trapped

[butterfly33]

Hi,

I've been struggling with my faith lately.
Now that I'm finished school I'm lacking direction. It seems that all the Christians my age look for a boyfriend/girlfriend and get married early. Its just the standard thing that Christians seem to do. I dont want a boyfriend at least for the next year! I dont want to get married early. all I want to do is travel. I've got a destination planned on an Island where I can work and live for a few months but there is no church there and a lot of the staff there are into partying. So I feel like i shouldnt go but I just want to get out and experience the world. I just feel so limited as a Christian. like im trapped in a box and i cant go out and experience the world because i might lose my faith.

advice?
thanks

 

[Buttermilk]

I would say go for it, go out and explore that big wide world - I wish I had done it at your age, but I am trying to make up for it now

You might like to consider doing voluntary work for an overseas charity or something like that

 

[UnitynLove]

Do college have foreign exchange programs?

 

[TheDerek]

Here's my thoughts.

If you are secure in your faith, go for it. But if your faith is wavering you don't want to be put in a position that will hurt your faith.

 

[Anti Existance]

Travelling the world is ok, just be carefull on the drinks/drugs/sigarettes that's a world that you don't want to get into.

 

[Annoula]

go for the travel!

christianity is not limiting neither limited.

 

[rnmomof7]

Mod note:

This thread has been moved from general struggles by Recovery staff

 

[LilLamb219]

Have you ever considered asking your own church to begin a missions church on that island? Traveling before wanting to settle down is a really great idea! Bring Christ with you, wherever you go!

 

[Yekcidmij]

I went the travel route when I graduated. I'm still doing it and it turned out pretty good. You can still be a christian and see the world.

 

[ephraimanesti]

Hi,

I've been struggling with my faith lately.
Now that I'm finished school I'm lacking direction. It seems that all the Christians my age look for a boyfriend/girlfriend and get married early. Its just the standard thing that Christians seem to do. I dont want a boyfriend at least for the next year! I dont want to get married early. all I want to do is travel. I've got a destination planned on an Island where I can work and live for a few months but there is no church there and a lot of the staff there are into partying. So I feel like i shouldnt go but I just want to get out and experience the world. I just feel so limited as a Christian. like im trapped in a box and i cant go out and experience the world because i might lose my faith.

advice?
thanks

MY SISTER,

Where did you get the idea that being a Christian is "LIMITING?" It is just the opposite. As our Lord stated, "YOU SHALL KNOW THE TRUTH, AND THE TRUTH WILL SET YOU FREE." (John 8:32) And, "IF THE SON SETS YOU FREE, YOU WILL BE FREE INDEED." (John 8:36)

So, although i--or anyone else unless the Lord gives them a specific word for you--cannot advise you on whether or not what you plan is in accord with God's will for you, i can point out that it ONLY as a Christian that you are truly FREE to experience the world God has created for you to enjoy.

The people you refer to who are "into partying" aren't experiencing God's world--they are only experiencing the sin which has crept into that world. You ALONE can experience the reality of God's creation--assuming you stay focused on your Lord and not allow yourself to get sucked into the darkness around you.

Whether you go to this island or are led elsewhere, you are going to be faced with the same situation. Keep the Holy Spirit active in your heart and God the primary focus of your mind, and you will do just fine--wherever your journey takes you.

ENJOY--you are FREE!

A BOND-SLAVE OF CHRIST,
ephraim

 

[Sennaria]

sweetie,
I don't give this advice lightly as I am doing it myself right now. You are at a time in your life where you have decisions to make. We all know God created us with a purpose in mind. Take your decisions to Him, allow Him to guide you with peace of heart as to what you should do. Ask Him to open the doors for what you should do with your future, with your short term goals, with your long term goals. If you do what He wants or has set for you to do, you will succeed. We cannot always tell what this is by our own emotion, but if we step through the door that He opens for us, He shall grant us with His gift of peace in our hearts that we are on the right path.

Psa 9:10 And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, LORD, hast not forsaken them that seek thee.
Psa 14:2 The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God.
Psa 34:10 The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the LORD shall not want any good thing.
Mat 7:7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
Mat 7:8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

God bless and Praise Him that gives us mercy and grace

Sennaria

 

[Nadiine]

Hi,

I've been struggling with my faith lately.
Now that I'm finished school I'm lacking direction. It seems that all the Christians my age look for a boyfriend/girlfriend and get married early. Its just the standard thing that Christians seem to do. I dont want a boyfriend at least for the next year! I dont want to get married early. all I want to do is travel. I've got a destination planned on an Island where I can work and live for a few months but there is no church there and a lot of the staff there are into partying. So I feel like i shouldnt go but I just want to get out and experience the world. I just feel so limited as a Christian. like im trapped in a box and i cant go out and experience the world because i might lose my faith.

advice?
thanks

Well, I actually wish I had waited on finding boyfriends & to get married... I wish I did exactly what you want to do!

My advice, GET OUT THERE & TRAVEL HONEY! Who said you will 'lose your faith' if you get out? No one's putting you into a box but YOU.

You aren't limited as a Christian - Jesus said He came to give life, that we might have it more abundantly! We have a RICHER LIFE becuz we aren't all snared up & entangled with all the weight of SINS on us.
My previous life before I converted was FULL of continual problems & feelings of guilt for stuff I was doing & wrong decisions I made due to sin.
I don't have many problems at all anymore, and I'm very happy!

Life in Christ is much richer and much more interesting & fulfilled.
Go out there & see the beauty - you might find that while you're out into stranger places, that you'll cling even closer to the Lord than you do now!
I find that of myself when I'm in strange surroundings or uncomfortable.
I lean on Him even MORE!.

If you don't want boyfriends or to get married now, DON'T. You will know when it's time for you - it may be years from now.... God has a plan for you & you will feel led when He brings you there in HIS time.

 

[aldar]

Hey,
well, first of all, dont let fear of failure determin the decisions you will make. If feel like going to the island to work where there is no church without the christian support is an ok thing to do if you can stay strong yourself, then go doit if you want to, don't count on failure. if you do fail, it won't be becuase you went to the wrong place, it will be becuase you got weak inside.
if you seriously think its a bad idea then don't doit and don't stress over it, move on.
there are lots of diffrent kinds of christians.
If you would choose to not travel there for your own christian reasons, then yes it does limit you, and thats just something you have to live with for a cause.

We all have things that limit us... there are things i cant do that im sure would be enjoyable but id have to do wrong things to get them...so i live without them.
We all have things that limit us, but in the end bring us so much more.

i eat 500 calorie meals...that means no ice cream and cookies or soft drinks...it aint fun at all...but im getting the body that i want to so...yeah im limited, but its a for a reason that makes it worth it.