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Question Title	Posted By	Question Date
Why isn't she given success	Alexandra	Sunday, September 18, 2016
Question: Hi I have a question related to God giving us gifts. Recently my mum prayed to God asking "why isn't she given success". The reason why my mum asked is because I been unemployed since last November. I been dealing with my anxiety and OCD since I was 10. I had my meds reduce a couple months ago aswel. My psychotherapist say he doesn't recommend me to start work just yet. I asked why? He said that if you start work and something happens we will be back to square one. In my history of working I always lost my job or left due to mean staff. It was all retail jobs and I begin to think maybe God doesn't want me to do retail. I did 2 years of animation course but those 2 years where hell! I was builled to the point I had to change classes and I stood up when I was aware one of animation teachers was unprofessional. He would have favourite students. I mean to the point he would only help his favourites he also talked behind other students backs to other students. He frowned upon Catholicism and preach that Jehovah witnesses is better. It got me into trouble and I was consisted moved tables every term. It was very unsettling. After 4 years he was fired from his job due to his behaviour. From the bad experience I try acting but again this drama teacher who my psychologist told me was abusive to me. He also questioned my belife in God because he was atheist. It would upset me so much I would cry. Eventually I stopped going after cutting myself with scissors cause I couldn't learn my acting lines at home. I thought if I become a librarian like my mum I wouldn't lose my job. But due to discrimination and was told I was incapable of learning I left. So back to my mum's pray sorry for the long history of my work life but I thought it was important for you to know. So my mum asked "why isn't she given success?" My mum received response from God saying "She is not using the talent I've given her" My mum believes my talent is my art. But if its my art how do I use it for God? How do I know the talent is my art? Cause I thought when I did my animation course. If I was meant to do it I wouldn't have had the conflict there or acting. Thank you. God bless Have a good day or good night.
Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OMSM(r), LTh, DD Dear Alexandra: I am sorry for the trials and tribulations you are experiencing. We will be praying for your medical issues and employment issues. If the psychotherapist doesn't recommend work right now I would advise that you follow his recommendation. You need to be stabilized with your condition so as to not have it sabotage a working relationship and situation. I would advise patience. This life is hard, even in the best of times. Today, when Christianity, and specifically Catholicism, is under attack by government and progressive politics, anti-Christian activist group, and by the cultural shift into atheistic secularism, we can expect to be persecuted. That persecution happens a lot on the job and in our schools. Jesus comforts us in Matthew 5:10-12~ 10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 “Blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so men persecuted the prophets who were before you. This is the only real success we need in this life — the reward of heaven. What is most important is to be successful in our love and friendship with God. That means to stay in a state of grace, and go to confess when we fall, to worship God in the Holy Mass, to pray and read the bible daily, to do devotions to our favorite saints, and all the things that good and faithful Catholic do. That is the definition of success. This also means that we must persevere in the trials and tribulations of this life. We must not allow the devil to get is down. Instead, we can offer up our sufferings to God and to our Blessed Mother for the salvation of souls. This make success out of our sufferings. I am not suggesting that any of this is easy, but this is the goal to which we aspire. While we are persevering in our sufferings and lifting up that suffering, we continue to pray for healing and resolution. We do need to remember one thing — free will. If our prayers require a decision by someone other than ourselves, such as an employer or teacher, the results may be negative because of the free will decisions of that employer or teacher. God will encourage and inspire those people to make the right decisions, but He will never force them. Free will is free, it cannot be forced. Free will is total. If God were to intrude upon the free will of one, then there is no free will for the human race. We must continue to pray and trust in God that our suffering will be relieved, or that He will give us the strength to endure it. Right now, it sounds to me, that you need to be patient until your psychotherapist feels you are ready for work. As for art, that is a hard talent to make money. But, there are jobs out there that require artistic talent. Also, it may be that you need to work in some other job to make money so that you can focus on your art, and maybe volunteer your talent to your parish and religious organizations. That is what I have done all my life. I worked menial jobs in order to be free to do works of mercy and such. It can be a rewarding life. In my case, I spent my life helping others and just did whatever I needed to pay the rent. There is no doubt you are in a tough situation, but hopefully these words give you some perspective and hope. God loves you. Blessed John Henry Cardinal Newman reminds us: Everyone who breathes, high and low, educated and ignorant, young and old, man and woman, has a mission, has work. We are not sent into this world for nothing; we are not born at random...God see every soul, He lodges it in the body, one by one, for a purpose, He needs, He deigns to need, every one of us. He has an end for each of us; we are all equal in His sight, and we are placed in our different ranks and stations, not to get what we can out of them for ourselves, but to labour in them for Him. As Christ has his work, we too have ours; as He rejoiced to do His work, we must rejoice in ours also. We are praying for you. God Bless, Bro. Ignatius Mary Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below: Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum. Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum

Question Title

Posted By

Question Date

Why isn't she given success

Alexandra

Sunday, September 18, 2016

Question:

Hi

I have a question related to God giving us gifts.

