Can anyone help me find hope?

[losthope]

I thought I became a Christian but still I did not know God. Many Christians have tried to help and failed. Do you know anyone who can help me?

Many years ago I asked forgiveness through Jesus for my sins and invited God to take control of my life. I joined a church, prayed, read the Bible, told everyone I was a Christian and tried to live an active Christian life. I thought I was saved. Everyone else thought I was saved. Yet there was no feedback from God. I did not know God. No relationship with the Lord. No answered prayers, no awareness of God’s presence, no guidance, no sudden realisation of spiritual truth. Nothing.

I remained an active Christian for two years. Then I stopped calling myself a Christian, convinced that something was wrong. I needed to find out what was wrong, put it right and then come again to God. However, I still do not know why I failed to find God. I have considered many possibilities, but no explanation so far is consistent both with my experience and with the Christian message. Maybe I am saved, maybe not. I do not know.

Because of my disastrous experience back then I cannot simply ask again for forgiveness and invite God into my life. I stepped out in faith trusting God, and landed flat on my nose. Something has to happen before I can trust God again.

Over the years many well-meaning Christians, evangelists, pastors and Christian counsellors have tried to help. They soon realise that my situation is outside their experience. They pray for me, but can do no more.

I am asking, do you know of someone, anywhere in the world, who could help me? Someone open to the spiritual gifts of wisdom or a word of knowledge from God. Maybe someone who has met my situation before. I am not unique; other contributors to Christian Forums have similar experiences. Like me, they lack emotions, and despite what many Christians say, emotions do seem an essential requirement for knowing God.

Do you know of anyone who can help bring back my hope?

 

[Adstar]

I thought I became a Christian but still I did not know God. Many Christians have tried to help and failed. Do you know anyone who can help me?

Many years ago I asked forgiveness through Jesus for my sins and invited God to take control of my life. I joined a church, prayed, read the Bible, told everyone I was a Christian and tried to live an active Christian life. I thought I was saved. Everyone else thought I was saved. Yet there was no feedback from God. I did not know God. No relationship with the Lord. No answered prayers, no awareness of God’s presence, no guidance, no sudden realisation of spiritual truth. Nothing.

I remained an active Christian for two years. Then I stopped calling myself a Christian, convinced that something was wrong. I needed to find out what was wrong, put it right and then come again to God. However, I still do not know why I failed to find God. I have considered many possibilities, but no explanation so far is consistent both with my experience and with the Christian message. Maybe I am saved, maybe not. I do not know.

Because of my disastrous experience back then I cannot simply ask again for forgiveness and invite God into my life. I stepped out in faith trusting God, and landed flat on my nose. Something has to happen before I can trust God again.

Over the years many well-meaning Christians, evangelists, pastors and Christian counsellors have tried to help. They soon realise that my situation is outside their experience. They pray for me, but can do no more.

I am asking, do you know of someone, anywhere in the world, who could help me? Someone open to the spiritual gifts of wisdom or a word of knowledge from God. Maybe someone who has met my situation before. I am not unique; other contributors to Christian Forums have similar experiences. Like me, they lack emotions, and despite what many Christians say, emotions do seem an essential requirement for knowing God.

Do you know of anyone who can help bring back my hope?

What where you looking for when you where seeking God? A cocane type high? Some kind of LSD trip?

Where you seeking God for an "experiance" or for salvation?

Let me ask you this. Do you believe Jesus was born of the Holy Spirit and was raised from the dead?

Do you believe that faith in the atoning scarafice of Jesus atones for your sins?



All Praise The Ancient Of Days

 

[TheCosmicGospel]

You say you were an active Christian for two years. Describe the events taking place in that period.

What questions did the pastors and counselors not answer for you. We really need more details here to try and help you.

Did you take communion? What did you think was supposed to happen? How were your expectations not met?

On the surface, it sounds like a lot of your focus has been on you and not who Jesus is.

When you dive in the water, you don't really feel wet. It is only when you get out of the pool. Don't depend on feelings. Did you talk to other Christians about their experiences and how were theirs different than your own. What were they getting that you felt you were missing out on?

Would my needs or the needs of others be a concern to you? Maybe you can help others find what they need. And by being more Christ and less of yourself, changing the focus, may be part of the answer you need.

You are not unique. But again, we need more information.

Cheers,
Cosmic

 

[JoeV]

Try net-burst.net. The founder is very experienced. His name is Grantley. If you would like to submit a prayer request, scroll down to the bottom for the email address. They have a great prayer team. Actually, I'll just give it to you: netburst@net-burst.net. Tons of great, inspiring webpages that have helped so many different people in so many different ways. I highly suggest this site.

