I'm about to give up...

You're not doing wrong by seeking God. Bad things happen, and it's usually hard to discern patterns. Sometimes, though, the enemy will hit us in a special way in order to discourage us from drawing near to God. Don't let that happen.

There's a difference between giving up and surrendering to God. Giving up implies losing heart. Surrendering to God implies placing yourself in His hands even if you can't make sense of your circumstances, even if you're in pain at the moment. If you try to face life's difficulties without God you will give up spiritually, and the end result of that is death. But if you instead draw near and continue to have faith in God, you will weather the storm and come out better. Job said, "After He has tried me, He will pour me forth as gold". Give Rom 8 a read, about how none of the many afflictions of this world can extinguish the love God has for us. Also 2Cor 1-3.

Please do not despair and that is the key word I mean to use here as opposed to having sadness or grief. There is much sadness in this world but it is God who is the source of our conscience and disposition to try to do what is right and cope with what we face. The Lord knows the sorrows of our lives but blesses those who live virtuously while facing hardship ( see the Beatitudes in Matthew 5:1-12).

What you face is no easy matter nor do I know the burdens and sorrows you endure but do not despair. St. Paul sums up how the Lord wants us to live life in Romans 13:8-10 of which we may experience within much happiness or sadness but please do not despair.

Look to the Lord Jesus Christ always even when faith may seem muted. Perhaps reading Ezekiel 34:11-31 , John 10 , Psalms 23 , and John 16:33 might be helpful.

Hello @Isaac Bailey,

I think it is important for you to continue to persue God and your beliefs. We all have difficult patches in life and sometimes the bad points are more prominent than the good, however I will say "Hang in there".
I cannot give you any scriptural advice as I am not Christian, however what I hear, you have a journey laid out for you and a path to follow. Enjoy that journey and enjoy life to the full!

Hello to you Isaac. I am so sorry to hear about your mom. That is a terrible loss. Like the others, I encourage you to keep going to God. I guess we have to realize that God's primary concern (in my opinion) is your character, not your comfort.
Life will happen. Bad things will happen. But having God right in the middle of it will, in time, give you a "peace that goes beyond all understanding". It won't make the rest of your life filled with happiness only, but you will be able to accept the bad with the good, knowing that God hears your cry, and loves you with all of His Heart.

Isaac Bailey said:

Hi
Recently i have been going though alot. Just basically alot of bad things happened this year, for example my mom died a few months ago and it's been rough. But this year I started praying to god and reading the Bible and all this happens. Yes good things have happened but more bad than good. I just don't know what's going on and if im doing something wrong.
Please reply

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I am sorry to hear about your loss.

Everyone must pass from this life though. That will happen to all of us I'm sure you know.

Faith is not about our circumstances. Although as humans being imperfect, many times we do feel that our faith is lessened during hard times.

How it should be is that our faith should not be reliant on our life circumstances or feelings and emotions. It takes a long time to get to that point though. You are building your faith now.

Rest in the love of God. Seek solace and peace within Him. That's what I do and it is a wonderous break and peace filled time away from the problems of this life.

God bless you.

You're not doing it wrong by any means. Just because I have become a Christian, doesn't mean bad stuff stopped happening to me. Not at all... I've been through a few abusive relationships, was raped, deal with anxiety and depression, just lost my best friend's Mom to cancer, my own Mom is dealing with cancer too, I have a stressful job that I would like to leave but can't, I'm in mounds of debt and have no clue how I'm going to get out of it, etc etc.

So what's the point of being a Christian?

For me it's 2 things:
1) It makes me a better person since Jesus teaches us how to love everyone in this world. After 10+ years, I've finally forgiven the person who raped me. Don't ever want to see him again/not going to be best friend with him, but at least I don't want him to drop dead anymore (that's progress).

2) When bad things are going on, I can turn to Christ for comfort. I have had personal healings through prayer, He does alieveate my depression and anxiety, etc - I wouldn't have those healings without Christ. But when I do have to suffer, I know He is at my side giving me strength to get through it. And I know once I pass on from this life, I will be in heaven for all eternity - no more pain or suffering. What's a few decades of living when I'm looking at pure bliss and happiness for all eternity? Plus to be honest, no matter what I go through in this life, no pain can ever compare to how Jesus was tempted and how He suffered on the cross.

Isaac Bailey said:

Hi
Recently i have been going though alot. Just basically alot of bad things happened this year, for example my mom died a few months ago and it's been rough. But this year I started praying to god and reading the Bible and all this happens. Yes good things have happened but more bad than good. I just don't know what's going on and if im doing something wrong.
Please reply

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Read the story of Job in your bible. This is a common situation with many Christians going through a trial before finding God. When you come to the end of yourself is when you find the beginning of God. It's all about love and reverence.

Just hold onto God no matter what happens. You love Him to the end. That's what this test is all about. The devil is trying to lead you away from Him.

