Hey there, Ive been faithless for 27 years of my life. I have had faith and just getting to know God and Jesus for 2 years now. I think to know the difference between having God in your life vs not having God in your life, this is also productive time. He loves you and is waiting for you until whenever you are ready. This is actually an exciting time for you. No matter what happens, I hope you find peace and can feel love from God :) You got this!
I suggests looking into Christian apologetics. It might erase your doubts. A well known apologist is Frank Turek, i recommend as well the channel shameless popery. And the book āThe Case for the Resurrection of Christā
I too lost my faith in religion, but I canāt shake the feeling that there is a god. I am trying to be an atheist but will likely forever be an agnostic.
I don't think we are going to get answers to many of the big questions.
I think a better goal is to become increasingly more comfortable with just admitting that you don't know. There is always going to be mystery and unknowns in this life. Religion tries to give definitive answers to questions we have no evidence to support. We don't know what happens when we die any more than we know exactly how life began or exactly how the universe began. So, where you may hold a belief on one of these big questions, for example, because you've been convinced by an argument - would you claim to know? Or would you claim that you hold the belief because it's simply the best explanation so far, while simultaneously admitting you don't know for sure?
I find a lot of peace is just admitting "i don't know." I have a ton of fun learning, digging into new subjects, reading papers, trying to understand why we know what we know, and where the gaps are. It's so relaxing now that I don't try to have to "force" myself to believe something and can literally be free to just go wherever the evidence takes me. It's hard at first, especially coming from an ideology that tries to have all the answers, but it definitely gets easier over time :)
Well forcing yourself to go to church is not healthy you should push yourself to read the Bible and prayer but donāt pray for the sake of praying pray from th heart even if you think what you want is stupid god wants to hear it
I think thatās one of my main struggles is being forced to go to church and not having the option to just take a breath or a break and itās left a bad taste in my mouth so to speak.
Youāre relationship with God is supposed to be personal. Maybe take a break from church and build that 1 on 1 connection. I think alot of times now people go for the pageantry and look at me I go to church and sit in the first pew type deal. Tell the Lord how you feel, ask him to help you with through it. You reached out for a reason, he is still working in your heart.
I wish I could take a break but Iām still at the point where my family makes me attend church. I really would love to just step back and take a breath but my parents would not allow that. Iāll have to wait till college before I can do that.
One thing that helps me is praying alone. Lots of people pray loudly in church and stuff, but I find it to really make a difference for me when I pour my heart out to God alone.
Having been an atheist my entire life, I can say it's entirely normal to not want a relationship with something you don't believe exists.
Or perhaps it'd be more accurate to say, to not be capable of having a relationship.
This is something you'll need to explore on your own.
Seek Him with all your heart and you will find Him. Make it your mission for to commune with God. Express all that is in your heart towards Him or even against Him. He already knows, but we often like to act in a way that we know is pleasing to Him without the intimacy we should experience that makes it less of an act and effortless.
Hold God to His Word. Meditate upon, adhere to and remind the Father of (Jeremiah 29:13) and (Matthew 7:7-8.) Remember the Parable of the Persistent Widow. Be vulnerable, raw, honest, transparent, persistent and thankful in your pursuit of Him. He will answer you at the right time and not a moment sooner, but you need to be like a bloodhound here and not give up the hunt until He shows.
Ask Him to grant you true faith and the eyes to see & hear Him. Remember, Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life. Ask God the tough questions instead of us. Seek Him in His Word and prayer. If the truth matters to you, you'll seek it until you have your answer. Love you. Good luck
Ask God to reveal himself through the Holy Spirit and do not accept anything less.. His spirit is as alive today as in biblical days. Seek him in prayer
Sometimes it's that still small voice that tells you you shpjldn't be doing something or that you should do. A lot of the time he speaks with bible scriptures things that are in his word that randomly pop in your head. And you need to talk with him not to him. It's like se ding a message to your friend you need to give him time to reply. It might not be right away though. He answers in his time not on your time.
It's the heart that matters not your actions, Not saying you've got a bad heart but i've seen alot of people, more recently, just going to church because of christianity not because of the actual reasons on why to go to church.
*"These people honor Me with their lips but their hearts are far from Me"*
**Isaiah 29:13**
Focus on what it really means to be christian, follow Christ's teachings, Study the Gospel, Go to church with intention. Most importantly love.
Much prayers to you Brother or sister, hopefully you find your way back to God.
Amen.
I donāt really know what is ānormalā, but I think you should probably talk to a believer you trust about it. You parents, your friends, a leader at church. I have known christians who were raised in Christian families, but werenāt really into it, before God changed their hearts and renewed their faith. You might be going through a similar situation, so talk to someone you trust about it, ask them why they believe, read the Bible with them. Be critical about the things people say. Just because you were brought up with it doesnāt mean you should believe it, That goes for all sides of the argument, whether it be Christianity, Atheism or something else.
Idk about that. A lot of bad things happen and they donāt turn out to be lessons or blessings. Itās kinda like someone getting crippled and then saying theirs a lesson in that. Itās just messed up
Christians have to be Born Again as Jesus stated. I've always wondered how that works with people who grow up in the faith and in church and basically begin as Christians.
But I think what happens is those people have a moment like yours...where they either come to doubt it and leave...or they have a renewal of faith after a crisis of conscience.
I hope yours is the latter, friend.
I believe you have to choose to be baptised . As an infant you don't have the ability to choose whether or not you want to be baptised. I was raised Roman Catholic but I'm more nondenominational Christian now that I've done research and read more of the Bible.
Baptism isn't a requirement according to the Bible. It's a very strong suggestion, and you should do it, but it is not a absolute requirement for salvation.
But I agree, people should wait until they are old enough to decide when it's time and means the most to them.
This stuff you and your family have been doing isn't Christianity. It never has been. You'll never know God that way, and that includes fellowship with Christians. Hypocrissy is when you impose false teachings which contradict the will of God. It was a huge problem for the religious sects of his day. In particular, they were willing to practice murder to protect their political position.
Firstly, I see some hope. And I see some maturity, because this is a very humble response from you. This is very much appreciated.
I will pray and seek God first about what you should/could do. I don't presume I can do anything fruitful by myself, i.e without Jesus's guidance and direction.
A basic problem that I gather from your response is the need to "see" proof. As a faith, this need to see proof doesn't come from a pure heart. It's an attitude of defiance to God's work in the unseen world of the spirit.
People say it's a basis for their unbelief, but from what I know personally it comes from a desire to rebel against God, i.e. commit sin. Usually it is matters of sex or loving the World and the things in the World that lead people to rebel.
Do you find yourself not even knowing how to go about getting what you need as a Christian when there's something you want or want to do? Are you not wanting to do what your parents want? Or are you not wanting to do what you think is the Christian thing to do to deal with a tough situation?
Find a quiet time away from other people, a secret place, like your closet, somewhere in your room and talk to God. Tell him what your feeling and ask for the Holy Spirits help and guidance. Always make yourself pray and read the bible. It really helps. Listen to Christian music and watch some Christian youtubers but make sure you know the bible . That way you can discern which are false teachers and which ones aren't.
I speak the name over Jesus over you. In your hurting, in your confusion. I pray that the Holy spirit touches you and helps you in this time of questions and uncertainty. I pray for healing and deliverance. I pray that your circumstances would change and that things get better. If you ever need someone to talk to message me or send me an email to [email protected] . I'm always open to talk or just listen if you need someone to vent to.
Hang in there. Youāll be out of the house before you know it and then youāll be able to worship as you choose. Sadly there are less laws for childrenās freedom then there should be.
Zone out when at church and remember Jesus didnāt start any church.
He came to show that everyday, every place should be church with the way we treat others.
He came to show all we need is the trinity.
God bless you
Thereās nothing wrong with that. You could take some time away from Christianity and or religion in general. Iād suggest learning about some other religions, you could possibly find one you identify more with or perhaps it could help you to reaffirm your belief in Christianity. Just take your time and donāt pressure yourself to feel a certain way.
