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st mary apperitions

deaconmark123deaconmark123
edited December 1969 in Faith Issues
okay as many of you know ST.MARY  has been appearing all over the place strengthening all of the believers and the non believers. this is an obvious message of the end of times, which is yet to come.... my question is how do you strengthen your mind not to be afraid of the end of times because i always get scared and begin to tear up and sometimes cry because im so scared that i will get left behind for a sin that i never did notice. For some reason in my head i feel like its wrong to cry, and that something about what im saying or doing about my sins is wrong. like i cant explain it.... i just get really scared about my salvation and that i dont want God to tell me he doesnt know me, or even vomit me from his mouth. My mom told me something i forgot but it goes like "your worried about the one who saved you? the one who died for you?" something like that i dont really remember. i told her i was scared to be left behind in the aftermath and begin to cry and gnash my teeth while others around me God forbid are doing the same as me. im just very scared of where i am going to be at the end of the days, and im scared because i have to give an account of everyone i saw, met, talked to, or even thought about.

overall i want to know whats wrong with me and how i can strengthen my faith so im not scared about Gods fearful coming, and i want to know if i did something wrong to someone and like i dont remember what i did because it was a long time ago, how to i fix it so i can give a good account of him/her infront of God?

Comments

  • marina008marina008
    dear brother, i myself get really scared just like you. Ask God for His mercy : according to Your mercy O Lord, and not according to our sins. Ask God to accept you just like the theif on His right hand said: father, remember me when You go into your kingdom, also do the same. Truly mean everything you say from your heart. Repent to God and ask for His mercy through the intercession of the mother of us all the Holy Virgin Saint Mary, especially in her fast. We get scared God wont accept us because we are very sinful. as we start a new year we can change ourselves with Gods help. Participate in the Holy sacraments of confession, repentence, communion. keep asking of Gods help. what you can do to strengthen yourself is pray and participate in the Holy sacraments. Read the Bible, try to get closer to God. god isvery compassionate and merciful. He loves you dearly as your His son. Truly repent from your heart and not from your mind. Ask for Gods forgiveness. Pslam 50 is a great psalm to recite especially for repentence.

    My brother never fear for God is here! try to grow spirtitually and walk with Christ.

    Through the intercession of Saint Mary Our great mother may the great Lord accept us all His children


    God Bless You!
  • mabsootamabsoota
    it is satan who wants us to be scared like this.
    he wants all the Christians to go to extremes so that they loose the truth.
    'extreme' protestantism says 'Jesus saved me so i don't have to work on it' and 'extreme' orthodoxy says 'i have to keep remembering and confessing every single tiny sin (like forgetting to say thank you to grandmother 15 years ago) or i'm going straight to hell even though i believe in Jesus's death and resurrection and take communion every week'.

    both are wrong.

    the correct orthodox view is as explained in the book of James (it is good to read it) 'i will show you my faith by what i do'. as we thank God for his amazing gift (we are not worthy), we respond with good deeds and worship of Him, not out of terror, but out of love.
    phillipians 1 verse 6 says that He who began a good work in you will be faithful to complete it until the day of Christ Jesus.
    it is God who works in us to purify us. He is Almighty and powerful and will stay very close to us unless we rebel, by refusing to study the Bible, go to church, ask Him for help etc.
    sinning and then feeling bad about it and repenting is not rebellion, it is the very opposite.

    probably people who are afraid like you have experienced some authority figure (parent, sunday school teacher, regular school teacher, uncle etc) who don't really know the love of out great Saviour and force children to obey them by terrorising them. God is no monster waiting for us to make one tiny mistake and throw us into hell. it's easy when we're young to think of God as our 'dad' but bigger and more powerful. this is a mistake if mum or dad were aggressive and people you could never please (eg you washed the dishes, cleaned your room but forgot to post a letter, so you're a 'stupid child' and get a slap).
    God is not like that. He says 'well done, your room is so clean today and I will give you a big hug. it's so lovely to have you around. but, as you see the letter is not posted, so I'll give you a pad of paper and a pen, and I'd like you to make a list of your jobs next time and post it in your room. now you can build on your success and improve. now i see you are sad about the letter, but, don't worry i forgive you for not posting it. have another hug!'