When you pray to God, it would be a good thing to pour out your heart to Him about your frustrations and hurt and sorrow and grief and every emotion you are feeling. I am so sorry your mom passed away The Word of God says, "Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted" - Matthew 5:4. Please ask God to comfort you in your sorrow and to help you in this journey you are taking with Him, He is right there for you, the Word of God says that the Lord is near to all who call on Him - Psalms 145:18. When I've experienced frustrations and all types of emotions in the past, I did not know I could trust God with those emotions and pray to Him about everything (and I do mean everything) that I was going through. When I began to do that, I noticed that changes began to take place and He was doing so much to turn my life around and increase my faith in Him, so now I can encourage others to trust Him with everything in their lives. You can talk to Him as though He is right there with you because truly He is right there and He is personal and He loves you so much and is always available to listen to you. Place everything before Him as you speak to Him about it and see how He helps you. My prayer is that He will draw you close and comfort you and strengthen you, in Jesus name. God bless you.

Isaac Bailey said:

Hi
Recently i have been going though alot. Just basically alot of bad things happened this year, for example my mom died a few months ago and it's been rough. But this year I started praying to god and reading the Bible and all this happens. Yes good things have happened but more bad than good. I just don't know what's going on and if im doing something wrong.
Please reply

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I am sorry to hear of your Mom's death. This is one of life's greatest sorrows. Go to the God of All Comfort; He understands your pain and how to soothe it far better than anyone else.

Life is full of trouble of one sort or another for all of us. "Man is born to trouble as the sparks fly upward," the Bible says. We all of us must die and most of us will suffer the passing of at least some of our loved ones. We get sick, and injured, afraid and despairing. Thank God what happens to us here on Earth is not the whole story! It's barely even a start! We were made, not for time, but for eternity. This is why we are urged in Scripture to "set our affections on things above, not on things on the Earth." This is why we do not "sorrow as those who have no hope." The God of mercy, grace, kindness, holiness and love awaits us on the other side of death.

Why are you praying and reading the Bible? People have all sorts of reasons for doing these things but God intends that we should have only one: love for Him. Have you heard the Gospel? Have you heard the story of God's gracious and loving redemption of fallen, sinful humanity? Have you accepted Christ as your Saviour and submitted to him as your Lord? It is within the context of these things that prayer and reading of the Bible will do you the most good.

Jesus tells the story of two men who built houses. One built his house on a rock, the other on sand. When the wind began to blow and the rain began to fall, guess whose house collapsed? The one who built on sand. Is the "house" of your life standing on shifting sand? Or is it resting secure on the Rock of Jesus Christ? The storms of life will come whether you live a good life or bad, and they will blow hard and the rains will threaten to wash you away, but if you've anchored your life to Jesus, you have a solid and unmovable foundation upon which to stand solid and unmovable yourself.

Matthew 7:24-25
24 "Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock:
25 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.

Proverbs 18:10
10 The name of the Lord is a strong tower; The righteous run to it and are safe.

Psalms 61:2-3
2 From the end of the earth I will cry to You, When my heart is overwhelmed; Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.
3 For You have been a shelter for me, A strong tower from the enemy.

Selah.

Isaac Bailey said:

Please reply

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Don't give up. Keep asking God for help and wisdom. Winners never quit, and quitters never win.

Hi Isaac, I feel your pain because I too lost my mom. Now, thanks to God giving me the ability to remember, I have all those years of her stored in my mind. What a blessing. Another blessing Christians should cherish are the promises God has given us. When life seems hopeless the Bible is the resource to inspire us, give us hope and encouragement.

I challenge you to claim the promises found in the Holy Writ. Those promises are there for us when we feel like giving up. Promises like Jude verses 24-25
24 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,

25 To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.

Jn 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

I pray that you won't give up on Jesus. There is no better life. Bless others with Christian love and kindness and it will come back to you many times over.

Given this is the end times, then some hard times are ahead, and God may be conditioning you for them. Isaiah 57:1 says God takes the Godly early so that they don't have to see the evil to come.

James 1:2-4 is the verse I would really point you to.

2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

What makes us stronger? God knows what you are capable of. Do you know what you are capable of? Do you know your physical, emotional, and spiritual limitations? The only way to figure this out is to go through trials by fire. It is better to take your trials on your time rather than God's.

I feel for you. I had some bad depression and anxiety for about five years, and woke up everyday hoping to die. I had been a Christian all my life, and ended up feeling like Job. A big part of it was my own fault due to sin, and I felt a lot of shame. I turned 30 years old and suddenly God called me into his service. All that depression was taken away. I still had trials and hardships ahead, but I could look back on my past, and draw from hard things I had experienced previously and say "This isn't so bad."

Don't quit. Faith is hard. If it was easy then anyone could do it.