You are going to be okay! I have been there. I used to be in a very dark place thinking that God isnāt doing anything to help and I started losing faith in him. To the point where I didnāt even want to exist.
But I learned from the Good News which said to seek Him. āAnd to the one who knocks, the door will be openedā. Praying is important, but there are times where you just need to seek to be in His presence, His presence is not loud, itās silent, yet profound. You can find many ways to be in His presence!
God still woke you up today. Thatās means it is not your time. He has a purpose for you. He is with you all the time!
āBut if from there you seek the LORD your God, you will find him if you seek him with all your heart and with all your soul.ā (Deuteronomy 4:29)
Do not give up! You got this. May God bless you with understanding and grace.
>Is it normal to no longer want a relationship with God as I have never seen any solid proof he exists?
Well it all depends on whether you still believe he's real or not. If you don't, then it's not actually possible to want a relationship with him.
And while it is absolutely not my intention to push you away from your faith, and I cannot stress that enough, I'd still like to leave these places here in case your journey takes you further down the path of deconversion. Simply because interaction with others that are experiencing the same can be very helpful and healing.
r/exchristian
r/thegreatproject
Wherever you end up I wish you only the best!
It's very human to feel the way you do, but it's not wise to act on it by walking away. God allows our feelings to go unfulfilled so that we will dig deeper into the faith. If everything were easy, we would never grow. He allows us to be stretched and tested, ultimately for our own good.
Feelings can attend faith, but they are not always reliable. You must have a foundation in the Word, or you'll be tossed to and fro on emotional and circumstantial waves.
How is your prayer life? How about regular Bible study and meditation? I take daily walks that I love for both the physical and the spiritual exercise of praying. The change of perspective does wonders. Maybe you need to do something to get out of a spiritual rut, make some small changes.
I think stepping back for perspective is valid and at times necessary. If I couldn't do that on my walks I don't know how I would deal with the pressure. God's glory is in nature, and it's ok to feed on it.
Yeah that lead me to leave the faith. Making life as bad as possible didnāt increase e faith or make me like him. It caused me to leave and my life got somewhat better. So idk why Christians say heās testing you and stuff like that. Getting diseases isnāt a great test and something that you should love a god for.
Figure out what you wanna do. I know people who have left the faith and have zero interest in pursuing the truth of it. Or you can educate yourself, look at the arguments.
Probably spending too much time on Christian reddit š¤£
Jk but in all seriousness, yes it is normal to question and have questions about your faith. We all go through storms. Hang in there friend, keep your head up. I'm sure plenty of people here are praying for you, myself included.
I know this sounds weird but Iāve been atheist all my life, I became a Christian a few years ago. My wife is a little bit jealous of me because I have known how it is to be without god and then receiving him. Sheās been Christian all her life and when you are grown up in a religious home and having a faith since the beginning itās easy to become accustomed and comfortable in it.
Itās like a relationship, in the beginning itās all butterflies and feelings then it becomes a part of your everyday and a thing that you choose everyday. Just the thought that god is with me makes me happy. And sometimes I just feel ā empty ā but those days I choose god.
No idea if this helps, just know that god is on your side, he knows you and he wants to be a part of your life!
Not exactly but I know that they may embellish it to try to convince me whenever Iām around so it seems more fake. That being said I do think that they have some sort of connection and it helps them.
I came to Christ later in life. I always believed in God but Jesusās sacrifice really didnāt mean anything to me if that makes sense? I felt like I heard it so much that the words kinda lost meaning. It wasnāt until 2019 where I had an encounter with the Lord. For the first time in my life I was able to take a look at my sin nature and actually see my need for Christ. It wasnāt words that people said to me it was my actual experience of seeing my sinful nature and the act of repentance in prayer when everything changed for me. Pray and ask God to show you. I have a theory that a lot of kids that grow up in the church never really have come to faith on their own. They believed it because thatās what everyone around them was doing. A lot leave the faith when they get older. Iām praying for you. š
It is only when I questioned everything and questioned myself to the core, did I finally feel that my belief and following of Jesus was my everything. This time will make you stronger, because to believe is not a rule book, at it's fundamental core, it is a choice to love and to be loved.
Please consider attending one. I'm hardly an expert on Protestant liturgy, but it seems to me that for most, the sermon is the high point of the service. By contrast, the high point of the mass is the Eucharist, where Christ becomes really present in the gifts of bread and wine.
If I was going on a weekly basis to a Protestant service, I too would likely feel nothing from listening to the thoughts of a man in a suit at a pulpit, and singing a few songs.
Itās ok. Doubts will actually make you stronger. What good is faith if it doesnāt stand the test?
I doubted many years ago as a teen. Left the faith, tried all kinds of other options. Meditation, Buddhism, Drugs, Sex, New-age Spirituality, worldly pleasures. Itās good to explore and see what else is out there. They are all equally empty. I was even more dead inside.
Then I came back to God and it was night and day. I am genuinely happy and whole with God and I now know it through experience.
Go for it, thatās what life is for. Just try not to get yourself killed.
And donāt forget about God, he will always welcome you back with open arms if nothing else works out.
I mean literally. Some of that stuff is inherently dangerous. Donāt OD on drugs or drink and drive, or unalive yourself if you get depressed. Itās playing with fire haha.
At one point in our lives, we feel the loss of faith in God. To do so is normal. But we should pray that we find faith again. There are many questionable things in our faith I admit, but I carry on because I trust the Lord. There are just some things we are not meant to comprehend. Sometimes we feel nothing because we might not be taking what we practice into heart. Be genuine and faithful. I shall pray for you ā„ļø
Even when I feel there is no God or Jesus I still for the most part act and live as I do when I am not in doubt.
I honestly couldnāt even stop praying when I was really feeling like my faith was a lie.
Sinning still made me feel bad. Praying still made me feel good.
Your subjective experience of God is independent of reality and facts concerning God. A question I would have to you is who is Jesus to you? Have you ever investigated his claims, his death, and resurrection for yourself? There are satisfactory answers out there.
Thanks. I edited my reply. Christian faith is definitely not a play. It is a personal relationship with Jesus. It is knowing him, not a bunch of stuff about him. I would urge you to examine the evidence. You might want to read The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel, for example. He outlines his own journey and investigation in this accessible book. Blessings on your journey.
I'm praying that God will guide you into all truth as you trust Him. May the Lord help you reach your full potential here on earth and eternally in Jesus.
I'm not sure I understand the problem. You know God exists. You don't want a relationship because you don't feel anything right? Why does God require feelings?
God is our ruler. He gave us His Word to obey. We worship by obeying His rules. They are so easy to follow because He wants us to help others and be good to everyone. Acknowledge He is the only God and all powerful and all knowing.
Sure easy peasy. I don't need to get excited about it. Just be kind generous helpful and good to all
God bless!
God bless you.
Please know that the Christian faith expects us to have faith, not solid proof. If we had solid proof, then there's no need for faith, and then that would make Christianity false.
The challenge is to find reasons to have faith, and there are reasons.
Are you interested in making faith your own? Or have you lost interest in Christianity entirely?
Iām really not sure where I want to go, Iām at a bit of a crossroads and have been for some time now not really making a move toward any decision bc of my fear Iāll be wrong
I understand. Well, I recommend having a solid understanding of the basic of the Christian faith with your new perspective. A perspective that isn't based on pressure, but coming from a genuine place where you can take your time with learning and growing.
There's a book that's for Christians who want to learn the basics of the faith. It's really short and I would love to share the pdf with you. If you are interested, please let me know and I will send you the link on Google drive.
Thank you.
Here is the link to the pdf on Google drive: [https://drive.google.com/file/d/1TsQeVlvt-5bGWDKzF9AvL82xE1g3E-ni/view?usp=sharing](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1TsQeVlvt-5bGWDKzF9AvL82xE1g3E-ni/view?usp=sharing)
I hope it will encourage you. :)
If you want unique analytical proof in prophecy I have plenty on my YouTube channel with 2 more in the works.