 

[rocklife]

I believe you have to be willing to change your life in perseverence, if you have bad habits, those will block your hearing from God and knowing Him. You have to be willing to be a living sacrifice, taking up your cross daily. that is Jesus' message of who is a christian "whoever claims to live in Him must walk as Jesus did."

it might even be helpful for you not to just go along with what church people say, but to be more basic first in following the New Testament more than church activity. I have found too many at church who give advice, but if you ask them if they even read the bible daily or much, many don't (including pastors wives). you don't need advice from unwise people, so make sure everything people tell you is biblical first, and then follow the Bible and what is good and right (sometimes the Bible talks about sins, don't copy people's sins, get the right message from the Bible, even the Pharisees missed Jesus and they studied the Scriptures plenty).

 

[TexasGirl06]

LostHope...

Get into God's Word.
He often will speak to us through His Word.
Well, not often.... always.

He wants to visit with you, about your sin.
Your sin against a Holy God.

Until our sin is reconciled...
there is a barrier up.
A barrier between God and us.

I know that you said you asked him for forgiveness, etc....

but I ask you, as a friend:
Did you really bring your sin to him?
Did you realize that your sin was against Him.
Did you repent of your sin?
Did you run from your sin? Turn away from it?

Get alone with God.
Just you and Him.
Give yourself time with Him.
If you sincerely desire Him, He will be found by you.

Seek and you shall find.
That's God's Word.... to you.

 

[KimLCMS]

Hey LostHope,
I just wanted to say you are in my prayers. It is so easy to drift away from God, but know that He will never drift away from you. He will never leave you nor forsake you.
Don't be afraid to come before his throne again and ask forgiveness. This is a daily process. All of us struggle with sin - it is a lifelong battle. It's a battle we can not win on our own.
I know it isn't easy, it may even seem impossible, but allow yourself to humble yourself before the Lord. Ask Him to help you with your doubts.
Realize too, that it's not all about emotion. We experience God in different ways. Just because you don't hear His audible voice or see a burning bush doesn't mean He's not speaking to you. The very fact that you are seeking Him out tells me He IS speaking to you. He wants you to draw near to Him.
My advice is to just put it all on the line and pour out your heart to Him. What have you got to lose?
Kim
</IMG>

 

[Rafael]

I thought I became a Christian but still I did not know God. Many Christians have tried to help and failed. Do you know anyone who can help me?

Many years ago I asked forgiveness through Jesus for my sins and invited God to take control of my life. I joined a church, prayed, read the Bible, told everyone I was a Christian and tried to live an active Christian life. I thought I was saved. Everyone else thought I was saved. Yet there was no feedback from God. I did not know God. No relationship with the Lord. No answered prayers, no awareness of God&#8217;s presence, no guidance, no sudden realisation of spiritual truth. Nothing.

I remained an active Christian for two years. Then I stopped calling myself a Christian, convinced that something was wrong. I needed to find out what was wrong, put it right and then come again to God. However, I still do not know why I failed to find God. I have considered many possibilities, but no explanation so far is consistent both with my experience and with the Christian message. Maybe I am saved, maybe not. I do not know.

Because of my disastrous experience back then I cannot simply ask again for forgiveness and invite God into my life. I stepped out in faith trusting God, and landed flat on my nose. Something has to happen before I can trust God again.

Over the years many well-meaning Christians, evangelists, pastors and Christian counsellors have tried to help. They soon realise that my situation is outside their experience. They pray for me, but can do no more.

I am asking, do you know of someone, anywhere in the world, who could help me? Someone open to the spiritual gifts of wisdom or a word of knowledge from God. Maybe someone who has met my situation before. I am not unique; other contributors to Christian Forums have similar experiences. Like me, they lack emotions, and despite what many Christians say, emotions do seem an essential requirement for knowing God.

Do you know of anyone who can help bring back my hope?

Life is feedback from God. He speaks to you with the most sophisticated language that there is everyday you waken to life. Listen closely and assess in contemplation, each day you live and see if God has not said something to you through life and His word. The words of Jesus are, as He said, spirit and they are life to those that will hear them.
It does not really take a great amount of faith to see all that God has done for man, and you may have had the influence of some false teaching in the past that makes you think certain things must happen where God proves Himself to you; but still there is hope or you would not be seeking. Jesus bids us to unload our burdens to Him and take a rest from performance based things. He told us that His yoke would be easy and light to bear.
This may sound like President Kennedy's address, but maybe we should ask God what we can do for Him instead of expecting more results from our prayers just for ourselves. The scriptures are full of asmonitions telling us to be rich in good works while we are here on earth. Love is a sacrifice, and we are told to be willing to sacrifice ourselves for our brothers and sisters on earthwhen they are in need. Actions to our faith strengthen us and give us confidence before God.

I John 3:16-19 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and truth. This then is how we know that we belong to the truth and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence whenever our hearts condemn us.

Perhaps you are making it difficult for yourself in some way. There are lots of false teachings out in the world today as Jesus warned us of false prophets who would make merchandise of the flock, tempting them to greed and materialism, and if we listen to them, we may end up like the fellow Timothy speaks about - pierced with many arrows of disapointment for loving money.
Hang in there and keep hope. Even though we are weak, God is strong and faithful to perform His will and great promses of life towards us. He loves you.

