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Question Title	Posted By	Question Date
doubting my faith a spiritual attack?	Trevor	Thursday, November 15, 2007
Question: I was born Catholic. As a teen and through my twenties I went to Mass regularily, but mostly out of habit. I was attached to sins(masturbation, birth control, gossip, pride,despair,alcohol,had my future told several times, self pity, to name a few). For whatever reason, God chose to send me the graces needed for a conversion of heart. I was in a usual pitfall of depression. I had tried everything from hypnosis to psychologists to get my head right. After the Good Friday Mass 2007, I felt a sense of peace that I have not felt for a long time. Something told me to try asking God to heal me. I picked up my old Rosary that my mother gave to me 20+ years ago and started to pray it again. I completed a 54-day miracle Rosary Novena with my intention being to rid me of all of my negative, self destructive thoughts and for self confidence. During this Rosary, I searched my conscience and had a good confession. I received what I asked for, but most of all, Mary lead me back to Jesus. I was able to see that I was living in mortal sin. I cleaned up my old sinful habits instantly. I still pray the Rosary, as well as other prayers daily. This second chance that I was blessed with is so strong in me that the thought of offending God like I have in the past sickens me. I now enjoy a relationship with the Holy Trinity and Mary. Here is where my question comes in. It is not always easy to stay on the straight and narrow path. I know that it is the graces sent to me through the Sacraments and my daily Rosary that get me through temptations. I get the thoughts quite often that there is no God, and that I should be "enjoying" all of the old sins I used to be attached to.This saddens me, because I am working hard at my faith now and I want to love God. I dont want to think this. I am aware that some of my past sins may have left me open to attacks. I wear a crucifix and St Benedict medal. Is this doubt a spiritual attack or am I just skeptical? Is this normal? Thanks
Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM Dear Trevor: I praise God that you have found your way to our Lord and have left your past ways. God will richly reward you as a prodigal come home. In addition it sounds like you have received many graces of healing and deliverance. You have been greatly blessed. All of this, however, is still new. It would not be uncommon for you to have occasional thoughts of doubt. As you continue to grow in the faith and get older in the faith those doubts will most likely fade and your resolve and confidence in the faith will increase. Ber patient. Because you have come from such a long way away from God into God's arms, it is also true that the devil will not like what has happened. In addition to any natural doubts you may have the devil will try to make those doubts larger than they are. You need to be aware of this possibility. In terms of spiritual warfare, what can help is to pray various prayers found in our Spiritual Warfare Catalog linked below. What comes to mind at the moment is the Hedge Prayer of Protection, the Rebuking Particular Spirits (such as the spirit of doubt), and the Prayer to Control Thoughts. Perseverance is the key to the Christian life. Hang in there, remember that God loves you even if you are doubting Him. Sometimes you have to go with what you KNOW to be true rather than what you BELIEVE to be true or FEEL to be true. During those times when you are not sure you believe in God, or when you feel that God is not there, remind yourself of what you KNOW to be objectively true -- that God does exists because He has proven Himself in His Incarnation and in His revelation of Himself to us (in Sacred Tradition and Sacred Scripture) and confirmed by the Church. For an example of how this works you might read my essay, Obedience: the First and Foundational Virtue. In that essay I describe how I came to believe in the Marian doctrines and in the Doctrine of Communion of the Saints. At first I did not believe it at all, but I KNEW it was true because the Church said so. Read the essay. Maybe it will help. 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

doubting my faith a spiritual attack?

Trevor

Thursday, November 15, 2007

Question:

I was born Catholic. As a teen and through my twenties I went to Mass regularily, but mostly out of habit. I was attached to sins(masturbation, birth control, gossip, pride,despair,alcohol,had my future told several times, self pity, to name a few).

For whatever reason, God chose to send me the graces needed for a conversion of heart. I was in a usual pitfall of depression. I had tried everything from hypnosis to psychologists to get my head right. After the Good Friday Mass 2007, I felt a sense of peace that I have not felt for a long time. Something told me to try asking God to heal me.

I picked up my old Rosary that my mother gave to me 20+ years ago and started to pray it again. I completed a 54-day miracle Rosary Novena with my intention being to rid me of all of my negative, self destructive thoughts and for self confidence. During this Rosary, I searched my conscience and had a good confession.

I received what I asked for, but most of all, Mary lead me back to Jesus. I was able to see that I was living in mortal sin. I cleaned up my old sinful habits instantly. I still pray the Rosary, as well as other prayers daily. This second chance that I was blessed with is so strong in me that the thought of offending God like I have in the past sickens me. I now enjoy a relationship with the Holy Trinity and Mary.

Here is where my question comes in. It is not always easy to stay on the straight and narrow path. I know that it is the graces sent to me through the Sacraments and my daily Rosary that get me through temptations.

I get the thoughts quite often that there is no God, and that I should be "enjoying" all of the old sins I used to be attached to.This saddens me, because I am working hard at my faith now and I want to love God. I dont want to think this. I am aware that some of my past sins may have left me open to attacks. I wear a crucifix and St Benedict medal. Is this doubt a spiritual attack or am I just skeptical? Is this normal? Thanks

Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM

Dear Trevor:

I praise God that you have found your way to our Lord and have left your past ways. God will richly reward you as a prodigal come home.

In addition it sounds like you have received many graces of healing and deliverance. You have been greatly blessed.

All of this, however, is still new. It would not be uncommon for you to have occasional thoughts of doubt. As you continue to grow in the faith and get older in the faith those doubts will most likely fade and your resolve and confidence in the faith will increase. Ber patient.

Because you have come from such a long way away from God into God's arms, it is also true that the devil will not like what has happened. In addition to any natural doubts you may have the devil will try to make those doubts larger than they are. You need to be aware of this possibility.

In terms of spiritual warfare, what can help is to pray various prayers found in our Spiritual Warfare Catalog linked below. What comes to mind at the moment is the Hedge Prayer of Protection, the Rebuking Particular Spirits (such as the spirit of doubt), and the Prayer to Control Thoughts.

Perseverance is the key to the Christian life. Hang in there, remember that God loves you even if you are doubting Him.

Sometimes you have to go with what you KNOW to be true rather than what you BELIEVE to be true or FEEL to be true.

During those times when you are not sure you believe in God, or when you feel that God is not there, remind yourself of what you KNOW to be objectively true -- that God does exists because He has proven Himself in His Incarnation and in His revelation of Himself to us (in Sacred Tradition and Sacred Scripture) and confirmed by the Church.

For an example of how this works you might read my essay, Obedience: the First and Foundational Virtue. In that essay I describe how I came to believe in the Marian doctrines and in the Doctrine of Communion of the Saints. At first I did not believe it at all, but I KNEW it was true because the Church said so. Read the essay. Maybe it will help.

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.