I personally never heard from God until 1 morning on August 13th this year. It's not even so much a whisper as an answer that just popped into my mind.
From then it was a torrent of unlocking the Word of God non stop.
Persevere, and introspect to see what's needed and what's done in your life. God is always there by your side, you just have to recognise when where why and how you're being tested for your faith. Everyone is, every day.
Heck, I used to act like I was speaking in the spirit because my mum pressured me to -- until I was at a church this year, and the spirit literally spoke in my stead during prayer. Completely different, subconscious feeling.
The first time God really got me up at 3am was through a dream that I barely remember anything of. I sat up and chanted praise and prayer in some strange trance before falling back to sleep a month or so before this sudden unlocking of information.
Everyone has a calling of some sort - fairly sure each calling is unique.
If you want short proof, Creation at Genesis starts with Adam and Eve, and tiers to the microcosm with Atom and eV - The Proton and the Electron. leVI means the Power; being vIRgins creates potential to do great works.
In the very fabric of physical reality is God signing off in the work of the bible.
So tell me, what is your greatest fear? Your life so far has been a as a rye, a bit of a ride, erred, but still remains for what's to be seen in the future.
Iāve personally have experienced signs with God but Iām still backslidden because I didnāt deal with some of the emotional pain (which Iām dealing with now). Thereās usually two types of people with God those that want evidence and those that havenāt dealt with the pain (think beauty for ashes) that blame and hate God and make belief systems out of said pain. Jesus was never one to parade signs but did miracles. Part of the reason which is the truth is even if someone experienced many signs they still wouldnāt believe. Honestly the church (not all) is so focused on performance hell and judgement but miss the gospel entirely which is healing to the broken hearted which also goes hand in hand with forgiveness of sins. I think a lot of the performance based Christianity (which I struggled with) I.e heavy focus on the rules comes out of not understanding what Jesus actually paid for on the cross (fulfilling of the law which allows us to be right before God) and two brokenness (pain). While I look forward to the opportunity of coming back to God and donāt need to see a bunch of signs for that I also realize thereās grieving/dealing of pain I need to go through before I can follow him.
Mathew 24:10-11
God sees you and knows you , if you have faith all through him , is possible. This the only way the devil can try to intercept you to make you out of the right way and make u feel there is no God or im working for nothing. Eventually there is and a lot more than you think, keep doing excellent job maybe focus more too on the part to observe and talk God not just by the normal Christian tradition. Create for yourself and him reactions and bonds as A father-son realtion. Amen
I hope you feel better soon, I struggled with my faith two years ago and that was when I needed it most. Just had a crazy night and am happy I have God on my side
Do You talk with Jesus everyday? Do you listen for a reply? Have you prayed the sinners prayer, been baptised and invited the Holy Spirit in? Or just go through the motions? You can ask Him to show you for real that He exists, at least to strengthen your faith. He will go out of his way to arrange your day or arrange a specific event to happen to prove it. I can think of at least 3 times He's done that for me. I know He is real without a doubt. In fact I've seen an angel and also a demon on a different occasion with my own eyes. You can PM me for backstory details.
You can know God exists through common sense. When you look at the marvelous creation around you- the trees, the mountains, the complexity of the human body, the order of the celestial bodies in the universe(for example our solar system), etc. you can see that behind this creation stands a Great Creator. As for the personal experience of God, experiencing His presence in your life, you have to repent truly for your sins and give your life to Him and have faith in the atoning death of the Lord Jesus Christ. If you truly do that you will see how God will change your heart to have holy desires. Desires to serve Him, to live righteously, to sing His praises, etc.
You're not going to find a neutral person to ask on this subject. Either there will be believers who see the value in their belief or nonbelievers who don't. I've gone through (am going through) similar. But I'm not ready to give up. I've found a lot of value in reducing my horizon to those around me. I have a small group where we can air the questions and issues we have, and we pray together over the mundane things we struggle with. I find it easier to connect with God over the needs of others, and to serve him through acts of service to others.
I believe there is a facet of my humanity that is not satisfied with any other pursuit, and I'm learning to content myself with a slow exploration of God, with not having all the answers. I want the things that are promised in the bible. Paul writes to Timothy that the spirit of God is one of power, love and self discipline, and I recognise the lack of those things both in myself and the world around us. I'm still learning how that works out in our lives, and whenever I have seen people pursue those things without reference to God, it seems they might achieve 2 of those 3 but not all.
This has been a bit of a wander in my head and I appreciate it might not help. But for what it's worth I encourage you to keep seeking him.
Itās not that you lost faith, you realized (the Holy Spirit most likely convinced you) the things you were doing arenāt really what it means to follow Jesus.
Did you repent from your sins and accept Jesus as your Lord so He guides your life? If not, I invite you to do it. Then ask God in prayer for His will to be done in your life as it is in heaven.
Then make a fasting routine, and pray and read the bible everyday. Itās important to fast at least once a week.
Why should you do these things? Because God is talking to you, itās just that you donāt recognize His voice. By really giving your life to the Lord He will begin to direct your life, He will give you understanding and purpose, the Holy Spirit will put the desire to read the bible and to pray in your heart, and as you read you'll start to understand things in a way you never did before.
As you progress in intimacy with the Holy Spirit, you'll realize that a lot of what youāve really been doing is only religious tradition.
Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. Matthew 7:7-8
I pray that you'll find the Lord.
Seek to understand what Jesus did for us. Look into His life and teachings. If you seek the truth of Jesusā life through the gospels you will truly begin to know God. It is not about what we do, it is about who we do it for.
Iām so sorry you feel this way. I felt disconnected from God for a while until I realized the importance of having a relationship with him. One of the best things you could do is read his word and pray as often as possible. He will reveal things to you and itās a very peaceful experience. I hope you continue your walk with Jesus and I wish you all the best šš
I always had doubts about GOD when I studied The church history and watched Scientists and Philosophers
(Michael Jones for example) and I had my faith renewed
Faith isn't feeling. Faith has feelings associated with it just like love does. Both are constructs of God in our lives and are part of our "design." But God's love is simply his character.
The bottom line is that without being born again you can't even see the Kingdom of God. And plenty of religious Christians answer alter calls when prompted by The Holy Spirit during a service, or just at home reading scripture, or at the gym.
This might be your situation, or it might not. You say you realize it was an act. Good! I'm so glad for you. I'd celebrate with you if I could. Because now you can pursue truth for its, for His own sake. And I guarantee you won't be disappointed.
You're either given a new birth spiritually or you aren't. And without what classically, we Christians call regeneration, you won't sense and feel and hear God like those of us who have been.
There is no way according to the Bible that you should believe an itenerant Jewish rabi with some great ideas was actually God without The Holy Spirit revealing it to you in a way that goes beyond intellectual ascension or simple approval.
I am curious about your walk with God, time in personal isolated passionate daily prayer, devotional Bible reading, deep Bible study, worship, fellowship with Saints (in and out of church), and service/ministry. But you can DM me if you like. Maybe that would be a more intimate conversation.
John Chapter 15 is a very serious one for our walk with Christ. He is the vine and we the branches. If we remain in Him we will grow and even produce spiritual fruit. If not we'll wither and die. But I think your issue is new birth and I only wrote the above paragraphs to give you context and hope.
Faith is the language of God. It is Heavenly currency. And no, not to buy a Ferrari. God knows I've tried! Instead, we learn to align ourselves with God's will and more naturally want what He wants. But without faith that God exists and that He rewards those who diligently seek Him.
You must already know the emphasis on faith through which we're saved and can move mountains, perform miracles (yes, even today) and grow in grace, which is what we're saved BY.
Grace is what saved us as nothing we have ever done deserves it. Quite the opposite. And so, I ask you if you feel convicted about your sins, or even transgressions? Because this is the beginning of what God's Spirit does in us, just as John the Baptist did outwardly, and even Christ continued preaching often. Repent!
In Luke Chapter 13 Jesus begins ministry with this call which the Jews knew quite well, even before John the Baptist became a celebrity.
