Question: Father, may I ask you a question? It's a bit personal, maybe not so much for our religion, but I think it can help, I would like to hear your opinion. I grew up sensitivite to images of blood, medical procedures, biological terms etc. When I live those things or they get mentioned or being taught to me, I get dizzy, my hands sweat... In school, I get taught biology 2x a week. This sensitivity I had causes my many negative emotions mentally. I think I'm not strong enough, that I cannot bear it, that if something in my life ever happens and I will need to go to a hospital or get a procedure done... Just the thought of it makes me tremble. I would not be able to do that. I am afraid. I am sure our religion can help me, I want, with the strength from God, to help myself deal with this chronic sensitivity I inherited from my mother. Can you give me some advice? I am in an awful position, honestly. If you see this message, thank you for your time, I am eternally grateful!
The answer of Fr Andrew Lemeshonok to the question:
You are quite right in what you say. Yes, with God it really is possible to overcome your feelings, your moods, your emotional weak spots. That is indeed so. There are people who react very strongly and are very sensitive to another person's suffering, to someone else's pain. That does not mean they are bad; it is just how they are made. And it seems to me one has to toughen up a bit here. If you remain in God, with God, and if life puts you in situations where you must pull yourself together, I believe God will help you in this. Otherwise, what choice do we have? And that is not necessarily a bad thing.
There are those who hardly feel a thing; who do not care, even if there were oceans of blood. Is that any better? I do not think so.
So I would say the business of growing up, of being tempered, never really stops. If we are brought up in the Church, if we receive the Blood of Christ, then, I believe, we develop a kind of inner resolve. And that is what helps us cope and keep going when life hands us difficulties, as it will for all of us.
