Help please...my faith is wavering.

I have had a tough time of late with my faith.  My heart believes but my mind constantly questions my faith.

I routinely debate with non-belivers and the more I debate with them the more my faith wavers.

What am I missing? :(

 

I was recently asked for historic proof to validate the Bible.  I was speechless....my heart was secure but my mind raced and questions flooded my head....help
 

JesusServant

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I guess I of all people shouldn't be responding since I know you DOL :)

But I can't help it.

We ALL have moments when the unanswered questions plague us.  One by one with patience God will answer those questions and for the ones He does not answer then it is not yet time for our understanding.

I have felt that you were having a hard time DOL and I'm leaving it to God because I know if I try "coaching" you or explaining anything then I'll just mess things up more than help.  God can turn it around for you better than I can and if I give you up in prayer before God then I can't be getting my hands all over it after I leave it to God so... I'll just bail out and go get Angie and pray right now.

God is after you John and I can't tell you a couple of things right now, but I know for a fact that He loves you and your wife and that good things are coming.
 
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postrib

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Originally posted by Defending Our Lord
...My heart believes but my mind constantly questions my faith...
I believe that just as our faith in Jesus is not derived from our intellect, so neither is it nourished by our intellect; rather, it is nourished by our heart's and our spirit's daily experience of a personal relationship with the person of Jesus himself through his indwelling Holy Spirit. This is why people can know the scriptures intellectually yet fail to know Jesus himself:

"Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life" (John 5:39-40).

Or people can know Jesus only superficially and then subsequently fall away from him:

"They, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away" (Luke 8:13).

I believe that our faith in Jesus can only take root in us through a daily devotion to and walk with the person of Jesus himself:

"If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it. For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away?" (Luke 9:23-25).

As we follow Jesus daily and do his will, our faith in his doctrine will abide, and to our salvation:

"If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God" (John 7:17).

"Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee" (1 Timothy 4:16).

"Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven" (Matthew 7:21).

But if we as believers fail to do his will, our faith in him will be without any real foundation, so that adversity will cause us to fall away:

"Every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it" (Matthew 7:26-27).

"The same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it; Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended" (Matthew 13:20-21).

Originally posted by Defending Our Lord
...I routinely debate with non-belivers and the more I debate with them the more my faith wavers...
I believe that many atheists and agnostics may fail to come to faith in Jesus because of a misunderstanding regarding what faith is: they may see faith as an intellectual conviction that one should be able to be argued into via sound human reasoning and human logic, like a mathematical theorem that can be proven unequivocally to the human mind.

But the Apostle Paul makes clear that faith in Jesus is not something that is in any way received via human wisdom, but can only be received via a gift from God (Ephesians 2:8-9), indeed faith was designed by God to be purposely opposed to human wisdom, so that our faith would be solely to God's glory:

"Preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect. For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men. For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; and base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence. But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord" (1 Corinthians 1:17-31).
 
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JillLars

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I used to be an athiest and had a horrible time trying to come back to Christianity...I struggle with it daily, like you my mind tugs at me. Then I think back to the reason why I believe in the first place.

1. I have a purpose. My life is not something that was an accident. Whether or not this is true, I would rather believe that it is. If we are all just accidents of nature then we really have no purpose in life. I struggled with this for a long time and decided there must be a reason and a purpose for human existence even if I don't know what it is.

2. I have been inspired. I have lived through some very tough times lately, and found myself being stronger than I ever could have imagined. I don't think I could have done it on my own, I believe God helped me.

If you have some reasons that you do believe then think about them, faith does not come easily, so by thinking about the ways you arrived there you'll be strengthened in your faith. I will pray for you!
 
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Gabriel

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Positive re-enforcement. Stay away from the debating for a while and read More Than a Carpenter by Josh McDowell. It's a pretty short book but it's good. Look up the scripture references in your bible.

Titus 4:2-4: Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. 3For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; 4and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.