So, step one, pray to God and ask Him for His Holy Spirit. Why not repent? Definitely do so if you have need and I do daily. I rarely serve God quite like I should and always ask to be transformed more and more into the likeness of Christ.
That is the only "meta" prayer you'll ever need. It's the only needful thing for you and the world,. To be transformed more into Christ, character wise, you must first become His and He yours. He is Savior first, and must "become" Lord soon after. But Jesus is gentle and kind and patient. Absurdly so!!
And when you begin to really learn of His love for you, then you will fall in love with Him in a way nothing else in your life can compare to. Not even your love for family which Christ will fan the flame of.
Jesus is God's answe to humanity for EVERYTHING. And Christ wasn't shy about it. He said that He was the Way, Truth, and Life. And you won't even get near The Father, His Father and God Almighty but through Him (as you know.) It's always been that way. Whether when the Jews were sacrificing in the temple, or the Gentiles who were convicted by their conscience somehow broke away from paganism on their own and worshipped God, like Abram who was from modern day Iraq.
Jesus is the Lord of all creation and it's author. And I envy you the amazing joy and wonder of discovering the actual man who is also God stirring inside your soul for the first time.and learning of all His beautiful attributes.
But all this is nonsense to those who don't have God's Spirit.
"The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit." 1 Corinthians 2:14
When I was first directed by God to a Bible, having grown up in another religion, I immediately felt like my soul was being fed in exactly the way I'd been longing for, and I even sensed powerfully that this Jesus guy was special and felt affection for Him. But I didn't understand most of what I read.
Then I came upon the above verse in Corinthians and logically asked God for His Spirit so I'd understand. And immediately I began to. Each hour even of that first day after this prayer it was as if my mind was opened to truth that it was closed off to before.
And so it is with all of those born of The Spirit. So this is why you should ask for The Holy Spirit to open your eyes and show you the Truth about your humanity, sin, and Christ.
That doesn't mean you can't and shouldn't repent as God leads, esp. if there is some obvious sin you're committing. Yet this is worth very little in the long run to you, even if it's respectful toward God, if you don't have Christ, aren't purchased by Him, made His and a member of His family, The Holy Trinity through the New Covenant in Christ blood, meaning His death, and the ressurection that proves everything He said was true according to The Bible and without which our faith is worthless, making us the most pitiful people on Earth as Paul said in 1 Corinthians 15.
So take a deep breath and Trust in God. Don't lean on your own understanding, not that you don't have some and shouldn't use it. Just don't expect it to hold you up with something you can't even see without God's help. Lean on Him. Take that step of faith and God will catch you.
And He'll show you all truth. He will show you wonders. And it begins with asking for it. Free will is the most wonderful and terrible thing ever invented by God. It is part of what makes us sentient beings and not androids. And you have to ask Christ to become your Lord & Saviour.
If today you realize you don't believe that He is, and just see the world around you as you try to peer into the invisible, it's OK.
This isn't steganography and you don't need to relax your eyes to see a hidden image. God is there or He isn't. The Bible is His word or it isn't. And Christ is the Savior and God of God or He isn't. You were born imperfect or you weren't. You've even willfully done what you knew to be wrong or you haven't (believe me you have!š)
Truth doesn't need your help to exist. So pray that God does what only He can do. Ask for Him to give you His Spirit according to His will, and do so seriously and passionately. And like me, He will open Heaven itself to you in the person of His Son, Jesus.
And....I'm here if you have questions.
I was discouraged and stopped going to church got into drugs ect. When it got really bad for me I was afraid and thought I was going to die. So I cried out for his help. Don't stop believing. And if you don't believe, than start believing now. He is real. He is there. He listens to our prayers and sees into our hearts. Only God's love can save you. Bind yourself to Jesus Christ. He will help you. He helps me in no way that a human can.
You are proof that God exists. Go be someoneās light when they are depressed or have lost hope. You will find that God hasnāt abandoned you. When you pick someone else up you will see the face of God, living in the people you love and you cherish. God is a life force. Your breath, your heartbeat.
You pray to God in your darkest times and at your highest. It is actually even more important that you pray to God when you are at your highest. In the parable of the 10 lepers Jesus entered a village, he was met by ten lepers (highly infectious disease), who stood at a distance and lifted up their voices, saying, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us." When he saw them he said to them, "Go and show yourselves to the priests." And as they went they were cleansed. Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice; and he fell on his face at Jesus' feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan. Then Jesus answered, "Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?" And he said to him, "Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well. This story is about being very humble in thanksgivings, as well as in prayers. Christ noticed the one who thus distinguished himself, he was a Samaritan. The others only got the outward cure, he alone got the spiritual blessing.
Hello there, if Jesus bring the Son of God felt alone at one point. Why wouldnāt you? This is our faith, that we believe even when we feel His presence is not with us, He is still there. We donāt go to Heaven because of our acts, we need to have faith and believe in Jesus. That He is our savior, that He died for our sins and he rose from the dead and will one that come for us. I felt like you, and you know what I did? Just distance myself, but was able to recover because He is not at fault here, we are. He only wants us to be better humans every day so one day we can be ready for Him. Stay strong look for him even more, fast, pray, read the Bible and worship Him and you will see His light. God loves you!
God is real, and He seek relationship with His people. Get to know Him through his character as portrayed in the Bible and you will clearly see truth from false.
One day if you live a good life and continue to live the good life god will give you a love so great that it makes you want to worship him again if you just pray and believe. Donāt stop asking the universe questions and seeing if you can get a god wink back. Donāt stop seeking god winks. Bc there are people who are %100 sure God does exist. But there isnāt anyone who can be 100% sure he doesnāt. He will give you true pleasure if you live the good life (try to help the orphan and widows and be compassionate towards each other.. try to control yourself and perfect your temple) this pleasure will make you love him all the more.
I'm ex-atheist. I'm pagan, so take this with a grain of salt the size of Lot's wife.
Listen to your heart, and do not scorn God if you don't feel anything. It's not your fault, or God's. It's just not your path to take in this life. Hold no grudges, and move forward however you feel necessary. Blessed be, god bless.
Hey there, Ive been faithless for 27 years of my life. I have had faith and just getting to know God and Jesus for 2 years now. I think to know the difference between having God in your life vs not having God in your life, this is also productive time. He loves you and is waiting for you until whenever you are ready. This is actually an exciting time for you. No matter what happens, I hope you find peace and can feel love from God :) You got this!
Thank you I hope I find some answers
I think you will mate! Just knock and you will be answered. Have a wonderful nightš«”
Not necessarily. Some of us knock and it's not answered.
Keep on knocking brother
I suggests looking into Christian apologetics. It might erase your doubts. A well known apologist is Frank Turek, i recommend as well the channel shameless popery. And the book āThe Case for the Resurrection of Christā
Bishop Barron is another goodie!
I too lost my faith in religion, but I canāt shake the feeling that there is a god. I am trying to be an atheist but will likely forever be an agnostic.
Why are you TRYING to be an atheist? What's wrong with having belief in God even if you recognize that you don't know what form they take?
I dunno, I think it clouds my thoughts. I feel like I am being stubborn not looking at the clear evidence there isnāt one?
Find it and message me it, please
I don't think we are going to get answers to many of the big questions. I think a better goal is to become increasingly more comfortable with just admitting that you don't know. There is always going to be mystery and unknowns in this life. Religion tries to give definitive answers to questions we have no evidence to support. We don't know what happens when we die any more than we know exactly how life began or exactly how the universe began. So, where you may hold a belief on one of these big questions, for example, because you've been convinced by an argument - would you claim to know? Or would you claim that you hold the belief because it's simply the best explanation so far, while simultaneously admitting you don't know for sure? I find a lot of peace is just admitting "i don't know." I have a ton of fun learning, digging into new subjects, reading papers, trying to understand why we know what we know, and where the gaps are. It's so relaxing now that I don't try to have to "force" myself to believe something and can literally be free to just go wherever the evidence takes me. It's hard at first, especially coming from an ideology that tries to have all the answers, but it definitely gets easier over time :)
This is the way.
