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For us ex Catholics, and other friends as well. Yes, BB. I can relate. Perhaps what we are referring to here, is almost the same. It’s sometimes difficult to put into words, exactly what we feel in our hearts. With me, it was maybe partly that I didn’t think I was hearing the whole truth. I think it was also an inner frustration, an inner emptiness, that I knew was there, but I just couldn’t quite put my finger on it. I felt like, OK, here I was, in the one true church, outside of which, no one can be saved, and yet why did I feel like “something” was still missing from my life?

I would also add - again, not speaking for everyone here - that there was no animosity towards Catholicism at that time that prompted my seeking for truth. I know for others like Daniel1212, they continued attending that church for some time. For me, it was as if a light went on in my heart and I had no desire to go back. Then, the more I learned from Scripture in Bible studies and an Evangelical church I started attending, then through Bible college, I grew more and more sure. Like you, I also KNEW deep down, that this was the truth I had been searching for.

Far from the polemical accusations from some Catholics that we fell for "easy believe-ism" or "cheap grace", my manner of life became more holy and, whereas I tried to avoid sinning while in Catholicism out of fear of hellfire, I had a new desire to BE holy out of gratitude and love for God's love and grace and to please Him. There was certainly NO idea that I now had a "license to sin"! I can honestly say that my faith has grown stronger over the decades of my walk with Christ. The assurance of my salvation humbles me and causes me to praise and thank Him every single day. I don't claim to be sinless and perfect, but I know that God IS working in me to conform me to the image of Christ. How some Catholics can condemn me because I left that church only shows their own prejudices and bigotry. If they truly loved the Lord, they would rejoice for me. I left Catholicism, I did not leave Christ.

I would also add - again, not speaking for everyone here - that there was no animosity towards Catholicism at that time that prompted my seeking for truth.

I didn’t either. In fact, I had a little hostility (not a lot) toward the true born believers, even though, as a catholic, I had no idea what that meant. One of them, was my co worker, and we both loved skiing, so we went to Bogus Basin together, and he used our mutual love for skiing, as a means to get close to me. Over a few months, I realized these guys (all active duty Air Force guys) had something, that as a Catholic, I had never seen before, among all the Catholics I ever knew. That’s when my new life began.
My RCC family (oops, I said it again) virtually had a funeral for me, when I left the “one true church.” My one sister, went ballistic over it. Now, decades later, she is one of the most Godly women I know. She saw a change in me, and also got off the Roman Catholic hamster wheel of guilt. As you know, I live in the belly of the beast, surrounded by cultists, Catholic, INCs, Quiboloy people. We hang in there. 👍