1 Tim 6:7-9 After all, we brought nothing with us when we came into the world, and we can&#8217;t take anything with us when we leave it. So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content. But people who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction.

Ro 15:13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.

Ga 5:5 For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.

Ps 119:81 CAPH. My soul fainteth for thy salvation: but I hope in thy word.

Ro 15:4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.

 

[elanor]

Hello losthope,

Wow. I can really understand what you said. I have a whoppin' list of unanswered prayers and huge disappointments that make me feel like God listens to, responds to, and loves everyone except me. And I don't have a magic answer to make it all better. And honestly, I wouldn't trust anyone who said they did.

Here's what I came to: The life Jesus calls me to live is the only one that my heart will let me live. Somehow, all the prayer, all the wisdom from the scripture, all the love of other believers, and the love of God (even when I didn't feel it) worked together to change me. And I know it, because now when I try any other path, my heart only wants to come home to Jesus again.

God must be real and must love me enough to be working in my life. I know because even if I don't feel it, and even if my prayers aren't answered in a way I see or want, He has to have been here changing my heart all this time. And He must be doing the same in you, because with all the confusion and questions, here you are--still seeking Him, still longing for Him. If He had never touched your life, you wouldn't be doing that.

I think the church today does us a huge disservice sometimes. They preach a happy, happy, joy, joy, God's-my-very-best-friend sort of experience for everyone who becomes a Christian. Don't get me wrong. Sometimes I am joyful. But I'm not always emotionally "up." When it comes to being a believer, I think the proof is in the pudding. Jesus didn't promise us emotional experiences. He said those who are His would be known by the love they have for one another and by the fruit in their lives.

Keep going, losthope. Grab hold of His promise that He will be with you always--even when you don't feel it. Grab hold and live the way He has called you to. He will change your heart and make you desire the things He desires. He will grow the fruit of the Spirit in your life. Let that be your proof that He loves you and is with you. That's the proof He said we would see--not the emotions, but the fruit. That's where real life in the Spirit is. Emotions are cheap. They are nice to have, but they come and go. Don't let anybody sell you a lesser life in God.

 

[Adstar]

Hello losthope,

Wow. I can really understand what you said. I have a whoppin' list of unanswered prayers and huge disappointments that make me feel like God listens to, responds to, and loves everyone except me. And I don't have a magic answer to make it all better. And honestly, I wouldn't trust anyone who said they did.

Here's what I came to: The life Jesus calls me to live is the only one that my heart will let me live. Somehow, all the prayer, all the wisdom from the scripture, all the love of other believers, and the love of God (even when I didn't feel it) worked together to change me. And I know it, because now when I try any other path, my heart only wants to come home to Jesus again.

God must be real and must love me enough to be working in my life. I know because even if I don't feel it, and even if my prayers aren't answered in a way I see or want, He has to have been here changing my heart all this time. And He must be doing the same in you, because with all the confusion and questions, here you are--still seeking Him, still longing for Him. If He had never touched your life, you wouldn't be doing that.

I think the church today does us a huge disservice sometimes. They preach a happy, happy, joy, joy, God's-my-very-best-friend sort of experience for everyone who becomes a Christian. Don't get me wrong. Sometimes I am joyful. But I'm not always emotionally "up." When it comes to being a believer, I think the proof is in the pudding. Jesus didn't promise us emotional experiences. He said those who are His would be known by the love they have for one another and by the fruit in their lives.

Keep going, losthope. Grab hold of His promise that He will be with you always--even when you don't feel it. Grab hold and live the way He has called you to. He will change your heart and make you desire the things He desires. He will grow the fruit of the Spirit in your life. Let that be your proof that He loves you and is with you. That's the proof He said we would see--not the emotions, but the fruit. That's where real life in the Spirit is. Emotions are cheap. They are nice to have, but they come and go. Don't let anybody sell you a lesser life in God.

Good post elanor You said it all, and said it well.


All Praise The Ancient Of Days

 

[Calminian]

....I thought I was saved. Everyone else thought I was saved. Yet there was no feedback from God. I did not know God. No relationship with the Lord. No answered prayers, no awareness of God’s presence, no guidance, no sudden realisation of spiritual truth. Nothing....

Hello losthope. Let's hope that eventually we can get that username changed. I have to admit I'm somewhat confused from your post. Above you say you received "no feedback" from God. Just wondering what you mean by that. I'm thinking maybe you have some false ideas about what's supposed to happen after salvation. As far as guidance, keep in mind that requires cooperation and no one will ever perfectly submit to God's will. So I'm trying to figure out why you don't believe you are saved? You also mentioned you received "no sudden realisation of spiritual truth." But if you didn't realize the gospel was true, why did you place your faith in it in the first place? Perhaps you weren't very sure about the gospel and were hoping God would make it clear after you professed faith. But it actually doesn't work like that. You should only trust in what you know to be true. At any rate, hope you hang around here for a little while so we can help you work through this.