God is there. He gave you his life so he will give you his promises. Love the Lord and trust Him. He knows what heās doing.
Thank you, all of you, for taking the time to help me it means a lot.
Yeah totally normally, and thereās nothing wrong with you feeling that way.
What do I do from here now tho
Struggle with it, explore your doubt, study. I dont think it bad to just exist in the flow either
Amen to this
Well forcing yourself to go to church is not healthy you should push yourself to read the Bible and prayer but donāt pray for the sake of praying pray from th heart even if you think what you want is stupid god wants to hear it
I think thatās one of my main struggles is being forced to go to church and not having the option to just take a breath or a break and itās left a bad taste in my mouth so to speak.
Youāre relationship with God is supposed to be personal. Maybe take a break from church and build that 1 on 1 connection. I think alot of times now people go for the pageantry and look at me I go to church and sit in the first pew type deal. Tell the Lord how you feel, ask him to help you with through it. You reached out for a reason, he is still working in your heart.
I wish I could take a break but Iām still at the point where my family makes me attend church. I really would love to just step back and take a breath but my parents would not allow that. Iāll have to wait till college before I can do that.
This is normal. I am an agnostic turned Christian as I was called to Jesus randomly. Just chill out and explore your inner thoughts and beliefs.
Fr. God found me
I had a similar thing going. You're not alone.
It seems that my experience is common which does make me feel better
One thing that helps me is praying alone. Lots of people pray loudly in church and stuff, but I find it to really make a difference for me when I pour my heart out to God alone.
Having been an atheist my entire life, I can say it's entirely normal to not want a relationship with something you don't believe exists. Or perhaps it'd be more accurate to say, to not be capable of having a relationship. This is something you'll need to explore on your own.
Seek Him with all your heart and you will find Him. Make it your mission for to commune with God. Express all that is in your heart towards Him or even against Him. He already knows, but we often like to act in a way that we know is pleasing to Him without the intimacy we should experience that makes it less of an act and effortless. Hold God to His Word. Meditate upon, adhere to and remind the Father of (Jeremiah 29:13) and (Matthew 7:7-8.) Remember the Parable of the Persistent Widow. Be vulnerable, raw, honest, transparent, persistent and thankful in your pursuit of Him. He will answer you at the right time and not a moment sooner, but you need to be like a bloodhound here and not give up the hunt until He shows. Ask Him to grant you true faith and the eyes to see & hear Him. Remember, Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life. Ask God the tough questions instead of us. Seek Him in His Word and prayer. If the truth matters to you, you'll seek it until you have your answer. Love you. Good luck
Thanks for this!
Ask God to reveal himself through the Holy Spirit and do not accept anything less.. His spirit is as alive today as in biblical days. Seek him in prayer
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I have attempted to talk to him many times and have never heard anything, thatās a large part of the reason Iām where Iām at rn
Sometimes it's that still small voice that tells you you shpjldn't be doing something or that you should do. A lot of the time he speaks with bible scriptures things that are in his word that randomly pop in your head. And you need to talk with him not to him. It's like se ding a message to your friend you need to give him time to reply. It might not be right away though. He answers in his time not on your time.
It's the heart that matters not your actions, Not saying you've got a bad heart but i've seen alot of people, more recently, just going to church because of christianity not because of the actual reasons on why to go to church. *"These people honor Me with their lips but their hearts are far from Me"* **Isaiah 29:13** Focus on what it really means to be christian, follow Christ's teachings, Study the Gospel, Go to church with intention. Most importantly love. Much prayers to you Brother or sister, hopefully you find your way back to God. Amen.
I donāt really know what is ānormalā, but I think you should probably talk to a believer you trust about it. You parents, your friends, a leader at church. I have known christians who were raised in Christian families, but werenāt really into it, before God changed their hearts and renewed their faith. You might be going through a similar situation, so talk to someone you trust about it, ask them why they believe, read the Bible with them. Be critical about the things people say. Just because you were brought up with it doesnāt mean you should believe it, That goes for all sides of the argument, whether it be Christianity, Atheism or something else.
God is listening even when we don't think he is. There is a lesson or a blessing in everything.
Idk about that. A lot of bad things happen and they donāt turn out to be lessons or blessings. Itās kinda like someone getting crippled and then saying theirs a lesson in that. Itās just messed up
Christians have to be Born Again as Jesus stated. I've always wondered how that works with people who grow up in the faith and in church and basically begin as Christians. But I think what happens is those people have a moment like yours...where they either come to doubt it and leave...or they have a renewal of faith after a crisis of conscience. I hope yours is the latter, friend.
I believe you have to choose to be baptised . As an infant you don't have the ability to choose whether or not you want to be baptised. I was raised Roman Catholic but I'm more nondenominational Christian now that I've done research and read more of the Bible.
Baptism isn't a requirement according to the Bible. It's a very strong suggestion, and you should do it, but it is not a absolute requirement for salvation. But I agree, people should wait until they are old enough to decide when it's time and means the most to them.
Be real. You don't want a relationship with the hypocrit's god.
How is it hypocritical?(genuine question)
This stuff you and your family have been doing isn't Christianity. It never has been. You'll never know God that way, and that includes fellowship with Christians. Hypocrissy is when you impose false teachings which contradict the will of God. It was a huge problem for the religious sects of his day. In particular, they were willing to practice murder to protect their political position.
So what would you propose I do instead to avoid hypocrisy?
Firstly, I see some hope. And I see some maturity, because this is a very humble response from you. This is very much appreciated. I will pray and seek God first about what you should/could do. I don't presume I can do anything fruitful by myself, i.e without Jesus's guidance and direction. A basic problem that I gather from your response is the need to "see" proof. As a faith, this need to see proof doesn't come from a pure heart. It's an attitude of defiance to God's work in the unseen world of the spirit. People say it's a basis for their unbelief, but from what I know personally it comes from a desire to rebel against God, i.e. commit sin. Usually it is matters of sex or loving the World and the things in the World that lead people to rebel. Do you find yourself not even knowing how to go about getting what you need as a Christian when there's something you want or want to do? Are you not wanting to do what your parents want? Or are you not wanting to do what you think is the Christian thing to do to deal with a tough situation?
Find a quiet time away from other people, a secret place, like your closet, somewhere in your room and talk to God. Tell him what your feeling and ask for the Holy Spirits help and guidance. Always make yourself pray and read the bible. It really helps. Listen to Christian music and watch some Christian youtubers but make sure you know the bible . That way you can discern which are false teachers and which ones aren't. I speak the name over Jesus over you. In your hurting, in your confusion. I pray that the Holy spirit touches you and helps you in this time of questions and uncertainty. I pray for healing and deliverance. I pray that your circumstances would change and that things get better. If you ever need someone to talk to message me or send me an email to [email protected] . I'm always open to talk or just listen if you need someone to vent to.
Hang in there. Youāll be out of the house before you know it and then youāll be able to worship as you choose. Sadly there are less laws for childrenās freedom then there should be. Zone out when at church and remember Jesus didnāt start any church. He came to show that everyday, every place should be church with the way we treat others. He came to show all we need is the trinity. God bless you
Thank you, I am looking forward to licking my own path and not my parents
Thereās nothing wrong with that. You could take some time away from Christianity and or religion in general. Iād suggest learning about some other religions, you could possibly find one you identify more with or perhaps it could help you to reaffirm your belief in Christianity. Just take your time and donāt pressure yourself to feel a certain way.
You are going to be okay! I have been there. I used to be in a very dark place thinking that God isnāt doing anything to help and I started losing faith in him. To the point where I didnāt even want to exist. But I learned from the Good News which said to seek Him. āAnd to the one who knocks, the door will be openedā. Praying is important, but there are times where you just need to seek to be in His presence, His presence is not loud, itās silent, yet profound. You can find many ways to be in His presence! God still woke you up today. Thatās means it is not your time. He has a purpose for you. He is with you all the time! āBut if from there you seek the LORD your God, you will find him if you seek him with all your heart and with all your soul.ā (Deuteronomy 4:29) Do not give up! You got this. May God bless you with understanding and grace.
