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Question Title	Posted By	Question Date
Doubt in my mind, severe stumbling block, help?	Adam	Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Question: Bro. Ignatius, first I'll apologize for so many posts, but I'm really struggling here. Until recently, I've never doubted God's existance, but for some reason I keep getting these "flash thoughts" in my mind questioning God as something man made? I have given my heart to God, that's why these thoughts, no matter how brief or how vague, are crushing to me. It pains me to the point that I'm afraid to pray about it because I feel so ashamed, unworthy and just completely depressed. I don't doubt that this is linked to my previous issues listed earlier, but these happenings are feeling like they're covering the blood of the lamb with darkness. I really want to overcome this enemy so I can fully devote my life to Christ. How can it make me feel so distanced from him? As a Christian, our best line of defense is prayer and scripture, how can I defend myself when I can't even arm myself with prayer? I'm wanting an end to this, in accordance with God's will of course, but I'm feeling weaker by the day, it's wearing me down mentally, physically and spiritually. Any advice will be appreciated, thanks and God Bless. Adam.
Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM Dear Adam: Sorry for the delay in answering. Well, Adam, your problem is pride. You need to get over your pride. This is a pride that says, "I do not feel the way I want to feel, so I will be depressed and stop praying." Devotion is not about "feelings". It is about a decision of will to believe, to practice devotion, to pray regardless of how you feel. This pride is also borne with thinking errors. For example, you say, "I can't even arm myself with prayer". That is nonsense. You can pray if you want to. Get over yourself and get on your knees and pray. Mother Teresa had many doubts about God, but she did not let that stop her. She would kneel in front of the Blessed Sacrament until her knees bled even though she doubted the existence of God. Another thinking error is when you said you were "afraid to pray about it because I feel so ashamed, unworthy". Get over it. We are all unworthy and we are all ashamed. I am. I have all the worthiness of snail slime. But our worthiness does not come from ourselves, it comes from Christ. We are worthy because Christ makes us worthy. You can do what you decide to do! You are making much ado about nothing. These "flash thoughts" are flash thoughts that pop into your head. This may happen because of your own doubts, or it may happen because the devil is trying to rob you of your faith, or both. Why are you letting the devil rob you? STOP IT! Stop him! Do not entertain these flash thoughts, but immediately rebuke them, which I think is what I advised you do in a previous post. You need to remind yourself of who you are in Christ. We have a prayer just for that purpose -- to remind you of who you are in Christ: Who You Are In Christ Pray this Litany daily for the next month. Look up every single Scripture verse. Learn who you are in Christ. Stop leading with emotions. It is not about feelings. You KNOW you are worthy because God said so and God is not a liar. Everytime you say to yourself that you are too unworthy to pray you are calling God a liar. Prayer is even more important when we are low and weak. St. Paul discovered that "in my weakness I am in strong in Christ." (2 Cor 12:9-10) And he [Jesus] said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong. As I often advise my clients, sometimes we have compartmentalize what we know, what be believe, and what we feel. We must hold firm to what we know to be true, even if we don't quite believe it or feel it. We can know what is true by reading God's Word. God does not lie. If He promises something he always delivers on His promise. You need to hang on to what you "know" to be true by the Word of God. Then later, belief will follow and doubts will fade. After that, the feeling will come eventually. But, we must persevere regardless of whether or not the belief and feelings come (as Mother Teresa did, which made her a Saint). Be on guard for the devils schemes. The devil can sift your imagination and your feelings like wheat. You have to discipline yourself to reject those thoughts and feelings. This brings us back to the prayer... Prayer To Control Thoughts In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, strengthened by the intercession of the Immaculate Virgin Mary, Mother of God, of Blessed Michael the Archangel, of the Blessed Apostles Peter and Paul, and all the Saints and Angels of Heaven, and powerful in the holy authority of His Name, I reject this thought and feeling of [list for describe thought/feeling] which is contrary to God’s will. I choose only thoughts in harmony with the Holy Spirit, and I cover my thought life with the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. If the thoughts and feelings come 50 times a day, then pray this prayer 50 times a day. We will be praying for you. God Bless, Bro. Ignatius Mary For information on how to receive help see our Help page. We suggest that before contacting us directly for help you try the Seven Steps to Self-Deliverance. These self-help steps will often resolve the problem. Also our Spiritual Warfare Prayer Catalog contains many prayers that may be helpful. If needed you can ask for a Personal Consultation.