 

[BAFRIEND]

"Something has to happen before I can trust God again."

No living person can help you.

I hope you do not take this the wrong way...

Also, God did answer your prayers. Maybe not the way you wanted, but He did.

But if you want my opinion of a course of action... Try seeking God in others. My faith was very easy... I found it through my community. Love others and be loved. Are you afraid to be loved ?

If you believe in God (truely) then you will pray.

 

[losthope]

To Adstar. You wrote this:
What where you looking for when you where seeking God? A cocane type high? Some kind of LSD trip?
Where you seeking God for an "experiance" or for salvation?
Let me ask you this. Do you believe Jesus was born of the Holy Spirit and was raised from the dead?
Do you believe that faith in the atoning scarafice of Jesus atones for your sins?

What was I looking for? The opportunity to serve the greatest king. A relationship with God. The chance to do things of eternal worth. Certainly not the things you suggest. I don’t do drugs.
I sought God so that I could know God. That surely should be an ongoing experience as part of salvation.
You ask about my beliefs. Back in the 1970s when I (thought I) became a Christian, I did believe the things you say about Jesus and his sacrifice for my sins. I remember leading a Bible study session in about 1975 about the resurrection in which people were amazed at my faith, for example. Yet all those beliefs and all that faith did not help me to find God.
Do I still believe those things? Not as such. But I would be only too willing to believe them if God should call me.

To The Cosmic Gospel. You wrote this:
You say you were an active Christian for two years. Describe the events taking place in that period.
What questions did the pastors and counselors not answer for you. We really need more details here to try and help you.
Did you take communion? What did you think was supposed to happen? How were your expectations not met?
On the surface, it sounds like a lot of your focus has been on you and not who Jesus is.
When you dive in the water, you don't really feel wet. It is only when you get out of the pool. Don't depend on feelings. Did you talk to other Christians about their experiences and how were theirs different than your own. What were they getting that you felt you were missing out on?
Would my needs or the needs of others be a concern to you? Maybe you can help others find what they need. And by being more Christ and less of yourself, changing the focus, may be part of the answer you need.
You are not unique. But again, we need more information.
You ask some big questions here. For example, how can I possibly describe all of the events that occurred over a period of two years? I will give you a summary, and perhaps that will help you to understand.
When I say that I was an active Christian I mean that I was one of the most active members of my local church, that I hosted and led the church Bible study, that I met with other young Christians for meetings of prayer and praise, that I prayed and read my Bible regularly, occasionally preached in church, helped other Christians, told everyone that I was a Christian.
However, I no time was I aware of the presence of God. There was never any personal contact from God of any kind – no guidance, no awareness of spiritual truths, no thing at all. I do not think that a single prayer of mine was ever answered, not even with a “no”. I might just as well have been praying to the ceiling – which is what it felt like to me. I never had any verse or other message from the Bible “jump off the page for me”. I never found that I had learned something “in my heart and not just in my head.” I have never experienced any spiritual awareness of any kind. Inside I did not change at all. I had changed my thoughts and my behaviour after becoming a Christian, but God did not cause any real changes in me. It was as if God had completely refused to respond to my prayer asking to become saved, or any other prayer since then.
And the questions that the counsellors etc could not answer were, “Why, when I did what is considered necessary for me to become a Christian, did God not respond to me?” (My apologies for the wording of this question, I know I have not found the right words) and “Will I ever be able to find God now, and if so, how?”
Did I take communion? Yes.
What did I think was supposed to happen to me once I became a Christian? I had an open mind about that. I know that every Christian’s experience is different. But I did expect that something would happen. Instead, nothing happened.
I agree that it might seem as if my focus is on me, rather than on Jesus. Of course. Because it does not matter who Jesus is, if Jesus does not respond to me. So you could say that my focus is on God – Father, Son, Holy Spirit – and that I am asking why God did not act in my life.
You suggest that I should change the focus to more of Christ and less of myself. It sounds good in theory, But how can I possibly do that in practice when I have no support whatsoever from God. I can only do it in my own strength because God’s strength is not available to me. And I know that my own strength is insufficient. I need God’s strength, but do not have it.
You also tell me not to depend on feelings. Unfortunately I do not have “feelings” or emotions, because of the effects of a non-fatal brain tumour. So when people speak about love, for example, it is just a word to me. I can understand it in theory, but cannot experience it for myself. Similarly when the Bible tells me to do something with all my “heart”, then again that is just theory to me. I do not really understand and certainly cannot experience what the Bible calls “heart”. So I can assure you that I do not rely on feelings; that would be impossible for me.
Perhaps you can understand why I wonder if it is my lack of emotions that keeps me from experiencing God. Christians tell me not to rely on my emotions, when in fact maybe they are the ones relying on their emotions and therefore experiencing something that I am unable to share.
I am equally ignorant about the concept of a spirit or spiritual experience. I can understand them in theory, but have no personal experience whatsoever. I describe it as being spiritually dead, blind, or whatever.

