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rogeriopaguilar

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Has anyone lost their fate in god (or the god of your religion) after the diagnosis? I grew up in a Christian house and always believed but since I became ill and all my prays are like doing nothing I am beginning to lose my faith. I know it was not him who put this diseases in our bodies but it is hard to believe that nothing will happen even with all the petitions/prayers.
If you don't believe in God, please show some respect and don't answer this question. I don't want a 'war' between believers and not believers, I just want to know from the believers what they think about this and I don't know who should I ask this since all the friends/close family members disappeared after I became sick.

P.S.: I am sorry If I post this in the wrong part of the forum

Rogério
 
Gday Rog
Yes, I have moments where my faith waivers. It's at these times, though, that our Lord is carrying me.

My parish priest says to me after an anointing mass and whenever I discuss it with him, the mass, prayers and petitions are healing us spiritually.

When my faith is at it's strongest moments, I know prayers have been answered, as my fears for the future of me and my family are washed away.

May God continue to bless you on your journey, and carry you in His loving arms.
 
Hi Rogerio,

I totally understand your feelings about your faith. I am a Catholic and went to Catholic schools for my entire education. Prayer was always a big part of my life. My husband went to see a neurologist in Nov. 2011 because of weakness in his hand. The neurologist said he couldn't exclude ALS and we were devastated. We put our prayers into overdrive and had family, friends and church members praying for him while we waited to see the ALS specialist for a second opinion. When we saw him and did all the usual tests, he said to us, "you definitely don't have ALS". We were overjoyed and thanked God for this wonderful news.

Well, this wonderful news was short lived. He continued to slowly progress over the next year. We decided to go to the Mayo Clinic to get another opinion and they almost immediately diagnosed him with ALS. I really questioned my faith in God for the first time in my life. I don't know how my husband feels about this but I feel betrayed by God. I have not been able to discuss this with anyone because my family and friends are always saying they are praying for us and I have been told by so many to keep the faith.

I just want you to know that you are not alone. I really hope I can rebuild my faith when this is over but right now I am just floundering.

Sharon
 
Sharon, it broke my heart to read your post. Thank you for bearing your soul to Rogerio. Knowing we are not alone, that people really do understand is very important.

My situation is very different to yours, so I won't lie and say that I get it. Please know, however, I get that our trust you n God is tested big time.

I go to Wednesday mass each week, and will light a candle for you this week.

Rogerio, I'm very hopeful that Sharon's post has helped.
 
Janelle X and Sharon, I am sorry you feel the same way as I do. I hope we can build our faith back, but it's been really hard at the moment.
I'm 33 and single. I am seeing all my friends/family members achieving great things in life, marrying , having children, growing on their jobs and living
well and I am here almost alone and sick. I'm not jealous. It's just sadness since I should be doing the same things at this age and not suffering
like this and not knowing very well what is happening (was diagnosed then misdiagnosed and now don't know again what is happening to me). It just seen unfair. Maybe life is unfair, I don't know.


Rogério
 
Rogerio,

I'm certainly no saint however I am a Christian and although I get depressed often, I never get angry with God. Each day I open my eyes and see a new day I thank Him. Every day He gives me with my wife and family I thank Him. In my understanding of the Bible, there is no mention that we will have no suffering on this earth or in our earthly bodies. What we are promised is that if we believe and acknowledge Him, our spirit will live forever. There are terrible tragedies every single day to people who are so much more devoted than myself. There are babies and little children who pass away from abuse or cancer. So young and so innocent. While we can't make sense of these tragedies, we have to remember that we are promised ever lasting life. Not in this life but in the next; not in this body but in our new spiritual body.

Try to be thankful every day. It's ok to be angry some times but remember He holds you in the palm of his hand. Use every opportunity to help others and try to lift Them up when they are down. I will pray that He gives you the peace that passes all understanding and renews your spiritual strength. Our lives on this earth are but a blink of an eye. It's what comes next that us our reward for believing. So very simple, just believe and you will have eternal life. No more tears, no more pain.

Bless you.

Vince
 
Rogério, I know the great pain that a believer goes through when they find themselves "losing their faith". I have known more than one who went through the things you and others here are describing. A friend of mine, who died from ALS last December, told me once that even he went through a time of about 6 months when he was first diagnosed where he really had a struggle making sense out of what he thought he believed.

He told me that working through that eventually brought him to a place of even greater faith in God. He had been trusting in himself. He had begun to believe things about God and faith that were not in line with what scripture tells us. And he said he was surprised by how great a part pride played in this "loss of faith", and his almost unconscious expectations of God to make his life what he wanted, rather than finding his own heart wanting what God wanted.

