Posted by Dinah on October 6, 2002, at 14:59:06
In reply to I have lost my faith--need support please, posted by Mandy on October 6, 2002, at 12:32:44
Mandy, Please don't be upset with yourself over this. For one thing, psych meds can sometimes have a flattening effect on your emotions. Also, I think no one's faith remains constant all the time.
If your faith life is important to you, I would keep working at recapturing that spirit. There are various retreats offered, from contemplative to the new charismatic ones, in the Catholic church. One of those might help you in your quest. Also if your priest is a good and empathetic one, he can also help you. And sometimes just going through the motions can lead to moments of what you used to feel. You don't need to wait to feel what you should feel to do the actions. Sometimes doing the actions help with the feelings.
I have this problem as well at times. While I always have a strong intellectual faith, I am not so strong in experiencing my faith. But there are moments when a song will move me, or the sermon or sunday school lesson will be just what I need to hear, or moments that have no discernible cause, when I really feel God's presence in my life.
I think that religious committment and marriage are a lot alike. There are times when you just don't feel the way you think you should feel. But sometimes if you act "as if" you had the feelings, eventually some feelings will come.
How long have you been having trouble feeling God's spirit at Mass?
poster:Dinah
thread:1027
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/faith/20021001/msgs/1031.html