To JoeV. Thank you for your suggestion. I will certainly have a look at net-burst.net and find out if anyone there can help.

To rocklife. You wrote this:
I believe you have to be willing to change your life in perseverence, if you have bad habits, those will block your hearing from God and knowing Him. You have to be willing to be a living sacrifice, taking up your cross daily. that is Jesus' message of who is a christian "whoever claims to live in Him must walk as Jesus did."
it might even be helpful for you not to just go along with what church people say, but to be more basic first in following the New Testament more than church activity. I have found too many at church who give advice, but if you ask them if they even read the bible daily or much, many don't (including pastors wives). you don't need advice from unwise people, so make sure everything people tell you is biblical first, and then follow the Bible and what is good and right (sometimes the Bible talks about sins, don't copy people's sins, get the right message from the Bible, even the Pharisees missed Jesus and they studied the Scriptures plenty).
All I can say is that when I (thought I) became a Christian I was definitely willing to do all the things you say, but it made no difference. I agree with you about following the principles of the New Testament, and that is fine for general guidance. However, if God has a unique plan for each of us then we also need personal guidance, and that was never given to me.

 

[losthope]

To Texasgirl06. You wrote this:
LostHope...
Get into God's Word. He often will speak to us through His Word. Well, not often.... always. He wants to visit with you, about your sin. Your sin against a Holy God.
Until our sin is reconciled... there is a barrier up. A barrier between God and us.
I know that you said you asked him for forgiveness, etc.... but I ask you, as a friend: Did you really bring your sin to him? Did you realize that your sin was against Him. Did you repent of your sin? Did you run from your sin? Turn away from it?
Get alone with God. Just you and Him. Give yourself time with Him. If you sincerely desire Him, He will be found by you.
Seek and you shall find. That's God's Word.... to you.
The advice sounds great. But… God has never spoken to me through the Bible. Yes I did bring my sin to God, and I did repent and try to turn away from sin.
I have tried to be alone with God. But seem to be just alone with myself. Despite times of desperate prayer, I failed to find God, and as far as I am aware God failed to respond to me.
I have sought for many years. I have waited for longer than Abraham had to wait. Yet still I have not found God. Sorry, but it is more complex than simply telling me to seek God in order to find God.

To KimLCMS. You wrote this:
Hey LostHope,
I just wanted to say you are in my prayers. It is so easy to drift away from God, but know that He will never drift away from you. He will never leave you nor forsake you.
Don't be afraid to come before his throne again and ask forgiveness. This is a daily process. All of us struggle with sin - it is a lifelong battle. It's a battle we can not win on our own.
I know it isn't easy, it may even seem impossible, but allow yourself to humble yourself before the Lord. Ask Him to help you with your doubts.
Realize too, that it's not all about emotion. We experience God in different ways. Just because you don't hear His audible voice or see a burning bush doesn't mean He's not speaking to you. The very fact that you are seeking Him out tells me He IS speaking to you. He wants you to draw near to Him.
My advice is to just put it all on the line and pour out your heart to Him. What have you got to lose?
Thank you for your prayers. I appreciate it. Thank you also for your comments. However, I am afraid that unfortunately my situation is too complex to be resolved in the ways you suggest.
I would not agree that I drifted away from God. I never found God in the first place, and although I may now be drifting, I have no idea if I am drifting towards God or away from God. If only it were true that God would never forsake me; that is not the way it has seemed to me over the past 33 years. That’s right, I turned to God when you were a tiny baby, and despite searching for almost the whole of your life I have not found God.
I have come to God asking for forgiveness many times. And have asked God to help me with my doubts. The response is always… nothing.
I am quite aware that the struggle with sin is something that I cannot deal with successfully on my own. I need God’s strength, but have never found God’s strength.
People do say that the very fact that I am seeking God tells them that God is calling me or speaking to me. I disagree. It shows that I am seeking God; it does not show that God is seeking me. I am a real human being with real human needs, and one of those needs is to serve God. Unfortunately God has not responded to that need.
Is it all about emotion? I sometimes wonder. See the last part of my response above to “The Cosmic Gospel” for my thoughts about emotions.
You advise me to just put it all on the line and pour out my heart to God, and ask what I have to lose. I’ll tell you what I have to lose, and this is not just speculation, it is based on what happened to me 31 years ago when I recognised that my attempt at being a Christian had failed. What might I lose? My sanity, my marriage, my social support system, my purpose in life, my hope, any chance that I might ever find God in the future, and more. If I go to God again, it has to be in the absolute certainty that this time God will respond. That may be more than most people ask, but I am not “most people”. I can assure you that I could not possibly risk the awfulness of learning for a second time that God will not respond to me. It would be a death sentence for me, and that means death without God. Neither of us wants that to happen.