I do not know that these things are yours as well, and I pray that you will not take offense at what I write. There are no fast answers or easy explanations for this. Even Saint Paul prayed three times that God would remove "a thorn in the flesh", and God's answer was no, His grace was sufficient. Paul came to the place were he could say "herefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me." (2 Cor 12)

I went through this valley of the shadow of death when my wife was fighting breast cancer. I know that it is not easy. But count it a joy that the testing of your faith will bring you to place of knowing God better and trusting Him more. Struggle and pray, and we will all pray with and for you (and each other as well). Take heart knowing that it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man conceived, what God has prepared for those who love him,” and that promise is to each of us whom He has called to love Him.

God bless
 
These times of extreme trial demonstrate the need to store up the Scriptures in our hearts and minds to prepare us to face them. Faith is simply believing God and trusting that He will do what He has said He will do - in exactly the right way and at exactly the right time. He has promised that He is causing all things to work together for good to those who love Him. (Ro 8:28) He does not promise that all things that we face will be to our liking. In fact He promised that in this world we shall have tribulation. (John 16:33) But can I trust Him only when He causes things to work to my pleasure? We have much to be discouraged about if we think that life in this world is the goal for which we have been created.

May I offer just a few passages for your encouragement, and perhaps a change of perspective:

"Now if Christ is preached, that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, not even Christ has been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain. Moreover we are even found to be false witnesses of God, because we testified against God that He raised Christ, whom He did not raise, if in fact the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied." (1 Cor 15:12-19)

"For we know that if the earthly tent which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For indeed in this house we groan, longing to be clothed with our dwelling from heaven, inasmuch as we, having put it on, will not be found naked. For indeed while we are in this tent, we groan, being burdened, because we do not want to be unclothed but to be clothed, so that what is mortal will be swallowed up by life. Now He who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave to us the Spirit as a pledge.Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord— for we walk by faith, not by sight— we are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord." (2 Cor 5:1-8)

"Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing." (James 1:2-4)

"All these died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance, and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own. And indeed if they had been thinking of that country from which they went out, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for He has prepared a city for them." (Heb 11:13-16)

"But Jesus answered and said to them, “You are mistaken, not understanding the Scriptures nor the power of God. For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. But regarding the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was spoken to you by God: ‘I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not the God of the dead but of the living.” When the crowds heard this, they were astonished at His teaching." (Mt 22:29-33)

"Martha then said to Jesus, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. Even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You.” Jesus *said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha *said to Him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:21-26)


Most people think of heaven as the consolation prize for having died. But the Lord has revealed to us in His Word that His disciples are strangers and aliens in this world. We have been created and redeemed for eternal, intimate fellowship with Him. Physical death is not the end of life. It is the beginning of a new, much richer phase of life in the very presence of the One who died to redeem us. At the proper time our physical bodies will also be resurrected in the likeness of His resurrection. Even while awaiting that great event the Scriptures tell us that to be present with Him, though absent from the body, is far better than to continue in our present state.

If we look to God to make things according to our wisdom and desires we shall surely be disappointed. And if our faith rests upon God performing in accordance with our desires it is resting on shaky ground. But, if like Job, God brings me to the point of humiliation with such questions:

Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind and said,
“Who is this that darkens counsel
By words without knowledge?
“Now gird up your loins like a man,
And I will ask you, and you instruct Me!
“Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?
Tell Me, if you have understanding,
Who set its measurements? Since you know.
Or who stretched the line on it?
“On what were its bases sunk?
Or who laid its cornerstone,
When the morning stars sang together
And all the sons of God shouted for joy? (Job 38:1-7)

Then the Lord said to Job,
“Will the faultfinder contend with the Almighty?
Let him who reproves God answer it.” (Job 40:1-2)


Then perhaps I will have the insight Job gained from God's instruction and respond as he did.

Then Job answered the Lord and said,
“Behold, I am insignificant; what can I reply to You?
I lay my hand on my mouth.
“Once I have spoken, and I will not answer;
Even twice, and I will add nothing more.” (Job 40:3-5)

and

Then Job answered the Lord and said,

“I know that You can do all things,
And that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted.
‘Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?’
Therefore I have declared that which I did not understand,
Things too wonderful for me, which I did not know.”
‘Hear, now, and I will speak;
I will ask You, and You instruct me.’
“I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear;
But now my eye sees You;
Therefore I retract,
And I repent in dust and ashes.” (Job 42:1-6)

And as He revealed to Isaiah:

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord.
“For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways
And My thoughts than your thoughts." (Is 55:8-9)

So our perspective is raised to His view from heaven rather than our view from the earth.