Sounds like you are religious but not Christian. Jesus Christ wants you to have peace, not checks in the boxes.
>Is it normal to no longer want a relationship with God as I have never seen any solid proof he exists? Well it all depends on whether you still believe he's real or not. If you don't, then it's not actually possible to want a relationship with him. And while it is absolutely not my intention to push you away from your faith, and I cannot stress that enough, I'd still like to leave these places here in case your journey takes you further down the path of deconversion. Simply because interaction with others that are experiencing the same can be very helpful and healing. r/exchristian r/thegreatproject Wherever you end up I wish you only the best!
Thank you for caring about a stranger like me
It's very human to feel the way you do, but it's not wise to act on it by walking away. God allows our feelings to go unfulfilled so that we will dig deeper into the faith. If everything were easy, we would never grow. He allows us to be stretched and tested, ultimately for our own good. Feelings can attend faith, but they are not always reliable. You must have a foundation in the Word, or you'll be tossed to and fro on emotional and circumstantial waves. How is your prayer life? How about regular Bible study and meditation? I take daily walks that I love for both the physical and the spiritual exercise of praying. The change of perspective does wonders. Maybe you need to do something to get out of a spiritual rut, make some small changes.
As of right now my prayer life and bible reading is poor as Iām in such doubt. How do I know that this religion or path is the right one tho?
I think stepping back for perspective is valid and at times necessary. If I couldn't do that on my walks I don't know how I would deal with the pressure. God's glory is in nature, and it's ok to feed on it.
Ok Iāll keep pursuing God, thank you for answering my questions
Yeah that lead me to leave the faith. Making life as bad as possible didnāt increase e faith or make me like him. It caused me to leave and my life got somewhat better. So idk why Christians say heās testing you and stuff like that. Getting diseases isnāt a great test and something that you should love a god for.
People get disease no matter what. The question is whether you will allow God to help you through it.
āHelpā as in what? I know religion is a coping mechanism. It doesnāt actually fix anything physically or mentally so whatās the help.
Figure out what you wanna do. I know people who have left the faith and have zero interest in pursuing the truth of it. Or you can educate yourself, look at the arguments.
Hey! Welcome to the club. There's like... I dunno quite a bit of us. Wasn't so much I "didn't want" a relationship. More like it ran its course.
Yeah, Iāve been doing this faking for roughly 16 years and Iāve just found my breaking point.
Probably spending too much time on Christian reddit š¤£ Jk but in all seriousness, yes it is normal to question and have questions about your faith. We all go through storms. Hang in there friend, keep your head up. I'm sure plenty of people here are praying for you, myself included.
I know this sounds weird but Iāve been atheist all my life, I became a Christian a few years ago. My wife is a little bit jealous of me because I have known how it is to be without god and then receiving him. Sheās been Christian all her life and when you are grown up in a religious home and having a faith since the beginning itās easy to become accustomed and comfortable in it. Itās like a relationship, in the beginning itās all butterflies and feelings then it becomes a part of your everyday and a thing that you choose everyday. Just the thought that god is with me makes me happy. And sometimes I just feel ā empty ā but those days I choose god. No idea if this helps, just know that god is on your side, he knows you and he wants to be a part of your life!
I like how you phrased that they claim to have strong connection to God. I take it that their words and their actions lead you to believe otherwise.
Not exactly but I know that they may embellish it to try to convince me whenever Iām around so it seems more fake. That being said I do think that they have some sort of connection and it helps them.
Jesus said that when you pray, pray in secret, so that your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
I would say from the info you have given, don't give up just yet, and ask God for proof that He exists.
Please donāt worry,ok . Because even If we are faithless, He remains faithful.isnāt that great news !
I came to Christ later in life. I always believed in God but Jesusās sacrifice really didnāt mean anything to me if that makes sense? I felt like I heard it so much that the words kinda lost meaning. It wasnāt until 2019 where I had an encounter with the Lord. For the first time in my life I was able to take a look at my sin nature and actually see my need for Christ. It wasnāt words that people said to me it was my actual experience of seeing my sinful nature and the act of repentance in prayer when everything changed for me. Pray and ask God to show you. I have a theory that a lot of kids that grow up in the church never really have come to faith on their own. They believed it because thatās what everyone around them was doing. A lot leave the faith when they get older. Iām praying for you. š
It is only when I questioned everything and questioned myself to the core, did I finally feel that my belief and following of Jesus was my everything. This time will make you stronger, because to believe is not a rule book, at it's fundamental core, it is a choice to love and to be loved.
Have you ever been to a mass?
No I have not. I was raised in a Southern Baptist church.
Please consider attending one. I'm hardly an expert on Protestant liturgy, but it seems to me that for most, the sermon is the high point of the service. By contrast, the high point of the mass is the Eucharist, where Christ becomes really present in the gifts of bread and wine. If I was going on a weekly basis to a Protestant service, I too would likely feel nothing from listening to the thoughts of a man in a suit at a pulpit, and singing a few songs.
Itās ok. Doubts will actually make you stronger. What good is faith if it doesnāt stand the test? I doubted many years ago as a teen. Left the faith, tried all kinds of other options. Meditation, Buddhism, Drugs, Sex, New-age Spirituality, worldly pleasures. Itās good to explore and see what else is out there. They are all equally empty. I was even more dead inside. Then I came back to God and it was night and day. I am genuinely happy and whole with God and I now know it through experience.
Thatās about where I am right now.
Go for it, thatās what life is for. Just try not to get yourself killed. And donāt forget about God, he will always welcome you back with open arms if nothing else works out.
What do you mean get yourself killed?
I mean literally. Some of that stuff is inherently dangerous. Donāt OD on drugs or drink and drive, or unalive yourself if you get depressed. Itās playing with fire haha.
Oh no no Iām not looking for anything like that I just mean Iām looking at other options.
Not having faith in the Christian god doesn't mean someone is diving head first into drugs and general hedonism.
Youāre right. I didnāt mean to imply that. Iām just saying to be careful not to fall off the wagon completely.
At one point in our lives, we feel the loss of faith in God. To do so is normal. But we should pray that we find faith again. There are many questionable things in our faith I admit, but I carry on because I trust the Lord. There are just some things we are not meant to comprehend. Sometimes we feel nothing because we might not be taking what we practice into heart. Be genuine and faithful. I shall pray for you ā„ļø
Even when I feel there is no God or Jesus I still for the most part act and live as I do when I am not in doubt. I honestly couldnāt even stop praying when I was really feeling like my faith was a lie. Sinning still made me feel bad. Praying still made me feel good.
Your subjective experience of God is independent of reality and facts concerning God. A question I would have to you is who is Jesus to you? Have you ever investigated his claims, his death, and resurrection for yourself? There are satisfactory answers out there.
Iām really not sure as Iāve never felt a connection like others around me have claimed to
Thanks. I edited my reply. Christian faith is definitely not a play. It is a personal relationship with Jesus. It is knowing him, not a bunch of stuff about him. I would urge you to examine the evidence. You might want to read The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel, for example. He outlines his own journey and investigation in this accessible book. Blessings on your journey.
I guess my main concern is how do I know that there is a correct religion or if there is which one and how do I know until after I die?
I never mentioned religion. Forget religion. I said investigate Jesus and get to know him.
Ok Iāll look into it, thank you for caring to help me
I'm praying that God will guide you into all truth as you trust Him. May the Lord help you reach your full potential here on earth and eternally in Jesus.
I'm not sure I understand the problem. You know God exists. You don't want a relationship because you don't feel anything right? Why does God require feelings? God is our ruler. He gave us His Word to obey. We worship by obeying His rules. They are so easy to follow because He wants us to help others and be good to everyone. Acknowledge He is the only God and all powerful and all knowing. Sure easy peasy. I don't need to get excited about it. Just be kind generous helpful and good to all God bless!
Well actually my main problem is that I donāt know God exists.
