Reading the Bible makes me sad?

[ChristianNewbie123]

Hi, I'm 14 and I've been very depressed for the past several months because I'm very worried God doesn't love me. I'm even afraid to pray. Whenever I read the Bible, I start paying attention to the criticism. All I see is God telling me how bad of a sinner I am. I'm so ashamed. Whenever I read something that talks about that in the Bible I feel so bad... And when I read how God takes away the guilt and shame from His children, I feel like I'm not one of His because I still feel horrible about myself. Please help me. I'm not sure exactly what kind of answers I want... I just want to live happily with Jesus. I'm afraid I'll never be able to do that.

 

[beck12]

Okay did you repent of your sins?
Say out loud jesus is your lord and savior?
Believe jesus is gods onlt begotten son?
believe jesus died on the cross for your sins?
if so and you actraly believe all of these your one of his children,
You may also want to do dilliverance, PM me and i will send you a site that has a guide on it and all about demons and what demons can cause certain things. PM if you want it.

 

[BFine]

Are you being treated for depression?

What part of the Bible are you currently reading?
or have read recently?

God loves His Children, you are saved and you are loved and valued.

1 John 4:9-11 In this the love of God was made manifest among us,
that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him.
In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his
Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also
ought to love one another.


Romans 8:35-39
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?
Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or
nakedness, or danger, or sword?

As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long;
we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things
present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything
else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in
Christ Jesus our Lord.


1 John 3:1 See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him.

Romans 8:1
"Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus"

Feelings change, the sometimes the least thing can upset your feelings--
What has changed in your life and or home?

 

[ChristianNewbie123]

@Beck12 I believe all of that, I'm just afraid it isn't true... I sin so much... and yes, sure, please PM me that could you? Thanks a lot.

@Bfine I'm not being treated, nor have I been diagnosed. But no doubt, I feel so depressed at times. no, I haven't read the Bible since one time... I forget what book I was reading, but it upset me very much. I so desperately want that to be true. I'm scared though.

 

[ToBeBlessed]

Hi, I'm 14 and I've been very depressed for the past several months because I'm very worried God doesn't love me. I'm even afraid to pray. Whenever I read the Bible, I start paying attention to the criticism. All I see is God telling me how bad of a sinner I am. I'm so ashamed. Whenever I read something that talks about that in the Bible I feel so bad... And when I read how God takes away the guilt and shame from His children, I feel like I'm not one of His because I still feel horrible about myself. Please help me. I'm not sure exactly what kind of answers I want... I just want to live happily with Jesus. I'm afraid I'll never be able to do that.

Sometimes, we have a hard time believing that we are loved. We ourselves don't feel worthy of love, our own selves and sometimes if we feel that way about ourselves it's hard to believe how much God loves you.

That does not change how much God loves you. His Word is truth. God cannot lie. Know that you will change your mind about many things throughout your life, because you will change.

God does not change. So his love will last forever! You just need to grow in yourself and see the lovely person that God already see's. Be patient with yourself. God will wait for you forever.

 

[ilovehim29]

I don't really know how to answer this but I'm sure God loves you, maybe you're new at this, are you?

 

[ChristianNewbie123]

@ToBeBlessed I've been feeling this way ever since I became a Christian. If I'm really God's child, shouldn't I feel free from sin and hurt?

@iloveHim29 yes I'm a very new Christian.

 

[Shattered-Reflections]

Hi, I'm 14 and I've been very depressed for the past several months because I'm very worried God doesn't love me. I'm even afraid to pray. Whenever I read the Bible, I start paying attention to the criticism. All I see is God telling me how bad of a sinner I am. I'm so ashamed. Whenever I read something that talks about that in the Bible I feel so bad... And when I read how God takes away the guilt and shame from His children, I feel like I'm not one of His because I still feel horrible about myself. Please help me. I'm not sure exactly what kind of answers I want... I just want to live happily with Jesus. I'm afraid I'll never be able to do that.

I had the same issue. I found reading Christian books, Christian articles, and listening to sermons helped me sort out what was going on in my life and what the Gospel means about Grace and Forgiveness.

I'd recommend these guys to start with just because they were the biggest help for me personally:
https://www.youtube.com/user/bball1989
How Does the Gospel Change Me? | Redeemer Sermons

 

[Autumnleaf]

God loves everyone. Even naughty people who do bad things. Like a loving parent who corrects their child when they do bad things, God is there for us.