"For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body. For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it. In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words " (Rom 8:18-26)

"What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies; who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Just as it is written,
“For Your sake we are being put to death all day long;
We were considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”


But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Rom 8:31-39)

"Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory." (Col 3:1-4)

I'll end with this verse emphasizing the need of knowing the Scriptures in order to establish our faith:

"So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ." (Ro 10:17)

God has declared His love for us by offering His Son as a sacrifice for us. He has not and will not abandon us. He seeks us and earnestly desires that we seek Him as our very life.

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me." ( Jn 14:6)

Sorry that this turned out to be so long, but I thought all the passages are important to your question.

Rogério, I pray the Lord bring you into peace and rest in Him, utterly confident in His goodness, wisdom, and power as you immerse yourself in His eternal Word.
 
Wow, others have said it better than I ever could.

I will simply add that I find the story of Job to be a great inspiration.

In Job, we learn that God did not cause Job's affliction, but allowed it for His purpose.

I accept God as sovereign. I don't demand fairness; I just accept the unrelenting love of God.

Steve
 
Uol,I got such incredible answer, much more than I spected. Thanks everyone for taking your time to help a confused and helpless soul as mine. Phil, you wrote encouraging parts of the scripture that I had forgotten. Thank you for that and thanks everyone to try to help me. Tears are falling from my eyes right now.
 
My dear friend Rogério, I was grieved to hear that all of your friends and close relatives disappeared after your diagnosis. Let me assure you that you have friends here that will always stick with you through your trial and offer whatever help and encouragement we can. Ultimately, the only real encouragement and help that any of us can receive originates from the gracious heart of our gracious Savior and King of Glory.

I think the most inspiring Scripture passage for me is the vision of the King of kings that John witnessed and recorded in the first chapter of the book of Revelation.

I, John, your brother and fellow partaker in the tribulation and kingdom and perseverance which are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like the sound of a trumpet, saying, “Write in a book what you see, and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea.”

Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands; and in the middle of the lampstands I saw one like a son of man, clothed in a robe reaching to the feet, and girded across His chest with a golden sash. His head and His hair were white like white wool, like snow; and His eyes were like a flame of fire. His feet were like burnished bronze, when it has been made to glow in a furnace, and His voice was like the sound of many waters. In His right hand He held seven stars, and out of His mouth came a sharp two-edged sword; and His face was like the sun shining in its strength.

When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man. And He placed His right hand on me, saying, “Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last, and the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades." (Rev 1:9-18)

This vision is one of the very few things that actually deserve the adjective of awesome! We are used to picturing Jesus as He walked this earth in the days of His flesh. And John, who lived with Him for three years and was literally a bosom buddy as he lay on Jesus' chest at the last supper, and had seen Him raise the dead, heal the sick, feed multitudes with a few fish and loaves of bread, give sight to one born blind, cause the lame to walk, and had seen Him crucified and then saw Him raised from the dead, and fellowshipped with Him for forty days after He ascended from the dead - in spite of his incredible familiarity with Him had never seen Him as He has always been from eternity - he had never imagined the power of Jesus in His eternal glory. And when Jesus revealed Himself to His friend, John could only fall down as a dead man! And so would we!! Yet this Glorious One, in His boundless grace, reached out His right hand and offered the ultimate encouragement and comfort, “Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last, and the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades."

John saw Jesus with his eyes, and Jesus had him record what he saw for us, in order that we may also see Him as He is through eyes of faith. This vision of Him warrants much meditation. His voice piercing like a trumpet and thunderous like Niagara Falls, His pure white hair as the Ancient of Days, clothed with the white regal robe of righteousness, girded with the golden sash of Divinity, His penetrating and withering gaze from eyes of fire, His inscrutable face glowing with such intensity that one could more easily stare at the sun than stare at the Him, His Word emanating from His mouth like a sword with which He vanquishes all who dare to oppose Him, standing as the ultimate power upon bronze feet still glowing with the fearsome heat of a furnace. This is the One with whom we have to do! Indeed, as the Scripture says, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." (Ps 111:10 & Pr 9:10)

And yet, though He is rightly to be feared because of His awesome power and perfect righteousness, in His grace He reached out His right hand to John, and to us, and assures us that He is for us, that we can be at peace in His incomparable presence. That He has conquered death and therefore it no longer has any power over those who are His.