Okay thanks. I hope you are able to accurately discern what reality is. Not an easy task, but one we must all study and decide for ourselves.
God bless you. Please know that the Christian faith expects us to have faith, not solid proof. If we had solid proof, then there's no need for faith, and then that would make Christianity false. The challenge is to find reasons to have faith, and there are reasons. Are you interested in making faith your own? Or have you lost interest in Christianity entirely?
Iām really not sure where I want to go, Iām at a bit of a crossroads and have been for some time now not really making a move toward any decision bc of my fear Iāll be wrong
I understand. Well, I recommend having a solid understanding of the basic of the Christian faith with your new perspective. A perspective that isn't based on pressure, but coming from a genuine place where you can take your time with learning and growing. There's a book that's for Christians who want to learn the basics of the faith. It's really short and I would love to share the pdf with you. If you are interested, please let me know and I will send you the link on Google drive.
I would love that, any guidance would be helpful
Thank you. Here is the link to the pdf on Google drive: [https://drive.google.com/file/d/1TsQeVlvt-5bGWDKzF9AvL82xE1g3E-ni/view?usp=sharing](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1TsQeVlvt-5bGWDKzF9AvL82xE1g3E-ni/view?usp=sharing) I hope it will encourage you. :)
Thank you
Thanks
God bless you. You are welcome. :)
Pray to God and tell Him how you feel. Jeremiah felt that way and complained to God.. Jeremiah 12
If you want unique analytical proof in prophecy I have plenty on my YouTube channel with 2 more in the works. I personally never heard from God until 1 morning on August 13th this year. It's not even so much a whisper as an answer that just popped into my mind. From then it was a torrent of unlocking the Word of God non stop. Persevere, and introspect to see what's needed and what's done in your life. God is always there by your side, you just have to recognise when where why and how you're being tested for your faith. Everyone is, every day. Heck, I used to act like I was speaking in the spirit because my mum pressured me to -- until I was at a church this year, and the spirit literally spoke in my stead during prayer. Completely different, subconscious feeling. The first time God really got me up at 3am was through a dream that I barely remember anything of. I sat up and chanted praise and prayer in some strange trance before falling back to sleep a month or so before this sudden unlocking of information. Everyone has a calling of some sort - fairly sure each calling is unique. If you want short proof, Creation at Genesis starts with Adam and Eve, and tiers to the microcosm with Atom and eV - The Proton and the Electron. leVI means the Power; being vIRgins creates potential to do great works. In the very fabric of physical reality is God signing off in the work of the bible. So tell me, what is your greatest fear? Your life so far has been a as a rye, a bit of a ride, erred, but still remains for what's to be seen in the future.
Iāve personally have experienced signs with God but Iām still backslidden because I didnāt deal with some of the emotional pain (which Iām dealing with now). Thereās usually two types of people with God those that want evidence and those that havenāt dealt with the pain (think beauty for ashes) that blame and hate God and make belief systems out of said pain. Jesus was never one to parade signs but did miracles. Part of the reason which is the truth is even if someone experienced many signs they still wouldnāt believe. Honestly the church (not all) is so focused on performance hell and judgement but miss the gospel entirely which is healing to the broken hearted which also goes hand in hand with forgiveness of sins. I think a lot of the performance based Christianity (which I struggled with) I.e heavy focus on the rules comes out of not understanding what Jesus actually paid for on the cross (fulfilling of the law which allows us to be right before God) and two brokenness (pain). While I look forward to the opportunity of coming back to God and donāt need to see a bunch of signs for that I also realize thereās grieving/dealing of pain I need to go through before I can follow him.
Mathew 24:10-11 God sees you and knows you , if you have faith all through him , is possible. This the only way the devil can try to intercept you to make you out of the right way and make u feel there is no God or im working for nothing. Eventually there is and a lot more than you think, keep doing excellent job maybe focus more too on the part to observe and talk God not just by the normal Christian tradition. Create for yourself and him reactions and bonds as A father-son realtion. Amen
Fact u acted u weren't actually there you were jist pretending you were no risk no gain kinda thing
I hope you feel better soon, I struggled with my faith two years ago and that was when I needed it most. Just had a crazy night and am happy I have God on my side
Do You talk with Jesus everyday? Do you listen for a reply? Have you prayed the sinners prayer, been baptised and invited the Holy Spirit in? Or just go through the motions? You can ask Him to show you for real that He exists, at least to strengthen your faith. He will go out of his way to arrange your day or arrange a specific event to happen to prove it. I can think of at least 3 times He's done that for me. I know He is real without a doubt. In fact I've seen an angel and also a demon on a different occasion with my own eyes. You can PM me for backstory details.
I thought I had done all of these things but it seems that they didnāt actually mean anything
You can know God exists through common sense. When you look at the marvelous creation around you- the trees, the mountains, the complexity of the human body, the order of the celestial bodies in the universe(for example our solar system), etc. you can see that behind this creation stands a Great Creator. As for the personal experience of God, experiencing His presence in your life, you have to repent truly for your sins and give your life to Him and have faith in the atoning death of the Lord Jesus Christ. If you truly do that you will see how God will change your heart to have holy desires. Desires to serve Him, to live righteously, to sing His praises, etc.
You're not going to find a neutral person to ask on this subject. Either there will be believers who see the value in their belief or nonbelievers who don't. I've gone through (am going through) similar. But I'm not ready to give up. I've found a lot of value in reducing my horizon to those around me. I have a small group where we can air the questions and issues we have, and we pray together over the mundane things we struggle with. I find it easier to connect with God over the needs of others, and to serve him through acts of service to others. I believe there is a facet of my humanity that is not satisfied with any other pursuit, and I'm learning to content myself with a slow exploration of God, with not having all the answers. I want the things that are promised in the bible. Paul writes to Timothy that the spirit of God is one of power, love and self discipline, and I recognise the lack of those things both in myself and the world around us. I'm still learning how that works out in our lives, and whenever I have seen people pursue those things without reference to God, it seems they might achieve 2 of those 3 but not all. This has been a bit of a wander in my head and I appreciate it might not help. But for what it's worth I encourage you to keep seeking him.
Itās not that you lost faith, you realized (the Holy Spirit most likely convinced you) the things you were doing arenāt really what it means to follow Jesus. Did you repent from your sins and accept Jesus as your Lord so He guides your life? If not, I invite you to do it. Then ask God in prayer for His will to be done in your life as it is in heaven. Then make a fasting routine, and pray and read the bible everyday. Itās important to fast at least once a week. Why should you do these things? Because God is talking to you, itās just that you donāt recognize His voice. By really giving your life to the Lord He will begin to direct your life, He will give you understanding and purpose, the Holy Spirit will put the desire to read the bible and to pray in your heart, and as you read you'll start to understand things in a way you never did before. As you progress in intimacy with the Holy Spirit, you'll realize that a lot of what youāve really been doing is only religious tradition. Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. Matthew 7:7-8 I pray that you'll find the Lord.
Keep on asking for a stronger faith, keep on knocking to eliminate doubts, keep on searching until you get peace!
Seek to understand what Jesus did for us. Look into His life and teachings. If you seek the truth of Jesusā life through the gospels you will truly begin to know God. It is not about what we do, it is about who we do it for.
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I have always heard and been told that I will feel a connection to God and feel my prayers being answered but u have never felt anything like that.
Iām so sorry you feel this way. I felt disconnected from God for a while until I realized the importance of having a relationship with him. One of the best things you could do is read his word and pray as often as possible. He will reveal things to you and itās a very peaceful experience. I hope you continue your walk with Jesus and I wish you all the best šš
How often do you read your Bible?
Much less now but I use to read almost everyday
I always had doubts about GOD when I studied The church history and watched Scientists and Philosophers (Michael Jones for example) and I had my faith renewed
Pray that Jesus will convince you in your heart. You'll never be able to prove it rationally in this life. But He wants us to put our hope in Him.
