Suffering is uncomfortable and we are all always trying to get rid of it Most of us realize that to fix something it is necessary to know what is wrong and that leads us to ask plaintively, "why me, Lord?" The purpose of this thread is to help others see the reason for their suffering.
I have the same problem. It is so hard to embrace this suffering. And so hard not to express this suffering to my children and begging them to love their faith as we do. Also hard to be joyful and trusting. But seems the only way.
First of all, every person has free will because without it, no one could love. This extends to our children. We have no more control over what they believe than our parents had over our belief systems. We can guide them and be examples to them, but ultimately, they are responsible for themselves. This is how it has to be.
Just have faith. God will call them through suffering, just as he calls everyone else. It is in his hands, not yours. Just be a witness to the faith and give them the space to make their own decisions. Remember, we all have our own journeys. Be a safe haven for that journey, not a tempest. Don't try to tell them that their lack of faith causes you pain, show them that your faith causes you joy. God bless, Paul
How can I positively look at my suffering at having a majority of my children leave their catholic faith? My husband and I tried and I am sure that we made plenty of mistakes. I find that the devil really leads me to believe that it is my fault and it is hopeless. Any ideas on a better way to retool this thinking?