Answer 10

Do you remember the things you used to see/feel/hear/experience that made you feel God's presence? Is it possible that things in your mundane life have gotten hectic or harried or busy, and the stress means that it's harder to see/feel/hear/experience those now.

If you're not averse to it, meditation and contemplation can often be helpful in getting back "in touch" with the higher power or energy of the Universe. You may want to consider looking into that.