    in the same way, God gives us the resources in the Bible to learn how to improve our lives.
    even if we are rebellious, he shows us we are wrong so we have a chance to repent. He may give us stressful situations in our lives so we turn to Him, but i don't think this is your case. you seem to be like the child who is worried about forgetting to post the letter, in which case, you do not need to worry.
    submit to God, resist the devil and he will flee from you (james 4 verse 7)
  • mabsootamabsoota
    also the prayers of the 9th hour of the agpeya are very good for anyone who is worried about this.
  • sodr2sodr2
    If you want to win God's favour, you must turn away from your sin. The surest way of receiving God's forgiveness is through the sacrament of confession.
  • coptic youthcoptic youth
    Mabsoota, i definetly agree with you! The way that you presented your view, is identical to mine and i couldnt say it better! I want to add, as a personal view i believe that God will receive you at the peak of your spirituality, i.e. the best time. of course it happens that at times He receives people at time they are not prepared for. Which loving father would want you to perish? Simply put, through his love he says, "son, I love you so much that I formed you, this throne with this greatly adorned crown is yours after a little while. Just follow these guidlines and you will surely get them. " Just like in any game played there are "rules" but at the end you become the winner if you play by them.I personally do not believe it is all "doom and gloom". As my F.O.C.  said, "worry about your crown and place in heaven, not the end of the world and its troubles". Adhere to the advice Mabsoota put, esp. the "extreme" of both sides of Christianity.



  • g2here
    You know, if you ask your abouna about crying, not sure how he would phrase it, but when you cry God forgives you. When it is so real, for sins you may or may not know. That is also why abouna asks God to forgive us for committing sins willingly and unwillingly, knowingly and unknowingly.

    Abouna here said a sermon once about the lady who cried over Jesus's feet and washed his feet, wiping them off with her hair. God forgave her and she did not say her sins.

    +++
  • Unknown
    My Brother,

    I understand and share your fear.  There is no formula or certain number of a certain type of prayer you have to say in order to eventually have faith.  Do not make the mistake many Orthodox Christians have been making: they think the action of their prayer will save them.  Only your faith will save you, and your faith need not be in anyone or anything, but be Jesus Christ our God Himself.  You obviously have fears and tears of contrition and obviously love the Lord.  You know the Truth, you believe the Truth.  Do what St. Theophan the Recluse taught (teaches): "bring your mind into your heart."  Do not strenthen your mind, as that will pass away.  Strengthen your heart.  Talk to your father confessor, and pour out your heart to the Theotokos--she will hear you and wipe away your tears.  

    As to your other concern, there is nothing wrong with you, you are just becoming holy.  Just as precious metals are made more precious by fire, and just as iron is strengthened by fire, you too are being made more precious and stronger through this trial of fire.  Your faith is being tested.  When God feels far away, it is because He is preparing you.  The grace of His precence will return, and when it does it will be so much sweeter!  

    When pray, truly pray, do not babble words that written in your book.  If you feel led to, put aside the prayer book and weep at the feet of Jesus, praying in the Spirit, "who intercedes for us with moans too deep for words."  But also, I do also recommend the 9th hour of the Agpeya, or even from the Byzantine tradition of the Hours--both are really good.  

    "Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in Heaven."
  • deaconmark123deaconmark123
    wow this is why i come to this website looking for answers because it is filled with such enlightened minds all of you, thank you dearly. it truly made me think differently on the salvation of God and how merciful he is. its only a matter of time until we all meet in the clouds of heaven. God willing we all will be there. thank you all for sharing in my pity and aiding me through the rough i cant simply thank you enough for all the time and words you all put into this. lets just hope that i dont go back to school and act as a dead fish in the river and follow my friends. I have been praying and actually began to feel the comfort of the spirit in me thank you all so much.
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