 

[BFine]

You could be dealing with depression, please tell your mom/dad what is
happening ASAP!

Your feelings are not indicators of the truth in God's Word.
You are to know you are loved, not trust your feelings--
feelings can lead you astray from truth. So don't trust how you
feel. Trust in the Lord.

Rebuke thoughts/feelings that are contrary to what the Bible
says about those who are in Christ.
We are in a new covenant of grace, grace is God's unmerited favor-
Jesus paid the price for it. We did nothing to earn it.

Quoting you:
If I'm really God's child, shouldn't I feel free from sin and hurt?
Could you go into more detail about what you said in the above comment?

 

[ChristianNewbie123]

You could be dealing with depression, please tell your mom/dad what is
happening ASAP!

Your feelings are not indicators of the truth in God's Word.
You are to know you are loved, not trust your feelings--
feelings can lead you astray from truth. So don't trust how you
feel. Trust in the Lord.

Rebuke thoughts/feelings that are contrary to what the Bible
says about those who are in Christ.
We are in a new covenant of grace, grace is God's unmerited favor-
Jesus paid the price for it. We did nothing to earn it.

Quoting you:
If I'm really God's child, shouldn't I feel free from sin and hurt?
Could you go into more detail about what you said in the above comment?

All the time, I hear how God takes the burden of guilt away from all His children. That hasn't happened for me. I think God doesn't want me.

 

[beck12]

All the time, I hear how God takes the burden of guilt away from all His children. That hasn't happened for me. I think God doesn't want me.

I sent the website for dilliverance via PM, you should get it any second now in PM,

Okay lets clear something up, alot of people don't reccommend dilliverance, because most people think a priest has to do it, which is truly wrong, because in the bible it says you can get dilliverance and the bible teachers you should not try to do dilliverance on everyone else nor have everyone else do it to you.
I would find verses but ATM i just woke up.

Also do not think he does not love you/does not want you, thats satan talking through you most likly because your a new christian and still vulnerable.

 

[ChristianNewbie123]

I sent the website for dilliverance via PM, you should get it any second now in PM,

Okay lets clear something up, alot of people don't reccommend dilliverance, because most people think a priest has to do it, which is truly wrong, because in the bible it says you can get dilliverance and the bible teachers you should not try to do dilliverance on everyone else nor have everyone else do it to you.
I would find verses but ATM i just woke up.

Also do not think he does not love you/does not want you, thats satan talking through you most likly because your a new christian and still vulnerable.

Thanks. I hope God loves me.

 

[hedrick]

All the time, I hear how God takes the burden of guilt away from all His children. That hasn't happened for me. I think God doesn't want me.

In saying this, people are thinking of what I'd call objective guilt. That is, the problem Jesus is dealing with isn't that you *feel* guilty but that you actually *are* guilty. When you become his follower you are forgiven. Most of the time as you start understanding what Jesus did, you should be able to feel forgiven. But your feelings don't make you forgiven or not. Jesus death for you does that.

Otherwise we could replace faith with psychiatry designed to making us feel good. If you have OCD (which I seem to recall), you may actually be able to use psychological counseling. But counseling to help you deal with unjustified fears is helping you deal with your feelings, not changing your status before God.

 

[Pal Handy]

@ToBeBlessed I've been feeling this way ever since I became a Christian. If I'm really God's child, shouldn't I feel free from sin and hurt?

@iloveHim29 yes I'm a very new Christian.

It doesn't matter how or in what way you recieved Christ before as this prayer
can be reaffirmed over and over in your life as it is a a declaration of your
faith and willingness to allow Christ to be your Savior, deliverer and the Lord of your life...
Here is a prayer for you to pray:

Father God I come to you now and I want to be set free.

I believe that Jesus Christ is Your son who came and died for my sins
on a cross, who was dead and burried and then arose from the grave
and now sits at your right hand.

I confess Jesus Christ as my Lord and my savior.

Jesus, I ask you to forgive me now of all of my sins from the time I
was born to this very moment.

Jesus, I forgive all others in my life who have hurt me or sinned against.

Jesus, come into my heart and deliver me from evil and fill me with the
Holy Spirit as is promised to all those who believe in you.

Jesus, I recieve your love, forgiveness and Holy Spirit and I ask that
You would have Your way in my life as I now surrender it completely to You.