To Rafael. You wrote this:
Life is feedback from God. He speaks to you with the most sophisticated language that there is everyday you waken to life. Listen closely and assess in contemplation, each day you live and see if God has not said something to you through life and His word. The words of Jesus are, as He said, spirit and they are life to those that will hear them.
It does not really take a great amount of faith to see all that God has done for man, and you may have had the influence of some false teaching in the past that makes you think certain things must happen where God proves Himself to you; but still there is hope or you would not be seeking. Jesus bids us to unload our burdens to Him and take a rest from performance based things. He told us that His yoke would be easy and light to bear.
This may sound like President Kennedy's address, but maybe we should ask God what we can do for Him instead of expecting more results from our prayers just for ourselves. The scriptures are full of asmonitions telling us to be rich in good works while we are here on earth. Love is a sacrifice, and we are told to be willing to sacrifice ourselves for our brothers and sisters on earthwhen they are in need. Actions to our faith strengthen us and give us confidence before God.

I John 3:16-19 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and truth. This then is how we know that we belong to the truth and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence whenever our hearts condemn us.

Perhaps you are making it difficult for yourself in some way. There are lots of false teachings out in the world today as Jesus warned us of false prophets who would make merchandise of the flock, tempting them to greed and materialism, and if we listen to them, we may end up like the fellow Timothy speaks about - pierced with many arrows of disapointment for loving money.
Hang in there and keep hope. Even though we are weak, God is strong and faithful to perform His will and great promses of life towards us. He loves you.

1 Tim 6:7-9 After all, we brought nothing with us when we came into the world, and we can’t take anything with us when we leave it. So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content. But people who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction.

Ro 15:13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.

Ga 5:5 For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.

Ps 119:81 CAPH. My soul fainteth for thy salvation: but I hope in thy word.

Ro 15:4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.
God may speak to you with sophisticated language, giving feedback through life. But I hear nothing. I listen, I try to contemplate, but I have no awareness of God saying anything to me, not through life, not through the Bible. If the words of Jesus are spirit then I am sorry but I have no spiritual awareness whatsoever. I wish I did, but I do not.
So, faith or no faith, I cannot see what God has done for me. I do not have any particular expectations of precisely what God “ought” to do for me when I am saved, because I know that the experience is different for everyone. However, I did expect that God would do something, rather than doing absolutely nothing that I was aware of.
I no longer have faith, but I still spend a lot of my time helping other people. These actions do not bring me faith; they do not bring me closer to God.
I hung in there for two years, until I realised that it was wrong for me to hang on any longer. Yes, I am weak, and I know that the Bible tells us that God is strong and faithful, that there are great promises of life, that God loves me. But I have experienced none of these things. Why not? Why are God’s promises not true for me?
I still want to find God. But how can I find God? Where should I look? Despite faith, trust, prayer, contemplation, silence, worship, the Bible, fellowship and so much more… none of these things have helped me to find God.

 

[losthope]

To Calminian. You wrote this:
Hello losthope. Let's hope that eventually we can get that username changed. I have to admit I'm somewhat confused from your post. Above you say you received "no feedback" from God. Just wondering what you mean by that. I'm thinking maybe you have some false ideas about what's supposed to happen after salvation. As far as guidance, keep in mind that requires cooperation and no one will ever perfectly submit to God's will. So I'm trying to figure out why you don't believe you are saved? You also mentioned you received "no sudden realisation of spiritual truth." But if you didn't realize the gospel was true, why did you place your faith in it in the first place? Perhaps you weren't very sure about the gospel and were hoping God would make it clear after you professed faith. But it actually doesn't work like that. You should only trust in what you know to be true. At any rate, hope you hang around here for a little while so we can help you work through this.
Well, I’ve been around searching for God for over 40 years, so I hope to stay around long enough to gain some help. After all, that is why I wrote the original post.
I don’t think that I had false ideas about what would happen after salvation. I know that different Christians experience different things, and so I did not know precisely what to expect. But I really did expect something to happen. Instead, nothing happened, and that was unexpected. Other people have experienced answered prayers, an awareness of God’s presence, personal divine guidance (some people choose to follow God’s guidance, and some do not, but I never had anything that I could follow or reject), being taught spiritual truths, knowing something “in the heart”, a sense of peace, changes that they can detect inside as God works on them, and much more. I had none of these experiences, nor anything else that I could recognise as being from God. That is why I say that I do not know if I am saved, or not.
Why did I place my faith in the gospel in the first place? Because I put my trust in God, trusting that God would lead me into the truth. Now you may describe that as “weren't very sure about the gospel and were hoping God would make it clear after you professed faith”, and make it sound as if it is something negative. I describe it as putting my trust in God, making it positive.
What about famous prayers such as “Lord, I believe. Help thou my unbelief.”? What is wrong in trusting in something that you trust to be true, even if you do not know for certain? I thought that faith was a gift from God, something that can grow as you come closer to God. Surely that is what faith is all about.
If you are right, then it is impossible for a person to come to God. Nobody has total belief in the truth of the gospel before they come and ask for forgiveness and ask God into their life. Not unless God first gives them that faith. You have to step out in faith. And I did. Unsuccessfully. But if I had to wait until I could step out in absolute certainty, then I would wait forever.

