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Is it normal to feel difficulties such as thinking that God has stopped listening to you?

Christopher asks:

Father, 

I have been discerning the Priesthood for 3-5 years now. I recently have decided to go to a house of discernment, run by our diocese. Since I have made this choice I seem to have been confronted with the reality of the sacrifice. I seem to be feeling a fiery presence. I also don't feel like I am moving forward too easily, and it seems as though God has stopped listening to me. Is this normal? I seem to be hearing this voice that whispers "you're going to hell". I know this sounds very dramatic, but that's because it is. I was wondering if you had any insight. 

Christopher

 

Dear Christopher,  

It seems to me from what you describe that you may be dealing here with a nervous, emotional reaction. Such a thing can be relatively normal, but what you have to learn to do is to bring yourself back to reality, but I mean the reality of faith. Don't allow these stray thoughts to govern your thought process and prayers -they are distractions and temptations- and don't let them polarize your concerns. Just lay them aside. They are fears, not reality. The reality is God is real, God is your Father in heaven, God is present always, "nearer to us than we are to ourselves", and this is especially true when we receive Communion. God sent his Son, and his Son established the Eucharist so that he would always be close by whenever we needed him. Any feeling that he is distant or has stopped listening to us is mistaken, and we have to reject it when it comes. Correct it by renewing your faith, telling God you believe in him, that you know he's there.  

The second step of faith (the first is to tell God you know he's there) is to act on it. Just go ahead with what God wants you to do and reject the fears that come. If you are trying to do what God wants, trying to grow in the life of grace, you can rest assured that any "voice" telling you that you are going to hell is definitely not from God, and not worth wasting your time on. 

Be sure of my prayers, and I hope you are well.  

 

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