I Simply Can't Live The "Christian Lifestyle"

hedrick said:

Not when you're dealing with someone who has a background of OCD.

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They would be the possible exception. Not because they are less responsible, but because they worry about more stuff that often doesn't need to be worried about.

hedrick said:

Sloth is not doing what you're responsible for. No one is going to being doing something serious for 24 hours a day. First, everyone needs time alone. Second, recreation is an important part of building and maintaining relationships with others, and depending upon the activity things like maintaining your physical condition.

The last thing you need is to feel guilty every time you watch TV. Having to be busy every moment is going to drive you and everyone around you crazy.

The question is whether you're not doing homework, or your share of the work, or spending time with friends and family, or various other things that you're responsible for.

I would also say that sloth is a *pattern* of behavior that indicates an unwillingness to be responsible. While it may technically be sloth to forget to do something or now and then skip something or be late in something, I wouldn't worry about that. Being obsessive about always sticking with your schedule can make you a pain to be around.

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Agreed. I just couldn't find a way to express it like this. I also believe that sloth is a major trap for young teenagers, who have a workload which is new to them. Sloth is a sure way to sabotage their lives, I've seen the effects.

Dear Foofy. In Matthew 22: 35-40: Jesus tells us: " The first and great Commandment is: " Love God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. The second is like it: Love thy neighbour as thyself." Jesus tells us: " On these two Commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets."
Just treat every one you know and every one you meet, friends and not-friends, treat them as you would love to be treated. with kindness and always with friendly words. God is Love, and God wants loving sons and daughters.
The Bible tells us: " Repent," and to " Be Born Again, " change from being selfish and unloving to become loving and caring. A Christian`s great weapon is Love, with love we can overcome all anger and wrong behaviour. Love is also very catching, and the people around you will treat you the same as you treat people. God will see our sincere efforts, and God will approve and Bless us.
In Matthew 7: 7-10: we are told: " Ask and ye shall receive," we ask for Love and Joy, then we thank God and share all Love and Joy with our neighbour.
We keep asking and receiving, then thanking God and sharing all with all around us. We might stumble and forget at times, but then we ask God to forgive us, and carry on loving and caring. That may be a bit strange at first, but soon we will change into the sons and daughters which God wants us to become. Jesus our Saviour will help and guide us: JESUS IS THE WAY.
God will not force us in any way, God wants our Love freely given and No conditions asked.
You tell us that you can`t live the Christian way, what is hard in being Loving and Compassionate? God is Love and we have the opportunity to live with our Heavenly Father for eternity. Love is what God wants from us, and we have only to " ask and receive," then share it with our neighbour. And before we realise it, we will be the loving and caring men and women which God wants us to be, all we say and do, all we advice and stand for, MUST BE FROM LOVE
AND COMPASSION.
There is one more thing, and we know it under: " What ye sow ye will also reap." Galatians 6: 7-8. It is God`s way of teaching us, what we sow we will also reap: Rewards and Blessing for following God`s Commandments to
Love God with all our beings, and fitting consequences for all wrong and unloving deeds we commit: GOD WILL NOT BE MOCKED.
I say this with love Foofy. Greetings from Emmy, your sister in Christ.

You absolutely can live to Christian lifestyle.

The only one stopping you is you.

In the kindest way possible, you're still incredibly young and in the next few years you're going to learn, need to learn, about accountability, responsibility, self-control and self-discipline.

Without these attributes you're going to struggle with a lot of things, faith especially.

You need to tell yourself "no" to certain things. Once you've done that, you've taken your first step. Then when you find yourself in that position again, even if you struggle, you can think back and find solace in the fact that you have already refused temptation and, as such, you can do it again and again and again.