To Carmody. You wrote this:
"Something has to happen before I can trust God again."
No living person can help you.
I hope you do not take this the wrong way...
Also, God did answer your prayers. Maybe not the way you wanted, but He did.
But if you want my opinion of a course of action... Try seeking God in others. My faith was very easy... I found it through my community. Love others and be loved. Are you afraid to be loved ?
If you believe in God (truely) then you will pray.
Well, I do not truly believe in God or the gospel message, not now. Back in the days when I (thought I) was a Christian, I believed then all right. And prayed. But still, God did not answer. Not even a “no” Just nothing. Please believe me. Or tell me precisely how God answered my prayers, if you insist that God did answer.
You suggest that I love others and be loved. I am sorry, but that is not possible for me. Love is one of those “emotion things” that I do not experience. I am not afraid to be loved. But I am unable to love, in the way you describe it. Sorry.
You say that no living person can help me. I hope you are wrong, but I do accept the possibility that you might be right. However, given that God is not contacting me directly, I do not know what other option I have.
Maybe I have taken your message the wrong way, but as I understand it I can do nothing but reject it utterly as being totally inappropriate for me. That is not a rejection of you as a person, but simply a recognition that what you have written is not going to help me. Possibly because I did not make myself sufficiently clear in my original post, for which I apologise.

 

[losthope]

Hello losthope,

Wow. I can really understand what you said. I have a whoppin' list of unanswered prayers and huge disappointments that make me feel like God listens to, responds to, and loves everyone except me. And I don't have a magic answer to make it all better. And honestly, I wouldn't trust anyone who said they did.

Here's what I came to: The life Jesus calls me to live is the only one that my heart will let me live. Somehow, all the prayer, all the wisdom from the scripture, all the love of other believers, and the love of God (even when I didn't feel it) worked together to change me. And I know it, because now when I try any other path, my heart only wants to come home to Jesus again.

God must be real and must love me enough to be working in my life. I know because even if I don't feel it, and even if my prayers aren't answered in a way I see or want, He has to have been here changing my heart all this time. And He must be doing the same in you, because with all the confusion and questions, here you are--still seeking Him, still longing for Him. If He had never touched your life, you wouldn't be doing that.

I think the church today does us a huge disservice sometimes. They preach a happy, happy, joy, joy, God's-my-very-best-friend sort of experience for everyone who becomes a Christian. Don't get me wrong. Sometimes I am joyful. But I'm not always emotionally "up." When it comes to being a believer, I think the proof is in the pudding. Jesus didn't promise us emotional experiences. He said those who are His would be known by the love they have for one another and by the fruit in their lives.

Keep going, losthope. Grab hold of His promise that He will be with you always--even when you don't feel it. Grab hold and live the way He has called you to. He will change your heart and make you desire the things He desires. He will grow the fruit of the Spirit in your life. Let that be your proof that He loves you and is with you. That's the proof He said we would see--not the emotions, but the fruit. That's where real life in the Spirit is. Emotions are cheap. They are nice to have, but they come and go. Don't let anybody sell you a lesser life in God.

I loved your byline, reunite Gondwanaland. Though I suspect that many Christians will disapprove of it.
Thank you for your real honesty. I really appreciate it. You are absolutely right when you say that some Christians speak only of happiness, joy, knowing God as their best friend, and so on. Almost as if Christianity was a kind of magical religion. A kind of magic that implies that you say this, you do that, and God always responds with salvation, love, a relationship, personal divine guidance, a happy life, and all the rest of it. But it isn’t like that. God doesn’t always respond to prayers, and surely, that must include the prayer of salvation too. Why should we assume that the prayer of salvation is always answered when other prayers we know are sometimes answered with a “no”?
I am very pleased that over the years God has worked on your life and changed your heart. Unfortunately it has not happened to me. You say that God must have changed me, because I am still seeking God and still yearning for God. No, sorry, I have been the same way for something like 40 years. My desire to know God is not new; it is something I have had for most of my life. For this reason I cannot accept your suggestion that God has touched my life. It would be wonderful if God did touch my life, but it has not happened.
You say a little about not relying on emotions. I do not rely on emotions, I can assure you, because I do not have emotions. (See what I wrote in the latter part of my reply above to “The Cosmic Gospel”).
I totally agree with you that Christians should not rely on their emotions.
There is no sign of the fruit of the Spirit in my life. My heart has not changed. I do not desire the things that God desires. As you say, the proof is in the pudding. And for me, unfortunately, the proof that God loves me and is with me is missing.
I wish I could rely on and trust the promises of the Bible. But I can no longer do that. I know from my own experience that those promises were not true for me, even if they were true for you. I am sorry, but in my present situation it is out of the question for me simply to trust God or to trust the promises of the Bible. What I need to find out is why I have had this experience that is so different from yours.
Yes, emotions come and go, as I have noticed in people. What I desire is what you described as real life in the Spirit. Not accepting a lesser life in God.
Thank you, elanor, for a great response. The fact that my experience is different from yours, in that there is no sign of God working in me, does not detract from what you wrote. It may be a real inspiration to others.