Jesus, I belong to you and I ask you to defend me, guide me and
give me Your peace and a renewed life in you. Thank Jesus for all You have done for me.

 

[ForJesusChrist]

God does love you. I understand how you feel. When I was about your age, I thought that if I was not praying constantly, then God wouldent love me. Its not the case though.

Try reading in luke and john, an any part if the new testament, maybe Jesus' grace will lift your spirits.

Always remember that no one is perfect except God and Jesus, and Jesus will forgive you of your sins.


God Bless

 

[ToBeBlessed]

Maybe write down some bible verses that are about the love of God and put them in a jar. Every day, pull out a verse to read. Start your day with the Lord and end each day with the Lord.

You could do the same thing but instead of reading a verse everyday, memorize one of the verses every week.

Do you have a bible? If you do not, get a bible.

Good luck sweetie. *big hug*

 

[Bella Vita]

Yes reading certain parts of it can be sad. But the resounding part of the gospel is the hope that we have in Christ. For as many sad parts are there are uplifting encouraging parts as well. You are young and are young in your faith. I would encourage you to get into a youth group where you can learn grow and ask questions. =]

 

[Christian Soldier 777]

Please speak to someone about how you feel, either your parents, a pastor, a close friends,etc. You shouldn't feel this way. God Loves you so much that He gave His only Son, so that whoever believe in Him will have eternal life. You are a child of God and He wants you to know you are loved. If you are feeling convicted by sin in your life, this is the Holy Spirit trying to guide you to make the right choices. The law shows us that we are all sinful and that through God's grace and what Christ has done, we are saved. Therefore if anyone is in Christ, they are a new creation; the old things have passed away and new things have come. God Bless YOU†

 

[aiki]

Hi, I'm 14 and I've been very depressed for the past several months because I'm very worried God doesn't love me.

God didn't die on a cross for your sins because He hates you.

I'm even afraid to pray.

Well, this is exactly what the apostle John wrote about in his first letter:

1Jn 4:18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear: because fear has torment. He that fears is not made perfect in love.
1Jn 4:19 We love him, because he first loved us.

You have convinced yourself that God is a liar. When He tells you in His Word that He loves you, you tell yourself that He doesn't. Until you stop thinking God is lying to you, until you accept the fact that He does love you, fear will continue to bother you.

Whenever I read the Bible, I start paying attention to the criticism. All I see is God telling me how bad of a sinner I am. I'm so ashamed. Whenever I read something that talks about that in the Bible I feel so bad...

But why focus on this stuff? Yes, you sin, but this is no surprise to God. And anyway, He doesn't accept any of us on the basis of our ability to be sinless. God accepts us only because we have been put "in Christ" when we were saved. God sees us clothed in the righteousness of Christ and this is what makes us acceptable to God. Your good works and your bad works, then, don't have anything to do with God's acceptance of you. He accepts you because of Christ, not because you were able to satisfy God on your own. So, the pressure is off: you don't have to live perfectly sinlessly in order to remain accepted by God. He accepted you because of Christ and this is always and only the reason He accepts you. Good thing, eh? If it all rested on us to live up to God's standard no one would be accepted by Him. Aren't you glad Jesus has got you covered?

And when I read how God takes away the guilt and shame from His children, I feel like I'm not one of His because I still feel horrible about myself.

Why? Do you think feeling horrible will appease God? Do you think He will accept you only if you show Him you're really, really sorry? If you do, you need to understand what I wrote above. God doesn't accept you because you are perfect but because Jesus is perfect and you have been put "in him" and covered in his perfect righteousness when you were saved. So, no amount of feeling horrible about your sin makes you any more acceptable to God than you already are. Since this is true, you should follow the apostle Paul's advice:

Php 3:13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
Php 3:14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Does a runner who is running to win stay down when he falls during the race? Of course not. And when you fall in your spiritual race it does no good to stay down moaning about the fact that you've fallen. Get up and run! Finish the race!

Please help me. I'm not sure exactly what kind of answers I want... I just want to live happily with Jesus. I'm afraid I'll never be able to do that.

Living happily in Jesus is a choice you make; it is not a feeling that you chase around. When you choose to believe God when He says He accepts you "in the beloved (who is Christ)" and that His love for you is undiminished by your sin, then it is that you will begin to find joy in being His child.

Selah.