Hi,
What amazes me is at such a young age religion has a negative foot hold on your life. You sound like a intelligent young person. Please take some time and study the book of Romans. It will help shift from a religious mindset to spiritual one. It will ground you in truth not religion. As someone said you have you're life ahead of you. What I stated in the beginning I say in love. Romans 16:26 talks about preaching Jesus according to the mystery. The mystery is Christ in you the hope of glory. This truth will establish you.

Grace to you.

One thing that can help is to shift some of your focus from yourself to others. Rather than dwelling on rules, you might find that simple things like encouraging others, volunteering time, offering to help your parents, etc. will make you feel closer to God. My daughter is around your age, so I've seen her become much less stressed when she helps others.

Dear Foofy. Jesus gave us some good advice in Matthew 22: 35-40:
"The first and great Commandment is: Love God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. The second is like it: Love thy neighbour as thyself." Jesus also told us: " On these two Commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets." God knows our hearts, God knows our thoughts, if you treat all around as you would love to be treated, (but sincerely) then God will not hold it against you. It is also true, that God is Love, and God wants loving sons and daughters. Matthew 7: 7-10: tells us: " ask and ye shall receive,"
then ask God in Prayer, for Love and Joy. Then thank God and share all the Love and the Joy with your neighbour: all you know and all you meet, friends and not-friends. God will approve, as long as you honestly can say: " I would not be upset, if someone did that to me. ( remember God sees your heart, and knows your thoughts.) You may stumble or forget at times, but then ask God to forgive you, and carry on Loving and Caring.
A Christian`s great weapon is LOVE, with love we can overcome all unkind thoughts and anger. Remember Foofy, " ask and you shall receive, then thank God and carry on being loving and kind. You will find that love is very catching, and you will gradually change into the person, which God wants you to become. I say this with love. Greetings from Emmy, your sister in Christ.

Lose your focus on the laws/rules and practice sharing God's love: Jesus. It's a lot easier to live for/serving others than to focus on what you are doing wrong. It will become a feedback loop. By sharing and living God's love with others, serving our God, it will push all that other negative stuff away. Be compassionate, loving, giving, caring, prayerful and do serve God by serving other by sharing God's love.

When I was in basic training for the military we were kept busy day and night, except for Sundays. There were no time for other thoughts or habits. Tired and sleepy after a long days training. School has extra activities that keep young people busy. Sports and other activities. Which all serve the purpose of development, self discipline and no time for non productive things.

Serving God full time from morning till night will greatly help you in pushing away those things which are non productive for the Kingdom of Heaven on earth, and Heaven. Get involved in school, church and charity. Stay busy. Everything will naturally fall into place by God's grace.

Foofy said:

Hello everybody! This is my first thread, and even though I am 14, I am totally serious about this topic. I have been baptized, and I've always been a christian, but never really lived like one like go to church or anything like that. I have then turned an atheist for the past year'ish but now I really want to become a real christian and change. But the thing is, is I simply cannot. It is way too difficult for me personally. It is honestly kind of getting on my nerves asking myself "is this ok with god" or "does this count as a sin" for every single action I do every day. I am a bit of a harmless troublemaker at school, but not in a "sinning way", like we don't hurt anybody in any way or anything, just be a little obnoxious. I mastur (you can fill in the rest) every night and am kind of addicted to it, and I cannot stop (even though I am wanting to get help for it soon), but it is just so difficult and I feel like crap every second of every day. I know it is not supposed to be easy, but wow, this is difficult! Every time I eat, I ask "how much is considered gluttony" or every time I don't do something I ask "is this considered sloth". I am willing to make a lot of changes, but it is so difficult for me personally. I have went to church 2 times in the last 2 weeks, which is a start, but obviously not enough. I am very nice, and will stay that way. Is there any more advice I can get from you guys to become more of a christian? Thanks everybody!

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It's killing me to read your post and not be able to help you. But, unfortunately, I can't help without addressing the problem and addressing the problem would most likely get me an infraction, so I'll just say that I'm praying for you and if you want to talk about it, PM me and I'll give you an email address where you can contact me.