Confusion: Why did he leave us alone?

[Glico]

Hi everyone.

I've been so confused over the last few months. I kept thinking to myself "If God existed, he would have done something BY NOW". He wouldn't leave people alone to suffer, and not do anything.

I mean, seriously, if you think about it, if God really did exist, he has left people in the dark for more than 2000 years.

I came to a terrible conclusion the other day that God didn't exist, and that I was stupid in thinking he did. :/

I'm still so confused.

 

[Jim47]

Hi everyone.

I've been so confused over the last few months. I kept thinking to myself "If God existed, he would have done something BY NOW". He wouldn't leave people alone to suffer, and not do anything.

I mean, seriously, if you think about it, if God really did exist, he has left people in the dark for more than 2000 years.

I came to a terrible conclusion the other day that God didn't exist, and that I was stupid in thinking he did. :/

I'm still so confused.

I can understand why you might say this, and even believe it, but God does exhist and is in control of things. Noo one likes suffering but suffering brings around good things. Consider this:
Ro 5:1 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
Ro 5:2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.
Ro 5:3 Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance;
Ro 5:4 perseverance, character; and character, hope.
Ro 5:5 And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.
Ro 5:6 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.
Ro 5:7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die.
Ro 5:8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Ro 5:9 Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him!
Ro 5:10 For if, when we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!
Ro 5:11 Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

If you faith is growing weak, that is just what Satan wants. You need to read God's Word and go to church to hear it preached. Pray for strength and forgiveness. Repent of your unbelief and seek God. He is not far from anyone and wants to draw you close to Him.

Also, you must take an honest look at your life. Are you living in unrepentant sin. Sin seperates us from God and then our faith grows weak.

May I suggest reading the epistles, and maybe start with Romans, but please read them all. You will find comfort and strength in His Word.

God Bless

 

[Rafael]

God surrounds us and speaks to every person with life. Life is the most sophisticated language there is and it is our conversation with God to live each day. Even the Old English spoke of our "daily conversation" or daily life.
God protects those that love Him and will give them eternal life, but will not violate the choices of the wicked who reject God and fear Him unjustly by believing lies. Mankind fell into the state of sin and death through Adam and Eve's sin. We have inherited sin and death from our forefathers, and Adam is the very first.
God has made a way for us back to eternal life, though, and gives us this chance for salvation through Him giving His own life manifested in the flesh of man as Jesus. God is not limited to the mere dimensions of a man, and He is able to be three person yet one God. There are other things in our universe that show this multiple way of being one, like light or water, but we sometimes struggle trying to understand how He can have that power. We, too, often struggle believing in the unseen even though everything we see is made of the unseen molecules and atoms that make up our reality of being.
God sees and knows all that is done by men, whether good or evil, and nothing is ever lost to God by death. He has power over life and death and has promised to resurrect and judge all men for the works they have done with their lives on earth - whether done for good or evil. Those who put their trust in the works of Jesus at the cross will have their slate clean of sin, but they must be honest before God about trying to overcome sin and evil in their life. He forgives us when we ask and make honest efforts to live for the good of others - practising true love that gives and does not just take all the time.
Jesus asks only a few things when He returns according to the parable (Mat. 25:31-45). He asks if we fed Him when He was hungry, if we clothed Him when He was naked, if we gave Him shelter when He was even a stranger, and id we visted Him when He was sick???? These are simple questions about what practical love entails, as the Bible also says that no man hates himself, but feeds and clothes his body to take care of it. So love is more than just feelings. It is practical work that we should be doing for our neighbors in the world and in our lives.
Do we see the world really doing these simple acts of love Jesus spoke of or do we see greed, selfishness, ego, hatred, and war in the world?? Even people that call themselves by Jesus name do not always obey what Jesus says, but God cannot be fooled even though we might fool all people. We have to give an account for our works done in this life - whether they were all done for just self or whether they were done to Jesus - because Jesus said that when we do any of these things to the least of people, we have done them to Him.
So, you see, the responsibility of war, famine, and all the death in the world lies upon the heads of mankind. We, as mankind, rejected the leadership of God, the provision of God, and the laws of God, and we do so nearly every single day; but God is loving and merciful to not destroy us all without another thought because of His great, great love. He not only made us and gave us life, He gave His own life in the flesh for us and suffered in our place at the cross so that we could be His people again and share with Him as brothers and sisters to Jesus in His Kingdom.
The world is growing more evil and colder by the day and is heading for the final dday of evil when it greedily fights over power, but for those that trust in God, it's all good in the end. All things are made right with nothing lost other than those that have made the choice to be seperated from God.