It is unthinkable that we would be afraid of anything if we saw Him with our physical eyes standing next to us, walking with us in the midst of any threat. But indeed He is also the One who promised that "I will never leave you nor forsake you". So, if I call to mind the image of Himself that He revealed through His apostle John, then with eyes of faith I can, at anytime and in any circumstance, see Him standing with me in all His glory and power. And of what can I be afraid if He is with me?!!

If we frequently meditate on His appearance, then we can instantly see Him in our mind, and by faith KNOW that He is in Truth actually present with us according to His promise. And His Name is glorified as those around us witness an unnatural calm and peace in the midst of what is naturally is perhaps even terrifying. His part is the Power and Wisdom; our part is simply faith in Him.

May He lavish an abundance of His grace and peace upon you, my friend.
 
This an interesting question with no clear answers. My wife was diagnosed in 2010 at the age thirty-nine. She was never a religious woman but claimed to believe in God. She is currently still alive and although ALS does not have formal stages, she is coming close to the end. As a caregiver I never felt angry toward God but did question why ALS had to afflict my family. At the time of her diagnosis, our children were aged three and five. Her anger toward God stemmed from the fact that she was not going to see her boys grow up, which I could understand. I picked up this audio book called Prayers and Promises. The author was a clergyman who was diagnosed with ALS. He died just recently, December 26th 2015. The book helped me understand how, at least from his perspective, God and religion fit in relation to tragic events. I suggest you download the audio book and give it a try to help you find your own answers. I wish you well
 
I posted earlier about how I felt I was questioning my faith for the first time in my life. No disrespect for those who have quoted scripture, but going to mass and reading scripture has not helped me. I feel like I am just going through the motions. Yesterday my PALS said something to me that helped a great deal.

He said that now he felt that he could finally tell me about a dream he had exactly 3 weeks ago. He told me that he dreamed he saw Jesus. He started to break down crying and had difficulty speaking but he said Jesus held his face in his hands and kissed him. He had an overwhelming feeling of peace and comfort. We cried together for a long while. I had not said anything to my husband about my questioning my faith and he has not said anything about his faith but this made me realize that it was going to be ok. Life was not going to be easy (and it isn't) but God is and will be there.

Alligator, thanks for the suggestion about the book. I will get it for us to read.

Sharon
 
God is sovereign. This is a statement that most religions and religious people acknowledge but few actually understand. In short it means that God knows everything, plans everything, and causes ALL things to happen for the single purpose of His glory. So, my having ALS is part of His plan, it is not and accident (see Job or the earlier reference passage from Corinthians).

We then ask WHY is this part of His plan? The answer is simple, -to bring Glory to His name. We do not know the specifics nor do we need to. God is Holy, and all things are done for His glory. Our lives are truly in His hands and He will do with them as He wants. Scriptures tells us that He uses each of our lives for His own purpose, some for noble some for ignoble. Nothing is outside of His plan.

When we 'loose faith" it is because we think something is unfair. We believe in our hearts that we deserve better. Simply put, because of our sins the only thing we deserve is damnation. There is not a single person other than Christ who does not get what they deserve.

God could rightfully condemn each and everyone of us to hell - and due to our sins He would be right to do so. And yet He in His wisdom, chose to send His son to die for the sins of His people, and give them everlasting life. Not a fading life on this world but an everlasting life in the presence of His glory. Christ Jesus bore the sins of His people in His body on the tree that they would die to sin and live for righteousness, by His wounds they where healed (1 Peter).

This is what the focus of the gift of faith is in, not in ones physical or emotional condition, but in the knowledge that He has taken the condemnation that they truly deserve away from them and replaced it by Christ's death with life. God gives faith through the Spirit to all who He chooses to save. This faith will never leave them because it comes from a sovereign God who does not change His mind.

If Gods son died for a particular individual than that individual is saved. There is no question about it and it is not subject to the individuals belief, acceptance or any other condition they must meet. This gives me tremendous hope. Because if faith was left up to me then I would surely loose it. But because it is His faith working in and through me it can never go away. If it where to go away then it would mean that Christ's death for me was in vain and did not accomplish what it was meant to.

I as a sinful human do have times of sin where I doubt. This is because of my sin not because of God. It is something that I repent of and ask for forgiveness for. I do so by acknowledging what He has done and that my life rest completely in His sovereign control.
 
As I see it , I am a Spiriual Being having a Human experience . Best wishes to all! Love ya chally
 
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