Holding onto Faith....
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2016
Posts: 26
Holding onto Faith....
Anyone who follows a specific faith or belief system feeling the tests of that versus addiction?
It is a difficult space to hold faith/prayers for someone knowing they need to have their own conscious decision to change and stop the destruction while we are letting go to let God.
SO hard to know there is so much human choice/will in the reality yet also holding hope they can be saved before the legal deadline.....all while moving forward in our own lives to take care of ourselves and hoping to not see divorce at the end.
Anyone else relate??
It is a difficult space to hold faith/prayers for someone knowing they need to have their own conscious decision to change and stop the destruction while we are letting go to let God.
SO hard to know there is so much human choice/will in the reality yet also holding hope they can be saved before the legal deadline.....all while moving forward in our own lives to take care of ourselves and hoping to not see divorce at the end.
Anyone else relate??
Member
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: W Washington
Posts: 11,589
SO hard to know there is so much human choice/will in the reality yet also holding hope they can be saved before the legal deadline
should prayers really have a deadline? isn't that more MY will, MY plan, than God's?
Dear HP, could you please hurry it up and intercede and CHANGE him, so that i don't have to follow through with the unpleasantries of divorce? oh and you only have until March 31st. thanks.
should prayers really have a deadline? isn't that more MY will, MY plan, than God's?
Dear HP, could you please hurry it up and intercede and CHANGE him, so that i don't have to follow through with the unpleasantries of divorce? oh and you only have until March 31st. thanks.
Guest
Join Date: Nov 2016
Location: East of Eden
Posts: 420
I feel your pain, Pseudo. It's not an easy thing to stay in the moment when the moment sucks and it full of pain and uncertainty.
Things happen in life that we won't ever understand. Why some people choose recovery and why some don't. Why some relationships get another chance and others don't. The list goes on and on. For myself, I had to learn to content myself with the idea that I'm probably never going to get the answers to my questions. For whatever reason God has decided that it's just none of my business. And as much as it hurts, I have to accept it, because if I don't, I'll drive myself insane. It's hard to have faith when it looks like there is no reason to have any. Like there isn't anyone or anything to hear your prayers. I've been there. Still am in a lot of ways. I empathize with all my heart. Prayers for you and your family.
Things happen in life that we won't ever understand. Why some people choose recovery and why some don't. Why some relationships get another chance and others don't. The list goes on and on. For myself, I had to learn to content myself with the idea that I'm probably never going to get the answers to my questions. For whatever reason God has decided that it's just none of my business. And as much as it hurts, I have to accept it, because if I don't, I'll drive myself insane. It's hard to have faith when it looks like there is no reason to have any. Like there isn't anyone or anything to hear your prayers. I've been there. Still am in a lot of ways. I empathize with all my heart. Prayers for you and your family.
Member
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 1,792
Dear Pseudowidow
My particular faith teaches that God will never violate a person's free will. However, we can commit others to his providential care and trust that he can set up a series of events that bring them to a place of surrender.
The other thing we can do, is trust "ourselves to the care of God", and make a decision to surrender ourselves to him on a daily basis.
I am sorry for your pain. This is one unhappy fact that most of us understand.
My particular faith teaches that God will never violate a person's free will. However, we can commit others to his providential care and trust that he can set up a series of events that bring them to a place of surrender.
The other thing we can do, is trust "ourselves to the care of God", and make a decision to surrender ourselves to him on a daily basis.
I am sorry for your pain. This is one unhappy fact that most of us understand.
Curmudgeon, Electrical Engineer, Guitar God Wannabe
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Where the mighty arms of Atlas hold the heavens from the Earth
Posts: 3,403
There was a moment within the madness (one I won't recount here) that I felt compelled to turn things over to God. And I remember lying in bed looking at the ceiling saying aloud, OK, you've got my attention.
From that moment on, I've just rolled with whatever punches that come my way. Not that it was easy, because letting go is never easy. But there was something liberating about admitting that I didn't have control over something, and it freed me up to work on the things that I could do something about.
The reason why people don't let go is because of fear. Fear of the unknown. Fear of not having a person we love in our life. Fear of a lot of thing. Letting go doesn't mean all that magically dissipates, because it doesn't. But what it does mean is there are just some things in this life we cannot affect. There are always going to be outcomes in this life we don't like. That's just how it is. That's the price we pay for being alive.
Generally speaking, letting go has worked out pretty well for me the past 5+ years. Maybe it'll work for you if you give it a go.
From that moment on, I've just rolled with whatever punches that come my way. Not that it was easy, because letting go is never easy. But there was something liberating about admitting that I didn't have control over something, and it freed me up to work on the things that I could do something about.
The reason why people don't let go is because of fear. Fear of the unknown. Fear of not having a person we love in our life. Fear of a lot of thing. Letting go doesn't mean all that magically dissipates, because it doesn't. But what it does mean is there are just some things in this life we cannot affect. There are always going to be outcomes in this life we don't like. That's just how it is. That's the price we pay for being alive.
Generally speaking, letting go has worked out pretty well for me the past 5+ years. Maybe it'll work for you if you give it a go.
Member
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: New Orleans, LA
Posts: 985
I believe that God (or the Force, or the pattern) can influence human choice.
I believe that heart-ful prayer is influential.
Perhaps, without that prayer, things would be worse for them!
If we pray for their growing wisdom & well-being, I think we can't go wrong.
We all need growing wisdom & well-being...
I believe that heart-ful prayer is influential.
Perhaps, without that prayer, things would be worse for them!