Recently my mum prayed to God asking "why isn't she given success".

The reason why my mum asked is because I been unemployed since last November. I been dealing with my anxiety and OCD since I was 10. I had my meds reduce a couple months ago aswel. My psychotherapist say he doesn't recommend me to start work just yet. I asked why? He said that if you start work and something happens we will be back to square one.

In my history of working I always lost my job or left due to mean staff. It was all retail jobs and I begin to think maybe God doesn't want me to do retail. I did 2 years of animation course but those 2 years where hell! I was builled to the point I had to change classes and I stood up when I was aware one of animation teachers was unprofessional. He would have favourite students. I mean to the point he would only help his favourites he also talked behind other students backs to other students. He frowned upon Catholicism and preach that Jehovah witnesses is better.

It got me into trouble and I was consisted moved tables every term. It was very unsettling. After 4 years he was fired from his job due to his behaviour. From the bad experience I try acting but again this drama teacher who my psychologist told me was abusive to me. He also questioned my belife in God because he was atheist. It would upset me so much I would cry. Eventually I stopped going after cutting myself with scissors cause I couldn't learn my acting lines at home.

I thought if I become a librarian like my mum I wouldn't lose my job. But due to discrimination and was told I was incapable of learning I left.

So back to my mum's pray sorry for the long history of my work life but I thought it was important for you to know. So my mum asked "why isn't she given success?"

My mum received response from God saying "She is not using the talent I've given her"
My mum believes my talent is my art. But if its my art how do I use it for God? How do I know the talent is my art? Cause I thought when I did my animation course. If I was meant to do it I wouldn't have had the conflict there or acting.

Thank you.

God bless

Have a good day or good night.

Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OMSM(r), LTh, DD

Dear Alexandra:

I am sorry for the trials and tribulations you are experiencing. We will be praying for your medical issues and employment issues.

If the psychotherapist doesn't recommend work right now I would advise that you follow his recommendation. You need to be stabilized with your condition so as to not have it sabotage a working relationship and situation. I would advise patience.

This life is hard, even in the best of times. Today, when Christianity, and specifically Catholicism, is under attack by government and progressive politics, anti-Christian activist group, and by the cultural shift into atheistic secularism, we can expect to be persecuted. That persecution happens a lot on the job and in our schools. Jesus comforts us in Matthew 5:10-12~

10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11 “Blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so men persecuted the prophets who were before you.

This is the only real success we need in this life — the reward of heaven. What is most important is to be successful in our love and friendship with God. That means to stay in a state of grace, and go to confess when we fall, to worship God in the Holy Mass, to pray and read the bible daily, to do devotions to our favorite saints, and all the things that good and faithful Catholic do. That is the definition of success.

This also means that we must persevere in the trials and tribulations of this life. We must not allow the devil to get is down. Instead, we can offer up our sufferings to God and to our Blessed Mother for the salvation of souls. This make success out of our sufferings.

I am not suggesting that any of this is easy, but this is the goal to which we aspire.

While we are persevering in our sufferings and lifting up that suffering, we continue to pray for healing and resolution.

We do need to remember one thing — free will. If our prayers require a decision by someone other than ourselves, such as an employer or teacher, the results may be negative because of the free will decisions of that employer or teacher. God will encourage and inspire those people to make the right decisions, but He will never force them. Free will is free, it cannot be forced. Free will is total. If God were to intrude upon the free will of one, then there is no free will for the human race.

We must continue to pray and trust in God that our suffering will be relieved, or that He will give us the strength to endure it.

Right now, it sounds to me, that you need to be patient until your psychotherapist feels you are ready for work.

As for art, that is a hard talent to make money. But, there are jobs out there that require artistic talent. Also, it may be that you need to work in some other job to make money so that you can focus on your art, and maybe volunteer your talent to your parish and religious organizations.

That is what I have done all my life. I worked menial jobs in order to be free to do works of mercy and such. It can be a rewarding life. In my case, I spent my life helping others and just did whatever I needed to pay the rent.

There is no doubt you are in a tough situation, but hopefully these words give you some perspective and hope. God loves you. Blessed John Henry Cardinal Newman reminds us:

Everyone who breathes, high and low, educated and ignorant, young and old, man and woman, has a mission, has work. We are not sent into this world for nothing; we are not born at random...God see every soul, He lodges it in the body, one by one, for a purpose, He needs, He deigns to need, every one of us. He has an end for each of us; we are all equal in His sight, and we are placed in our different ranks and stations, not to get what we can out of them for ourselves, but to labour in them for Him. As Christ has his work, we too have ours; as He rejoiced to do His work, we must rejoice in ours also.

We are praying for you.

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary

Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below:
Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum.
Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum
Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum
Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum
Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum