Agnostic Seeking Advice

[Shcotty]

Hi there.

I'm new here, I joined because It seemed like a great place to chat and I really need some advice.

For a long time now I have been suffering, I was diagnosed with depression, paranoia and insomnia, not a good combination on the best of days. I've always tried to be a good person, I have strong liberal beliefs and treat everyone with respect.

Recently things have been getting worse, a very close friend was in a hit and run incident and is now comatosed, they don't know if he'll ever wake up, I've been having a hard time keeping up with my education, and I have suspicions that my girlfriend was cheating on me before she left me. Meanwhile my friends, who live quite selfishly most of the time, seem to have perfectly happy lives. I have started to question why I have been singled out to suffer when I genuinely try to be a good person.

I was carrying out some research on suffering and came across the book of Job, upon reading that and certain threads on the forum, I began to wonder if I was suffering because God was trying to call me back to him. I used to be a Christian but stopped believing after a very rough time in high school.

Basically I was just wondering if anyone had been in similar situations and had any advice or guidance for me as it is difficult for me to rely on religion, as I'm the kind of person who would rather know something than believe in it if you know what I mean.

Thanks for any input.

 

[prophecystudent]

In answer to your question regarding Job and the possibility that God is causing your problems to call you back to Him.

You will note that God didn't cause Job's troubles. Satan did. God allowed it in Job's case because He knew the kind of man Job was. ie. that Job would not fail or renounce his belief.

I don't think God is punishing you. I do believe that the Holy Spirit is working in your life to bring you back to God.

It sounds to me like you are searching for some haven where you feel safe and can rest. That place would be a good gospel preaching church that preaches the real gospel. I mean the gospel of Jesus Christ and His salvation.

I have found in our family that when things get tough, the best answer to the problem is to put in God's hands, and then leave it there.

Once you hand the problem over to Him, don't dwell on it, worry over it, etc. I know it will be hard, at least at first, but you will learn to simply wipe it out of your mind and trust that God will handle it. He always does.

Find a good church where you feel comfortable, join a youth group there, study the Word and you will feel better about yourself, and I suspect that many of your problems will grow smaller and then disappear.

Good luck and prayers for you

Fred

 

[Katie7725]

Hi, I'm agnostic to and I came here to learn more about religion. The only thing Ive learned so far is it is really confusing!

 

[Digit]

Hi there.

I'm new here, I joined because It seemed like a great place to chat and I really need some advice.

For a long time now I have been suffering, I was diagnosed with depression, paranoia and insomnia, not a good combination on the best of days. I've always tried to be a good person, I have strong liberal beliefs and treat everyone with respect.

Recently things have been getting worse, a very close friend was in a hit and run incident and is now comatosed, they don't know if he'll ever wake up, I've been having a hard time keeping up with my education, and I have suspicions that my girlfriend was cheating on me before she left me. Meanwhile my friends, who live quite selfishly most of the time, seem to have perfectly happy lives. I have started to question why I have been singled out to suffer when I genuinely try to be a good person.

I was carrying out some research on suffering and came across the book of Job, upon reading that and certain threads on the forum, I began to wonder if I was suffering because God was trying to call me back to him. I used to be a Christian but stopped believing after a very rough time in high school.

Basically I was just wondering if anyone had been in similar situations and had any advice or guidance for me as it is difficult for me to rely on religion, as I'm the kind of person who would rather know something than believe in it if you know what I mean.

Thanks for any input.

Heya Shcotty,

I'm truly sorry to hear you are having such a rough time. I can't imagine having all those things at some stage, let alone all together. Man, what a nightmare.

Pretty much as Prophecystudent has cited, Job was actually not suffering God's actions, but those of Satan. Satan was testing him, and trying to get him to forsake God, yet he would not.

If you are truly feeling called back to God, then there may be another reason for it. Often people accept God during their most direst of situations.

It can often be a scary thing, going back to Christianity, when from the outside it looks so alien. As much as I think finding a good church and some moral support in the form of a friend or two to go along with you, would be great, it's often a lot hard to take that step. So really, anything you can do, that would expose you to God's Word, the Bible, would be a step in the right direction.

I would also heartily recommend praying. You don't need to be a believer, in order for God to hear your prayers. He does not discriminate like that, you simply need to ask, and He will hear. So again as ProphecyStudent said, offer your troubles up to Him in prayer. It doesn't have to be in flowery speech, just talk plainly, like you are talking to an old friend.

Sometimes I often think that worldly troubles are the symptom of a hungry spirit, maybe things will improve down the line, but don't feel the need to do a full 180. Small steps, are far steadier than giant leaps.

All the best,
Digit

 

[gluadys]

Hi there.

I'm new here, I joined because It seemed like a great place to chat and I really need some advice.

For a long time now I have been suffering, I was diagnosed with depression, paranoia and insomnia, not a good combination on the best of days. I've always tried to be a good person, I have strong liberal beliefs and treat everyone with respect.

Recently things have been getting worse, a very close friend was in a hit and run incident and is now comatosed, they don't know if he'll ever wake up, I've been having a hard time keeping up with my education, and I have suspicions that my girlfriend was cheating on me before she left me. Meanwhile my friends, who live quite selfishly most of the time, seem to have perfectly happy lives. I have started to question why I have been singled out to suffer when I genuinely try to be a good person.

I was carrying out some research on suffering and came across the book of Job, upon reading that and certain threads on the forum, I began to wonder if I was suffering because God was trying to call me back to him. I used to be a Christian but stopped believing after a very rough time in high school.

Basically I was just wondering if anyone had been in similar situations and had any advice or guidance for me as it is difficult for me to rely on religion, as I'm the kind of person who would rather know something than believe in it if you know what I mean.

Thanks for any input.

Hi, shcotty

You have had some good answers so far. If you are into reading, you might like to try a couple of books for more insight.

One is Why Bad Things Happen to Good People, which is based on the book of Job.

The other is a novel called I Never Promised You a Rose Garden. It's a few decades old so it may take a little digging to find it, but it is well worth the effort. It is about someone who was afflicted with paranoic schizophrenia and her struggle to live a normal life.

 

[Shcotty]

Sorry for the innacuracy in the Job reference.

Thanks for all the advice, I've decided I'm going to start praying again, going to do some more research into it, but it kinda feels like going back to God is the right thing to do.

Thanks again!

 

[prophecystudent]

Hi, I'm agnostic to and I came here to learn more about religion. The only thing Ive learned so far is it is really confusing!

May I suggest that you stop worrying about, or studying, "religion" and start learning about Jesus Christ and His offer of free salvation.

I find that most people get so concentrated on "religion" that they get confused about the Gospel of Salvation, which is about Jesus Christ.

His plan is not confusing or complicated. In fact, it is so basic and simple that it confuses people who think there must be more to it.

The path to salvation is simple.

Adam sinned and was thrown out of the Garden of Eden. In sinning he infected all mankind with the sin nature.

God established that single test for Adam and Eve. They were told that they could partake of anything in the garden EXCEPT the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil.

They ate of that fruit and failed the test.

God knew they would fail the test and even though He had said that the penalty for failing the test was to die (the penalty for sin), He provided a solution. That solution which was provided before He created mankind was to offer up His only Son as the blood sacrifice to pay the price of sin for all who would accept the free gift.

We are facing the second, and final test, to avoid damnation for all eternity. That test is whether, or not, we accept Christ's free gift of salvation. We do that by acknowledging Christ as our personal savior, that He was crucified for our sins, was buried, resurrected and ascended to heaven. We ask Him to forgive our sins (which He does) and to come into our hearts which He also does.

That, briefly, is the salvation story. It is not complicated. The complications begin when men start trying to force fit this simple story into their own ideas and concepts.

Too many people read the bible and fail to understand that with some exceptions it is to be read as literal truth. There are some "signs" and symbols in the scriptures but these are generally easily understood with a little study and/or research.

Welcome to the forum, and we are praying that we can welcome you into the Family of God.

Fred

 

[brothersean]

It is true that sometimes God sometimes allows suffering occur to draw children back to Him. As for all of the various disorders you have been diagnosed with, those too, could be healed by God.

I went through a similiar time in my life, while I was a Christian at the time, I wasn't really a devout one. I was jealous of everyone around me, I kept asking, "why are they happy, and I'm not? They don't even believe in God!"

Soon, I got my priorities straight though. I began anew my personal relationship with Jesus, and since then life has been very happy and peaceful for me.

As for your personal subscription to agnosticism, I know that if you were to actually pray, and ask God Himself if He existed, He would give you signs and hope to resume your relationship with Him as well.

Thank you for your time,
Your little brother,
-Sean-

 

[Katie7725]

why cant god just come out and tell us what he wants, it would seem so much more simple. Guess we don't always get what we want.

 

[gluadys]

why cant god just come out and tell us what he wants, it would seem so much more simple. Guess we don't always get what we want.

It's not that God doesn't tell us. We have to learn to listen with our heart so that we can sort out which of all the messages we hear is coming from God. Anyone can put a label with the words "God says..." on their message. Not so easy to tell when the label is true.

According to Jesus, the key is love. Follow the way love leads and you won't go far wrong. Don't get too hung up on trying to understand intellectually. If the controversy just leads into debate and not towards love, it is probably not very important. Even if people seem to get very excited about it.

Look for what Paul calls "the fruit of the Spirit": love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. The people in whom you find such qualities are your best guides.

 

[Katie7725]

but he's all powerful, why can't get rid of the needless confusion?

 

[PrettyLittlePrincess]

but he's all powerful, why can't get rid of the needless confusion?

He can, but all of us at one point has been unwilling to listen to God about something. He knows why we don't listen and how he can get through to us. It may take longer than we expect, so we may not understand or we may still be too stubborn to "listen".

 

[gluadys]

but he's all powerful, why can't get rid of the needless confusion?

God chooses to work through people. So we have confusion, because we are puzzled as to which people truly speak for God.

And would there really be any way to get rid of confusion? If God wrote a message across the sky, would there not still be people saying it is a trick, an illusion, a hallucination? Anything but admit it is a message from God?

No, God has given us, if we believe it, the guidance we need. Love one another. Anyone who lives in love lives in God and God in them. By their fruits you shall know them.

Look for the fruits in a person's life and learn from the ones who bear good fruit, especially love. Ignore the clamouring voices of anyone else.

 

[wiggbuggie]

life is hard and their are always times of trouble and its these times that we need to trust in God and say faithfully that its in his hands let Jesus take the wheel in your life.

 

[sbbqb7n16]

why cant god just come out and tell us what he wants, it would seem so much more simple. Guess we don't always get what we want.

But He did... He gave the Law and the Prophets which foretold of a coming Savior. Then He came in the flesh - a real live person - and was here on earth for a time, where real people saw and heard Him and they wrote about their experiences to share with others because many people desire to see what they saw and hear what they heard.

Luke 16:30-31

30."But he said, `No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent!'31. "But he said to him, `If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead.'

John 1:45

45. Philip found Nathanael and said to him, "We have found Him of whom Moses in the Law and also the Prophets wrote--Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph."

John 1:1-14

1. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.....14. And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Matt 13:16-17

16. "But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear.17. "For truly I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.

 

[Mary_Magdalene]

Hi there.

I'm new here, I joined because It seemed like a great place to chat and I really need some advice.

For a long time now I have been suffering, I was diagnosed with depression, paranoia and insomnia, not a good combination on the best of days. I've always tried to be a good person, I have strong liberal beliefs and treat everyone with respect.

Recently things have been getting worse, a very close friend was in a hit and run incident and is now comatosed, they don't know if he'll ever wake up, I've been having a hard time keeping up with my education, and I have suspicions that my girlfriend was cheating on me before she left me. Meanwhile my friends, who live quite selfishly most of the time, seem to have perfectly happy lives. I have started to question why I have been singled out to suffer when I genuinely try to be a good person.

I was carrying out some research on suffering and came across the book of Job, upon reading that and certain threads on the forum, I began to wonder if I was suffering because God was trying to call me back to him. I used to be a Christian but stopped believing after a very rough time in high school.

Basically I was just wondering if anyone had been in similar situations and had any advice or guidance for me as it is difficult for me to rely on religion, as I'm the kind of person who would rather know something than believe in it if you know what I mean.

Thanks for any input.

I have suffered with depression and anxiety for most of my life. i can state with no waivering that if Christ wasn't in my life right now i would not be here...

He is the only thing that keeps me going thru the hard times. Do i still suffer from depression/anxiety? yes. but He gets me thru it. Without Him i know i wouldnt make it. He not only saved my soul for eternity but walks with me thru this life day-by-day holding my hand steady!

Pray. read the Word! Lean on Him. allow His wings to wrap around you in protection... return to Him and allow Him to walk with you!

 

[tapero]

Hi there.

I'm new here, I joined because It seemed like a great place to chat and I really need some advice.

For a long time now I have been suffering, I was diagnosed with depression, paranoia and insomnia, not a good combination on the best of days. I've always tried to be a good person, I have strong liberal beliefs and treat everyone with respect.

Recently things have been getting worse, a very close friend was in a hit and run incident and is now comatosed, they don't know if he'll ever wake up, I've been having a hard time keeping up with my education, and I have suspicions that my girlfriend was cheating on me before she left me. Meanwhile my friends, who live quite selfishly most of the time, seem to have perfectly happy lives. I have started to question why I have been singled out to suffer when I genuinely try to be a good person.

I was carrying out some research on suffering and came across the book of Job, upon reading that and certain threads on the forum, I began to wonder if I was suffering because God was trying to call me back to him. I used to be a Christian but stopped believing after a very rough time in high school.

Basically I was just wondering if anyone had been in similar situations and had any advice or guidance for me as it is difficult for me to rely on religion, as I'm the kind of person who would rather know something than believe in it if you know what I mean.

Thanks for any input.

Hi brother,

Thank you so much for sharing.

Depression many times is a physical illness and needs medication; and you wrote you were diagnosed, so I'm hoping if your doctor ordered, that you are taking any medication given you for it. If you haven't been in awhile, maybe can go back and tell the doctor how it's been.

I am glad that you are a good person and treat others with respect. That is very admirable. Wish the world were full of people like you.

I am so sorry about your friend, how sad. That must be very hard to see a loved one go through this. I pray he does come out of the coma.

I want to assure you that God does not send suffering to us. You haven't been singled out to suffer. I have a friend feels the same way, and he's depressed and I think that kind of feeds that kind of thought.

In the days of the Old Testament it did occur, but no longer in the New Testament times, as we now are in a period of grace since Jesus' death and resurrection.

But God does use things in our lives to draw us to him. So, for example, if I'm not doing real well, I might tend to lean on God more than normal, because I need to, I can't get through life without him, especially when I am struggling or suffering.

So sorry to hear you had a rough time in school, so much so that you stopped believing. I can tell you that though you may have pulled away from God, he never has pulled away from you. He loves you very much.

Regarding seeing your friends being happy; it's is all throughout the book of Psalms, Lord why do the wicked, or unrighteous flourish when the righteous or godly suffer. This is a common to us today as well.

For the Christian we are told we will suffer for the sake of Christ; so just being in Christ we will suffer as many will do things, say things etc., to us because we are Christians. Also, God was saying this is how it is, because we live in a fallen world, and there is much suffering in this world, but one day it will no longer be so, and so we have our hope in the future with God for eternity, and daily with Christ as we walk through each day.

I'm glad you read the book of Job. It is one of my favorite books, for many say you are suffering due to sin, or other things (commonly said), and we know from Job this is not the case, as satan is the one that caused Jobs family to perish and illness.

God gives great comfort to us in the bible.

I was thinking about your girlfriend, since she is now your ex, that maybe you can say to yourself, well she's gone, and good thing, since if she was unfaithful I surely wouldn't have wanted to be married to her and then find out. So, maybe you can free your mind from thinking about it, though I know it must cause deep pain thinking that she might've done that while with you.

I do think God is calling you brother, he loves you very much, you are very precious in his site, and he wants you to trust in him with your life and I know you said your the type that needs know things rather than believe, but once I believed I knew. Kind of comes hand in hand.

I'd like to tell you, there's a forum for depression which is a wonderful forum as all there struggle and help each other by encouargment and support and advice, so you might want to check that out. They are going through similar things, all unique but much in common. So because of this, they can share how they get through things, and they sometime talk of medications they are on that seem to be working better for them, but I've found it one of the best forums in Recovery area as many reach out to each other there and help each other so.

The forum is at this url:

http://www.christianforums.com/f393-depression.html

Please send me a private message any time; I would love to talk with you if you like.

Blessings,
tapero

 

[Shcotty]

Thankyou so much for all of your kind words and advice.

 

[johnhsittm]

Hi there.

I'm new here, I joined because It seemed like a great place to chat and I really need some advice.

For a long time now I have been suffering, I was diagnosed with depression, paranoia and insomnia, not a good combination on the best of days. I've always tried to be a good person, I have strong liberal beliefs and treat everyone with respect.

Recently things have been getting worse, a very close friend was in a hit and run incident and is now comatosed, they don't know if he'll ever wake up, I've been having a hard time keeping up with my education, and I have suspicions that my girlfriend was cheating on me before she left me. Meanwhile my friends, who live quite selfishly most of the time, seem to have perfectly happy lives. I have started to question why I have been singled out to suffer when I genuinely try to be a good person.

I was carrying out some research on suffering and came across the book of Job, upon reading that and certain threads on the forum, I began to wonder if I was suffering because God was trying to call me back to him. I used to be a Christian but stopped believing after a very rough time in high school.

Basically I was just wondering if anyone had been in similar situations and had any advice or guidance for me as it is difficult for me to rely on religion, as I'm the kind of person who would rather know something than believe in it if you know what I mean.

Thanks for any input.

I'd like to open this message to you by saying that I'm sorry to hear about the rough times that you're going through.

I know what you mean when you say that you'd rather know things than make that leap of faith. My mind tends to work that way, too. So, why do I make that leap?

It's not in spite of the hurt of this world, but because of it. I believe for several reasons, but one of the main ones is that the idea of Christianity gives me hope. Hope that there is something beyond this hurting world, and that someday I may be able to take part in it. Even if Christianity turns out to be a bunch of nonsense, it still gives me hope, and therefore improves my own life. I can say without a doubt that without Christ my life would be a lot worse.

As for why people suffer, I would recommend The Problem of Pain by C.S. Lewis. I'm reading through it right now and find it very interesting. Actually, if you're having doubts, I would just recommend C.S. Lewis in general. He has some very good arguments for Christianity.