 

[ebia]

Hi everyone.

I've been so confused over the last few months. I kept thinking to myself "If God existed, he would have done something BY NOW".

What makes you think he hasn't?

 

[ephraimanesti]

Hi everyone.

I've been so confused over the last few months. I kept thinking to myself "If God existed, he would have done something BY NOW". He wouldn't leave people alone to suffer, and not do anything.

I mean, seriously, if you think about it, if God really did exist, he has left people in the dark for more than 2000 years.

I came to a terrible conclusion the other day that God didn't exist, and that I was stupid in thinking he did. :/

I'm still so confused.

MY DEAR FRIEND,

i'm sure you have gotten more detailed answers with lots of Scriptural references, etc. already, so i'll just give you my quick take so as not to be repetitious. GOD HAS NOT LEFT US ALONE! His Son's death on the cross has, among other things, procured for us the Holy Spirit who dwells within us as God promised He would. He has also given us the Bible as a blueprint for living a life which will put us in direct contact with Him, through the Holy Spirit, and bring about our adoption as children of God the Father, brothers of our Lord, God, and Savior Jesus Christ, and temples of the Holy Spirit.

Read the New Testament -- slowly, prayerfully, and with an open mind -- and then FOLLOW DIRECTIONS, and you will never feel alone again. EVER. God is knocking, and is just waiting for you to open the door. JUST DO IT!

MUCH LOVE TO YOU IN CHRIST,
ephraim

P.S. WE SUFFER BECAUSE WE CHOOSE TO SUFFER. GOD HAS GIVEN US FREE-WILL AND REFUSES TO INTERRUPT OUR SELF-IMPOSED SUFFERING WITHOUT OUR PERMISSION.

 

[Adstar]

Hi everyone.

I've been so confused over the last few months. I kept thinking to myself "If God existed, he would have done something BY NOW". He wouldn't leave people alone to suffer, and not do anything.

I mean, seriously, if you think about it, if God really did exist, he has left people in the dark for more than 2000 years.

I came to a terrible conclusion the other day that God didn't exist, and that I was stupid in thinking he did. :/

I'm still so confused.

2 Peter 3

1 Beloved, I now write to you this second epistle (in both of which I stir up your pure minds by way of reminder), 2 that you may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior, 3 knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, 4 and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.” 5 For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, 6 by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water. 7 But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. 8 But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.


The God of Abraham has not left us in the Dark. A Helper is with us.

John 14
25 “These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. 26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.


All Praise The Ancient Of Days

 

[Key]

I guess, it's all in the view.

Did God really leave us?

When we see great things, such pleasure and joy, do we see God has left us?

When we see suffering and blind ourselves to seeing pleasure, then we have left God, God has not left us.

But others have brought about some great answers, Bless you my brothers and sisters.

God Bless

Key

 

[Shumby]

I guess, it's all in the view.

Did God really leave us?

When we see great things, such pleasure and joy, do we see God has left us?

When we see suffering and blind ourselves to seeing pleasure, then we have left God, God has not left us.

But others have brought about some great answers, Bless you my brothers and sisters.

God Bless

Key

Another good passage, GLICO:

Philippians 4:6-8
6Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 7And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. 8Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

 

[smile]

He didn't leave us. He didn't leave this world to waste. Who is supposed to help the world? He left the Chruch to do it. Who did He send to help the Chruch? The Holy Spirit.

"In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach 2until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. 3After his suffering, he showed himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. 4On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. 5For John baptized with[a] water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit."

6So when they met together, they asked him, "Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?" 7He said to them: "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. 8But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." -Acts 1-8

Church = Body of Christ

 

[If Not For Grace]

if God really did exist, he has left people in the dark for more than 2000 years.

He gave you a light switch--turn it on, and "let there be light". What God gave you is a choice--it is yours to make.

 

[solarwave]

Hi everyone.

I've been so confused over the last few months. I kept thinking to myself "If God existed, he would have done something BY NOW". He wouldn't leave people alone to suffer, and not do anything.