You have faith, now learn about God. Be able to defend your faith and not fall victim to doubt yourself.

Above all, pray for strength and understanding.
 
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GraftMeIn

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Try staying out of the debate areas of the forums, especially if it's causing you to lose faith. You need to be grounded in the truth, and that is found in Gods Word.

something you may wish to ask yourself is this....

Are you spending more time trying to debate Gods Word with those who are only interested in proving it's wrong?

Or are you spending more time in Gods Word and drawing closer to Him?

To spend time debating and argueing with others who only want to prove Gods Word isn't true is rather fruitless. I think it's best to simply share Gods Word with those who are willing to hear it, instead of simply wanting to battle against it.
 
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We all go through this.  Everyone doubts their faith at one time or another.  I know exactly what you mean.  My roomate always asks me questions about Christianity.  And there are times when he asks me questions that I cannot answer and they sometime make me doubt my faith.  Believe me when I say it happens.  Even Jesus had doubts about what he was going to do.  On the night he was to be betrayed, after the last supper, he went up to the Mount of Olives to pray:

 Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples followed him. On reaching the place, he said to them, "Pray that you will not fall into temptation." He withdrew about a stone's throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed, "Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done."  An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.    Luke 22:39-44 (NIV)

He asked God to take this burden [cup] from him if there was anyother way.  He was afraid.  There was doubt in the back of his mind.  He was so anguished and under so much stress, that the capillaries in his forhead burst and he began to sweet blood.  It's okay to doubt your faith, but that doubt should turn in to the desire to turn to God to seek out the answers to your questions.  God loves you, but he places these situations in our lives so that we will turn to him. 

I hope I could be of help
 
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Evee

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Hi DOL. I am going through this too at this very moment.

  I believe it is just maybe things Christians go through.

It is like a refinement I believe.

 Times I feel like I am going under this time, won't be able to make it up. 

 I have never lost all my faith I have enough to keep me afloat until I get rescued. 

 I have always been rescued every time.

 It will get better mine is getting better and yours will too. :clap: Evee
 
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dnich163

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Hello Evee,
Perhaps God is wanting you to question yourself?
Whatever is at the root of your problem or doubt, do not beat yourself up about it.
St John of the Cross talks about the dark night of the soul, and maybe you are going through something like this, the arid dryness of the desert just what Jesus went through in his temptation.
Good luck and God bless,
David
 
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Talmid HaYarok

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Already a bunch of good advice here.

I've got some books from college that help me reaffirm myself when these tough times pop up.

One is Philip Yancey's "Disappointment with God" seems to deal quite well with the topic of asking the tough questions.

If you've got a topical problem such as the history of the bible there are many good books you can read and people you can talk to. I encourage to seek out Truth and ask questions.

Peace
 
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GTX

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In moments like these stay away from debate, do not cast your pearls before swine, when spiritual warfare attacks, turn to Jesus, and stay away from the one's that will make you question your faith.

When you are strong again, then spread the word, but don't worry about trying to convert or convince anyone that is not willing to listen, especially on messagebords.

Believe me, I have spent a long time debating about God, and the only time I become stronger is when I am reading my bible, and not participating in apologetic settings.

I have to confess though, I do, and sometimes I shouldn't. :o
 
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Ruhama

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hmm, my immediate thought is to not be afraid to question and to go ahead and yell at God if need be, though try not to cover ground that you've already been over a thousand times when trying to convince yourself of your faith, as you might also find it monotonous and thereby discouraging.&nbsp; If I've judged your issues right you are dealing with problems in the Biblical text. All I will say is that in my experience I have found the Bible to be richer and more beautiful, and a lot more relevant,&nbsp;for the "speed bumps" that it puts its readers through.

But maybe we here could offer some apologetics for your support? Not to throw back at the people you argue with, but just to help you out a bit with your struggle?

Don't know if that's what you'd like though, so feel free to keep this to yourself too, I don't want to pry.
 
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