 

[Calminian]

Why did I place my faith in the gospel in the first place? Because I put my trust in God, trusting that God would lead me into the truth. Now you may describe that as &#8220;weren't very sure about the gospel and were hoping God would make it clear after you professed faith&#8221;, and make it sound as if it is something negative. I describe it as putting my trust in God, making it positive.

Actually it just sounds like blind faith. "Hey God I don't know if you're there but I'll believe it anyway. Please send me some confirmation for this blind leap."

What about famous prayers such as &#8220;Lord, I believe. Help thou my unbelief.&#8221;? What is wrong in trusting in something that you trust to be true, even if you do not know for certain?

I'd really challenge you to examine the context of that statement. The man who said this had just spoken with Jesus Himself. The faith in question was not saving faith at all, but the type of faith necessary for exorcising demons. This is a totally different kind of faith. There is saving faith, which is trusting in the gospel, and then there is working faith by which we accomplish all things. This is especially true for christians. Paul spoke about giving every christian a measure of faith. In that context, it has nothing to do with getting saved and everything to do with accomplishing things for God. This passage in no way should be used to support blind faith in the gospel.

I thought that faith was a gift from God, something that can grow as you come closer to God. Surely that is what faith is all about.

Yep. At this point I'm going to conclude you are a victim of an idea I truly despise&#8212;fideism. It's a horrible false idea that crept into the church probably around the time of Hume's famous (infamous) arguments against miracles. But I'll keep an open mind as you explain your experience.

But just to clarify, I believe God grants faith and repentance and does not give it in the sense of causing it. He gives it in the sense of enablement and men must respond.

If you are right, then it is impossible for a person to come to God. Nobody has total belief in the truth of the gospel before they come and ask for forgiveness and ask God into their life. Not unless God first gives them that faith. You have to step out in faith. And I did. Unsuccessfully. But if I had to wait until I could step out in absolute certainty, then I would wait forever.

And this also makes me suspect of your understanding of the term faith (pistis in the greek). Sounds like you've bought into the modern definition. I'd like to know exactly what you mean by "step out in faith."

If I'm right, there's going to be quite a knot to untangle but it would explain many things.

 

[BelindaP]

You have my deepest sympathies. I think I understand where you are coming from--not because I have the same problem that you do, but because I have the opposite problem. You see, I have the gift of spiritual discernment. One of the abilities that comes with that is that I feel emotions very strongly, even those of others. It's hard to explain, but when somebody else is hurting, I am hurting too. If somebody else is happy, I feel it too.

You are right. Many of the ways in which we experience God do come from the emotional centers of our brains. You'll get a lot of people who tell you that a relationship with God isn't about emotions and that faith isn't an emotion. What they aren't understanding is that while those statements are true, our spiritual experiences often use that part of our brains. If it is damaged (as in your case), our ability to connect with God is severely hampered. It becomes nearly impossible to "feel" Him.

I had a period of my life where I just stopped believing. Because of that I lost my gift of discernment. [It's a gift of the Holy Spirit, so if you leave God, you can lose the gift.] I was brain-damaged at birth and had many bad life experiences early on. As a result, without the gift of discernment, I don't experience emotions very well either. I've never had a CAT scan done on my brain, but I wouldn't be surprised if the brain damage that I suffered early on affected the emotional centers of my brain.

During that time in my life, praying was like talking to the ceiling. I had no sense of God. I continued to go to church, but it all felt artificial. Life felt very...alone.

And yet, God found a way to draw me back to Him. As I said, I felt very alone and empty. It wasn't that life completely miserable. I just felt like there was a hole or something in my life. I couldn't put my finger on it exactly. It was kind of like that yen you get when you want to eat something and can't quite figure out what will hit the spot. Only, it was spiritual in nature.

I suspect that since you are here asking about it, that you feel the same way. However, I don't want to presume. Tell me, does any of this make sense? If so, I would love to talk some more to you about my journey back to God. If not, then I don't want to go on at length and bore you. Just let me know.

 

[Mary_Magdalene]

hi losthope

with me, I did not really hear much from God until I knew what His voice sounded like. The only way I could know that is to know Him. The way I came to know Him enough to hear him is to read His Word.

God's Word is all about Him! It teaches us the true nature of God and we learn, just by studying it, who He is. We of course are saved, but that is not the same as knowing who God is and being able to hear and recognize His voice.

Get in the Word~~no matter how cold you may feel about it (been there). Keep studying and reading while praying for the Holy Spirit to reveal Him to you. I prayed many times before just picking up my bible and reading it: "Lord please burn Your word I am about to read into my heart. May I never forget it...reveal Yourself to me".

Read the New Testament but don't forget the Old Testament...that is where I think I learned the most about who God is.

 

[Zeena]

Do you know of anyone who can help bring back my hope?

Only Jesus