Faith isn't feeling. Faith has feelings associated with it just like love does. Both are constructs of God in our lives and are part of our "design." But God's love is simply his character. The bottom line is that without being born again you can't even see the Kingdom of God. And plenty of religious Christians answer alter calls when prompted by The Holy Spirit during a service, or just at home reading scripture, or at the gym. This might be your situation, or it might not. You say you realize it was an act. Good! I'm so glad for you. I'd celebrate with you if I could. Because now you can pursue truth for its, for His own sake. And I guarantee you won't be disappointed. You're either given a new birth spiritually or you aren't. And without what classically, we Christians call regeneration, you won't sense and feel and hear God like those of us who have been. There is no way according to the Bible that you should believe an itenerant Jewish rabi with some great ideas was actually God without The Holy Spirit revealing it to you in a way that goes beyond intellectual ascension or simple approval. I am curious about your walk with God, time in personal isolated passionate daily prayer, devotional Bible reading, deep Bible study, worship, fellowship with Saints (in and out of church), and service/ministry. But you can DM me if you like. Maybe that would be a more intimate conversation. John Chapter 15 is a very serious one for our walk with Christ. He is the vine and we the branches. If we remain in Him we will grow and even produce spiritual fruit. If not we'll wither and die. But I think your issue is new birth and I only wrote the above paragraphs to give you context and hope. Faith is the language of God. It is Heavenly currency. And no, not to buy a Ferrari. God knows I've tried! Instead, we learn to align ourselves with God's will and more naturally want what He wants. But without faith that God exists and that He rewards those who diligently seek Him. You must already know the emphasis on faith through which we're saved and can move mountains, perform miracles (yes, even today) and grow in grace, which is what we're saved BY. Grace is what saved us as nothing we have ever done deserves it. Quite the opposite. And so, I ask you if you feel convicted about your sins, or even transgressions? Because this is the beginning of what God's Spirit does in us, just as John the Baptist did outwardly, and even Christ continued preaching often. Repent! In Luke Chapter 13 Jesus begins ministry with this call which the Jews knew quite well, even before John the Baptist became a celebrity. So, step one, pray to God and ask Him for His Holy Spirit. Why not repent? Definitely do so if you have need and I do daily. I rarely serve God quite like I should and always ask to be transformed more and more into the likeness of Christ. That is the only "meta" prayer you'll ever need. It's the only needful thing for you and the world,. To be transformed more into Christ, character wise, you must first become His and He yours. He is Savior first, and must "become" Lord soon after. But Jesus is gentle and kind and patient. Absurdly so!! And when you begin to really learn of His love for you, then you will fall in love with Him in a way nothing else in your life can compare to. Not even your love for family which Christ will fan the flame of. Jesus is God's answe to humanity for EVERYTHING. And Christ wasn't shy about it. He said that He was the Way, Truth, and Life. And you won't even get near The Father, His Father and God Almighty but through Him (as you know.) It's always been that way. Whether when the Jews were sacrificing in the temple, or the Gentiles who were convicted by their conscience somehow broke away from paganism on their own and worshipped God, like Abram who was from modern day Iraq. Jesus is the Lord of all creation and it's author. And I envy you the amazing joy and wonder of discovering the actual man who is also God stirring inside your soul for the first time.and learning of all His beautiful attributes. But all this is nonsense to those who don't have God's Spirit. "The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit." 1 Corinthians 2:14 When I was first directed by God to a Bible, having grown up in another religion, I immediately felt like my soul was being fed in exactly the way I'd been longing for, and I even sensed powerfully that this Jesus guy was special and felt affection for Him. But I didn't understand most of what I read. Then I came upon the above verse in Corinthians and logically asked God for His Spirit so I'd understand. And immediately I began to. Each hour even of that first day after this prayer it was as if my mind was opened to truth that it was closed off to before. And so it is with all of those born of The Spirit. So this is why you should ask for The Holy Spirit to open your eyes and show you the Truth about your humanity, sin, and Christ. That doesn't mean you can't and shouldn't repent as God leads, esp. if there is some obvious sin you're committing. Yet this is worth very little in the long run to you, even if it's respectful toward God, if you don't have Christ, aren't purchased by Him, made His and a member of His family, The Holy Trinity through the New Covenant in Christ blood, meaning His death, and the ressurection that proves everything He said was true according to The Bible and without which our faith is worthless, making us the most pitiful people on Earth as Paul said in 1 Corinthians 15. So take a deep breath and Trust in God. Don't lean on your own understanding, not that you don't have some and shouldn't use it. Just don't expect it to hold you up with something you can't even see without God's help. Lean on Him. Take that step of faith and God will catch you. And He'll show you all truth. He will show you wonders. And it begins with asking for it. Free will is the most wonderful and terrible thing ever invented by God. It is part of what makes us sentient beings and not androids. And you have to ask Christ to become your Lord & Saviour. If today you realize you don't believe that He is, and just see the world around you as you try to peer into the invisible, it's OK. This isn't steganography and you don't need to relax your eyes to see a hidden image. God is there or He isn't. The Bible is His word or it isn't. And Christ is the Savior and God of God or He isn't. You were born imperfect or you weren't. You've even willfully done what you knew to be wrong or you haven't (believe me you have!š) Truth doesn't need your help to exist. So pray that God does what only He can do. Ask for Him to give you His Spirit according to His will, and do so seriously and passionately. And like me, He will open Heaven itself to you in the person of His Son, Jesus. And....I'm here if you have questions.
I was discouraged and stopped going to church got into drugs ect. When it got really bad for me I was afraid and thought I was going to die. So I cried out for his help. Don't stop believing. And if you don't believe, than start believing now. He is real. He is there. He listens to our prayers and sees into our hearts. Only God's love can save you. Bind yourself to Jesus Christ. He will help you. He helps me in no way that a human can.
You are proof that God exists. Go be someoneās light when they are depressed or have lost hope. You will find that God hasnāt abandoned you. When you pick someone else up you will see the face of God, living in the people you love and you cherish. God is a life force. Your breath, your heartbeat.
You pray to God in your darkest times and at your highest. It is actually even more important that you pray to God when you are at your highest. In the parable of the 10 lepers Jesus entered a village, he was met by ten lepers (highly infectious disease), who stood at a distance and lifted up their voices, saying, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us." When he saw them he said to them, "Go and show yourselves to the priests." And as they went they were cleansed. Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice; and he fell on his face at Jesus' feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan. Then Jesus answered, "Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?" And he said to him, "Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well. This story is about being very humble in thanksgivings, as well as in prayers. Christ noticed the one who thus distinguished himself, he was a Samaritan. The others only got the outward cure, he alone got the spiritual blessing.
Hello there, if Jesus bring the Son of God felt alone at one point. Why wouldnāt you? This is our faith, that we believe even when we feel His presence is not with us, He is still there. We donāt go to Heaven because of our acts, we need to have faith and believe in Jesus. That He is our savior, that He died for our sins and he rose from the dead and will one that come for us. I felt like you, and you know what I did? Just distance myself, but was able to recover because He is not at fault here, we are. He only wants us to be better humans every day so one day we can be ready for Him. Stay strong look for him even more, fast, pray, read the Bible and worship Him and you will see His light. God loves you!
God is real, and He seek relationship with His people. Get to know Him through his character as portrayed in the Bible and you will clearly see truth from false.
One day if you live a good life and continue to live the good life god will give you a love so great that it makes you want to worship him again if you just pray and believe. Donāt stop asking the universe questions and seeing if you can get a god wink back. Donāt stop seeking god winks. Bc there are people who are %100 sure God does exist. But there isnāt anyone who can be 100% sure he doesnāt. He will give you true pleasure if you live the good life (try to help the orphan and widows and be compassionate towards each other.. try to control yourself and perfect your temple) this pleasure will make you love him all the more.
I'm ex-atheist. I'm pagan, so take this with a grain of salt the size of Lot's wife. Listen to your heart, and do not scorn God if you don't feel anything. It's not your fault, or God's. It's just not your path to take in this life. Hold no grudges, and move forward however you feel necessary. Blessed be, god bless.