The Shame of Doubt

[humble soul]

Oh to be sure and certain!
Every second of our lives. That Jesus really is the Son of God who has come to save us all. That He really does know the number of hairs on my scalp. (fewer these days I admit)
That He thinks Im a reasonable candidate for Heaven. Who me? But I suffer so much doubt! I feel like Jekyl and Hyde. One minute thanking him for the glorious sun that shines, the next wondering if He really does exist.
Is this the same as consolation/desolation? Feeling close to God then distant from Him? It feels like a mental illness.
I did read once that Mother Theresa spent months feeling desolate. Feeling the absence of God. Yet she persevered. This desolation thing might be a trick. A test of faith. God wants to see if we really can endure without feeling His closeness.
But dare I compare my own puny faith to Mother Theresa's.
I have a long way to go and just hope I can feel more certain as I near death. A terrible thing it must be to die having doubt. The shame of it!

 

[HeIsRisen2018]

Join the club, I think we all have our share of doubt sometimes. The important thing is to remember Mark 9:24.

 

[for_his_glory]

John 20:29 Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.

Thomas doubted until Jesus revealed Himself to him and then he believed. None of us have ever seen Jesus nor do we even know what He looks like. So how do we believe is by faith as we develop a strong belief in God based on Spiritual understanding rather then proof. Faith the size of a mustard seed needs to be watered and nourished with sound doctrine as we build a personal relationship with Christ and to know the mind of Christ and the best that God wants to bless us with.

This kind of faith does not happen overnight, but is continually built upon, but we also have an adversary that only wants to steal, kill and destroy our faith in Christ. When in doubt this opens the door for Satan to enter in and play with our mind.

Hebrews 1:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

 

[GodsGrace]

Oh to be sure and certain!
Every second of our lives. That Jesus really is the Son of God who has come to save us all. That He really does know the number of hairs on my scalp. (fewer these days I admit)
That He thinks Im a reasonable candidate for Heaven. Who me? But I suffer so much doubt! I feel like Jekyl and Hyde. One minute thanking him for the glorious sun that shines, the next wondering if He really does exist.
Is this the same as consolation/desolation? Feeling close to God then distant from Him? It feels like a mental illness.
I did read once that Mother Theresa spent months feeling desolate. Feeling the absence of God. Yet she persevered. This desolation thing might be a trick. A test of faith. God wants to see if we really can endure without feeling His closeness.
But dare I compare my own puny faith to Mother Theresa's.
I have a long way to go and just hope I can feel more certain as I near death. A terrible thing it must be to die having doubt. The shame of it!

Hi HS,,,,
Have you ever thought of this?
Who do you trust?
Can you trust Jesus....? Sure, but He's the same one that can be doubted at times.

So let's go to someone esle.
Can you trust the Apostles?
They went into hiding out of fear when Jesus was crucified.
Only John remained at the foot of the cross. John 19:25-27
What happened that made the Apostles invincible within a few days of the Resurrection?
They all had difficult, tumultuous lives and died terrible deaths. (except for John).

Can you trust them?
1 John 1:1-5a
1What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the Word of Life—
2and the life was manifested, and we have seen and testify and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was manifested to us—
3what we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ. 4These things we write, so that our joy may be made complete.
5This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you,

 

[humble soul]

I have trouble trusting myself.
I trust smart Christian theologians like Augustine and Aquinas.
If only dumb people followed Christianity, it wouldnt have lasted so long.
I trusted my parents and they introduced mec o Catholicism. I havent found a better faith yet.

 

[GodsGrace]

I have trouble trusting myself.
I trust smart Christian theologians like Augustine and Aquinas.
If only dumb people followed Christianity, it wouldnt have lasted so long.
I trusted my parents and they introduced mec o Catholicism. I havent found a better faith yet.

I can agree with Aquinas. He was a real brain.
Augustine was a brain too...but I withhold opinion.

Catholicism is a good denomination.
The Mass is beautiful and gives children something to hold on to as they get older. The liturgies are just fine.

If you're lucky you might have a nice priest too.
This could be helpful if you have a question about something.

I think the Catholic church doesn't teach it's members enough about the bible...it's unfortunate because there's so much to know.

But knowing Jesus is the most important thing to know...so I guess that's OK too.

I wonder if you belong to a bible study group?
It would be good.

 

[humble soul]

I can agree with Aquinas. He was a real brain.
Augustine was a brain too...but I withhold opinion.

Catholicism is a good denomination.
The Mass is beautiful and gives children something to hold on to as they get older. The liturgies are just fine.

If you're lucky you might have a nice priest too.
This could be helpful if you have a question about something.

I think the Catholic church doesn't teach it's members enough about the bible...it's unfortunate because there's so much to know.

But knowing Jesus is the most important thing to know...so I guess that's OK too.

I wonder if you belong to a bible study group?
It would be good.

i started self education 3 years ago. our parish started Bible study. i know a lot more than i used to but im not aiming to quote verses here.
i was very zealous but now im in a rut again. i respect the Bible of course but parts of it are either disappointing or enigmatic. we shoukd not idly accept everything it says as perfect imo.

 

[humble soul]

The Mass is potentially very beautiful. that is so true. maybe thats what trad. catholics love. just a shame they have to be so dogmatic.

 

[GodsGrace]

i started self education 3 years ago. our parish started Bible study. i know a lot more than i used to but im not aiming to quote verses here.
i was very zealous but now im in a rut again. i respect the Bible of course but parts of it are either disappointing or enigmatic. we shoukd not idly accept everything it says as perfect imo.

Right.
If we could only ALL AGREE on what it says!!!

You'll find that as you go along you'll learn more and more.
I find it helpful...you may not.
Knowing Jesus is important....
I'll also say that the more I read the bible, the more I understand it.

I can't think of anything it says that we shouldn't accept idly....
I tend to accept what it says.

 

[humble soul]

Right.
If we could only ALL AGREE on what it says!!!

You'll find that as you go along you'll learn more and more.
I find it helpful...you may not.
Knowing Jesus is important....
I'll also say that the more I read the bible, the more I understand it.

I can't think of anything it says that we shouldn't accept idly....
I tend to accept what it says.

i will never become a Bible nerd.
I prefer haunting verses like Isaiah's suffering servant. And the poetry of Hosea. And the sermon on the mount is huuuuge. i still dont fully grasp it but it is rich in meaning.

 

[GodsGrace]

i will never become a Bible nerd.
I prefer haunting verses like Isaiah's suffering servant. And the poetry of Hosea. And the sermon on the mount is huuuuge. i still dont fully grasp it but it is rich in meaning.

Ha! That's what I used to say!

I did lessons on the Beatitudes, and those other books you like are great too. I concentrate more on the N.T.

If you want to discuss the beatitudes,,,just start a thread on any one of them...and I'll join in. Remember to tag me in with the @ key.