If we pray for their growing wisdom & well-being, I think we can't go wrong.
We all need growing wisdom & well-being...
Member
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: New Orleans, LA
Posts: 985
There are degrees of well being, and it is not for us to assume what that means for any particular person...so there's no particular outcome...
I guess I'm saying that I think prayer is a powerful influence, but we can't be invested in what happens next. Just shoot good wishes out. Sparkly.
I guess I'm saying that I think prayer is a powerful influence, but we can't be invested in what happens next. Just shoot good wishes out. Sparkly.
Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: USA
Posts: 13,560
This. Anvil has hit a home run here.
I usto get so mad that I prayed and prayed for guidance from God thinking I was not getting that. Low and behold, he was guiding me the entire time, I was just not willing to see what he was telling me.
You only have until March 31st....
I usto get so mad that I prayed and prayed for guidance from God thinking I was not getting that. Low and behold, he was guiding me the entire time, I was just not willing to see what he was telling me.
Originally Posted by AnvilheadII 
SO hard to know there is so much human choice/will in the reality yet also holding hope they can be saved before the legal deadline
should prayers really have a deadline? isn't that more MY will, MY plan, than God's?
Dear HP, could you please hurry it up and intercede and CHANGE him, so that i don't have to follow through with the unpleasantries of divorce? oh and you only have until March 31st. thanks.
should prayers really have a deadline? isn't that more MY will, MY plan, than God's?
Dear HP, could you please hurry it up and intercede and CHANGE him, so that i don't have to follow through with the unpleasantries of divorce? oh and you only have until March 31st. thanks.
Member
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: East Coast USA
Posts: 254
For me, I found faith as a result of what we're dealing with. I was a very lapsed catholic. But over the past year or so I have found a lot if comfort in prayer. During the day when I'm on the verge of melting down because of worry\stress I will quite literally think to myself that when I have alone quiet time later, I know that I can pray about it. Sometimes I listen to guided meditations on YouTube. So many of those that I listen to are about healing energy and the beauty in nature. They make me feel calmer.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2016
Posts: 26
Originally Posted by Eauchiche
Dear Pseudowidow
My particular faith teaches that God will never violate a person's free will. However, we can commit others to his providential care and trust that he can set up a series of events that bring them to a place of surrender.
The other thing we can do, is trust "ourselves to the care of God", and make a decision to surrender ourselves to him on a daily basis.
I am sorry for your pain. This is one unhappy fact that most of us understand.
My particular faith teaches that God will never violate a person's free will. However, we can commit others to his providential care and trust that he can set up a series of events that bring them to a place of surrender.
The other thing we can do, is trust "ourselves to the care of God", and make a decision to surrender ourselves to him on a daily basis.
I am sorry for your pain. This is one unhappy fact that most of us understand.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2016
Posts: 26
Originally Posted by zoso77
There was a moment within the madness (one I won't recount here) that I felt compelled to turn things over to God. And I remember lying in bed looking at the ceiling saying aloud, OK, you've got my attention.
From that moment on, I've just rolled with whatever punches that come my way. Not that it was easy, because letting go is never easy. But there was something liberating about admitting that I didn't have control over something, and it freed me up to work on the things that I could do something about.
The reason why people don't let go is because of fear. Fear of the unknown. Fear of not having a person we love in our life. Fear of a lot of thing. Letting go doesn't mean all that magically dissipates, because it doesn't. But what it does mean is there are just some things in this life we cannot affect. There are always going to be outcomes in this life we don't like. That's just how it is. That's the price we pay for being alive.
Generally speaking, letting go has worked out pretty well for me the past 5+ years. Maybe it'll work for you if you give it a go.
From that moment on, I've just rolled with whatever punches that come my way. Not that it was easy, because letting go is never easy. But there was something liberating about admitting that I didn't have control over something, and it freed me up to work on the things that I could do something about.
The reason why people don't let go is because of fear. Fear of the unknown. Fear of not having a person we love in our life. Fear of a lot of thing. Letting go doesn't mean all that magically dissipates, because it doesn't. But what it does mean is there are just some things in this life we cannot affect. There are always going to be outcomes in this life we don't like. That's just how it is. That's the price we pay for being alive.
Generally speaking, letting go has worked out pretty well for me the past 5+ years. Maybe it'll work for you if you give it a go.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2016
Posts: 26
Originally Posted by CherryVanilla
For me, I found faith as a result of what we're dealing with. I was a very lapsed catholic. But over the past year or so I have found a lot if comfort in prayer. During the day when I'm on the verge of melting down because of worry\stress I will quite literally think to myself that when I have alone quiet time later, I know that I can pray about it. Sometimes I listen to guided meditations on YouTube. So many of those that I listen to are about healing energy and the beauty in nature. They make me feel calmer.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2016
Posts: 26
Originally Posted by heartcore
I believe that God (or the Force, or the pattern) can influence human choice.
I believe that heart-ful prayer is influential.
Perhaps, without that prayer, things would be worse for them!
If we pray for their growing wisdom & well-being, I think we can't go wrong.
We all need growing wisdom & well-being...
I believe that heart-ful prayer is influential.
Perhaps, without that prayer, things would be worse for them!
If we pray for their growing wisdom & well-being, I think we can't go wrong.
We all need growing wisdom & well-being...
Thank you! Definitely a perspective I hadnt thought of!!!! Brilliant.
Member
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: East Coast USA
Posts: 254
Originally Posted by PseudoWidow
Omg. Yes. I'd be lost without daily devotionals and meditation! Glad to hear someone else gets it.
Currently Active Users Viewing this Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