I mean, seriously, if you think about it, if God really did exist, he has left people in the dark for more than 2000 years.

I came to a terrible conclusion the other day that God didn't exist, and that I was stupid in thinking he did. :/

I'm still so confused.

Hi, well He hasn't left us (Him as in Father and also gave the Holy Spirit). Considering He right there, what more do u want? A undying God in human form forever?? And the faith would be where. He's right there next to you, if us stupid humans need 1001 big loud voices telling them He's there right now, you wont get it (well unlikely ).

 

[2PhiloVoid]

Hi everyone.

I've been so confused over the last few months. I kept thinking to myself "If God existed, he would have done something BY NOW". He wouldn't leave people alone to suffer, and not do anything.

I mean, seriously, if you think about it, if God really did exist, he has left people in the dark for more than 2000 years.

I came to a terrible conclusion the other day that God didn't exist, and that I was stupid in thinking he did. :/

I'm still so confused.

Glico,

Suffering is a part of the Christian experience. The problem that develops for many is that many churches present suffering as something God does not want to allow. Suffering is, to whatever degree it happens, a sharing in the suffering of Christ. ST. Paul said this, and Jesus inferred it when He said that He "does not give as the world gives."

Until the Lord finishes His plan for humanity, suffering is normative. A good God wants us to be refined in our faith, to become Christ-like. Yes, it is very, very difficult. I wish sometimes it were not that way, but then...So did Jesus in the Garden of Gethseamane.

 

[039]

Well... for one, alot of suffering doesn't come from God. It comes from man, mainly. When man fell to his own sins, the world was cursed. Why did God leave us alone to suffer? He didn't. He suffered with us so that one day we could leave this curse behind.

I also think you're asking why doesn't he directly interact with us, rather than in veiled way he does now? I think of the angels, whom know God directly. I have often been jealous of their ability to know for certain, but it has occured to me that God has no tolerance for such beings that know his direct being. So, in that sense, I suppose I'm grateful to be left only with faith for the time being, especially in such a confusing and tempting world.

In the face of eternity, any torment or torture this world could throw at a person is but a drop in the hat that one day they won't remember. Yes, we feel compassion for each other for today, and this is good, but if this was all there was, it would seem like a great injustice and terror. But in reality, it is nothing. That isn't to say that those can help aren't obligated to.

Much love.

 

[dv81]

This whole Earth mess is our fault, this was never God's plan. He's love gave us free will, we became "like gods" remember, where do you get the idea he wanted this to happen?

 

[Fitz1901]

" Im so confused "

alleluia

now if you came to the right decision you wouldn't be very confused in fact you'd be happy. That confusion comes from God so you can come back to him. See God didnt leave you alone he's with you right now


God Bless

 

[PaulAckermann]

I've been so confused over the last few months. I kept thinking to myself "If God existed, he would have done something BY NOW".

The Bible teaches that to God a thousand years is as one day. So from God's perspective, only a few days has elapsed. What we think is taking an eternity, to God is just a few minutes.

This is not just a statement of faith. Science is proving this to be fact. This is what Einstein pointed out in his Theory of Relativity. Time is relative. There is no such thing as absolute time.

Let's say there is a planet that is a hundred light years away. Suppose you were on that planet, and had a spaceship that could travel the speed of light. Since that planet is a 100 light years away, it would take 100 years for the spaceship to make it to earth. But you, being inside the ship, would hardly age at all. If you wore a watch, not even one second would have elapsed before you saw earth. Time is relative. Outside the ship, 100 years would have elapsed. Inside the ship, barely a second would have passed.

The Bible says that God is Light. Although that refers to His moral purity and not how fast He could travel, it still reminds me that within light, time suspends. God is not within time. To God and those in heaven with Him, it is not taking a long time for Him to do something. To God, the Cross and the Resurrection just happened.

 

[KarrieTex]

Hi everyone.

I've been so confused over the last few months. I kept thinking to myself "If God existed, he would have done something BY NOW". He wouldn't leave people alone to suffer, and not do anything.

I mean, seriously, if you think about it, if God really did exist, he has left people in the dark for more than 2000 years.

I came to a terrible conclusion the other day that God didn't exist, and that I was stupid in thinking he did. :/

I'm still so confused.

God didn't leave us alone.