Question Title

Posted By

Question Date

Doubt in my mind, severe stumbling block, help?

Adam

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Question:

Bro. Ignatius, first I'll apologize for so many posts, but I'm really struggling here.

Until recently, I've never doubted God's existance, but for some reason I keep getting these "flash thoughts" in my mind questioning God as something man made? I have given my heart to God, that's why these thoughts, no matter how brief or how vague, are crushing to me. It pains me to the point that I'm afraid to pray about it because I feel so ashamed, unworthy and just completely depressed. I don't doubt that this is linked to my previous issues listed earlier, but these happenings are feeling like they're covering the blood of the lamb with darkness.

I really want to overcome this enemy so I can fully devote my life to Christ. How can it make me feel so distanced from him? As a Christian, our best line of defense is prayer and scripture, how can I defend myself when I can't even arm myself with prayer? I'm wanting an end to this, in accordance with God's will of course, but I'm feeling weaker by the day, it's wearing me down mentally, physically and spiritually. Any advice will be appreciated, thanks and God Bless. Adam.

Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM

Dear Adam:

Sorry for the delay in answering.

Well, Adam, your problem is pride. You need to get over your pride. This is a pride that says, "I do not feel the way I want to feel, so I will be depressed and stop praying."

Devotion is not about "feelings". It is about a decision of will to believe, to practice devotion, to pray regardless of how you feel.

This pride is also borne with thinking errors. For example, you say, "I can't even arm myself with prayer". That is nonsense. You can pray if you want to. Get over yourself and get on your knees and pray. Mother Teresa had many doubts about God, but she did not let that stop her. She would kneel in front of the Blessed Sacrament until her knees bled even though she doubted the existence of God.

Another thinking error is when you said you were "afraid to pray about it because I feel so ashamed, unworthy". Get over it. We are all unworthy and we are all ashamed. I am. I have all the worthiness of snail slime. But our worthiness does not come from ourselves, it comes from Christ. We are worthy because Christ makes us worthy.

You can do what you decide to do!

You are making much ado about nothing. These "flash thoughts" are flash thoughts that pop into your head. This may happen because of your own doubts, or it may happen because the devil is trying to rob you of your faith, or both. Why are you letting the devil rob you? STOP IT! Stop him!

Do not entertain these flash thoughts, but immediately rebuke them, which I think is what I advised you do in a previous post.

You need to remind yourself of who you are in Christ. We have a prayer just for that purpose -- to remind you of who you are in Christ:

Who You Are In Christ

Pray this Litany daily for the next month. Look up every single Scripture verse. Learn who you are in Christ.

Stop leading with emotions. It is not about feelings. You KNOW you are worthy because God said so and God is not a liar. Everytime you say to yourself that you are too unworthy to pray you are calling God a liar. Prayer is even more important when we are low and weak. St. Paul discovered that "in my weakness I am in strong in Christ."

(2 Cor 12:9-10) And he [Jesus] said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

As I often advise my clients, sometimes we have compartmentalize what we know, what be believe, and what we feel. We must hold firm to what we know to be true, even if we don't quite believe it or feel it.

We can know what is true by reading God's Word. God does not lie. If He promises something he always delivers on His promise.

You need to hang on to what you "know" to be true by the Word of God. Then later, belief will follow and doubts will fade. After that, the feeling will come eventually. But, we must persevere regardless of whether or not the belief and feelings come (as Mother Teresa did, which made her a Saint).

Be on guard for the devils schemes. The devil can sift your imagination and your feelings like wheat. You have to discipline yourself to reject those thoughts and feelings. This brings us back to the prayer...

Prayer To Control Thoughts

In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, strengthened by the intercession of the Immaculate Virgin Mary, Mother of God, of Blessed Michael the Archangel, of the Blessed Apostles Peter and Paul, and all the Saints and Angels of Heaven, and powerful in the holy authority of His Name, I reject this thought and feeling of [list for describe thought/feeling] which is contrary to God’s will. I choose only thoughts in harmony with the Holy Spirit, and I cover my thought life with the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

If the thoughts and feelings come 50 times a day, then pray this prayer 50 times a day.

We will be praying for you.

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary

For information on how to receive help see our Help page. We suggest that before contacting us directly for help you try the Seven Steps to Self-Deliverance. These self-help steps will often resolve the problem. Also our Spiritual Warfare Prayer Catalog contains many prayers that may be helpful. If needed you can ask for a Personal Consultation.