Christ told us in His final days on earth that He would send a helper, who is the Holy Spirit.

As a Christian, I am not alone at all. Not only do I have the fellowship of the Body of Christ but I have the Holy Spirit, who is God, with in me constantly.

 

[Caerith]

God lives in the world every day.. Whether people acknowledge him or not. You don't see the wind, yet you know its there..and every now and then, you get a gale that knocks you off your feet and it really lets you know that it's there. That's how I look at God. He gives me those little reality checks every now and then..And I took that gale about a year ago, when he saved my soul from eternal damnation. As for the two thousand years thing..

He has told us, "One day is as a thousand years and a thousand years is as one day" (2 Peter 3:8).

So in God's eyes, it's only been about two days since the death and ressurection of Christ...
That makes me laugh every now and then, cause I always think about end times, and then I think of that passage, and it just makes me chuckle, thinking about how it's only been a few days since he was last teaching the apostles. And it's refreshing, as he may not be here in the physical, but the holy spirit which is promised to us when we accept him as personal savior lives in each and every one of us every day of our lives, comforting us.

 

[Dasdream]

He hasn't left people in the dark for 2,000 years. The question is not "Did God leave me?" the question is Did you leave God?

 

[BuzWeaver]

Perhaps this will help, its from a lecture that [FONT=&quot]Ravi Zacharias gave:

[/FONT] If God is all powerful, why couldn’t he have made us to chose good? Somewhere somehow, fallaciously the skeptic has assumed omnipotent means God can do anything, no. If God can do anything question would dissolve wouldn’t it?


If God can make something mutually exclusive then he can be loving and evil at the same time.


You cannot put that which is mutually exclusive and say, why can’t God do that? When you talk about intrinsic freedom, can you really talk about a freedom that is so engineered and reigned in, I find it rather ironic coming from a skeptic, because the same skeptic argued for the age of the universe and arguing for its billions of years and all of that, they make this comment.


How can it be much younger than that would God deceive us by giving us units of measurements that don’t really represent what actually is, that would be a deceptive wouldn’t it? Yet when they put on their ethical hats on they then want a freedom that is not actual. That there can be deception to that freedom that we can be free, but always chose good at the same time.


God is the author of life and in that authorship God reveals himself not only as good, but as holy. It’s important to bear this in mind, not only good, but God is holy, meaning separate. Life is then intrinsically sacred not a conferred sanctity by society, not a pragmatic sanctity that allows us to keep from eating each other up.


This is an intrinsic sanctity which means, my race, my humanity, my sexuality are sacred gifts given by God as we have been fashioned in his image.


Modern day artist reverse those very things and that’s why violence and sensuality become the occupation of so many in their entertainment. God made life sacred, sexuality sacred, life is intrinsically sacred.


If God is the author then there is a script, there is a story line, the story line tells us what life is all about and meant to be. If there is no story line the logical consequences are horrendous impossibilities. To the Christian, number one God is the author; life is sacred, number two there is a story line, number three if there is a story, what is the response?


The response is that of worship. Worship is the first solitary response that’s why the first commandment is, you shall have no other gods before me. Why is that, because all that you see in the diversity outside is only representing what is going on, on the inside, the life on the inside needs to be harnessed first and worship is the submission of all our nature to God.


It’s the quickening of conscious by his holiness, nourishment of mind by his truth, purification of imagination by his beauty, opening on the heart to his love and submission of will to his purpose. All this gathered up in up on adoration is the greatest expression of which we are capable.


The goal and the process of life’s script, is not just to do good deeds. It is the sanctity of the inner life, the binding together of all of my propensities and when that is bound together, worship can expressed not only at a church altar. Worship can be expressed wherever you are.


The opposite of sacred is profane and profanity is where evil finds its ultimate expression. So worship is the first response and out of worship comes love and if love is the legitimate response of a free heart love can never be coerced it is the supreme ethic. Worship of God, love of God and love of your fellow human beings.


Jean Paul Sartre said the man who wants to be loved does not desire the enslavement of the beloved. He’s not bent on becoming the object of passion, which flows forth mechanically. He does not want to possess an automaton and if we want to humiliate him we need only try to persuade him that the beloved’s passion is a result of a psychological determinism. The lover will then feel that both his love and his being are cheapened. If the beloved is transformed into an automaton the lover finds himself alone.