I have always believed there is a god. I have been through periods of intense belief, periods of doubt, periods where I believed there was a god but maybe I was following the wrong one...I have always ended back at Christianity. However I'm now in a period of doubt to the point that I wonder whether there's a god full stop...and I feel nothing. No conviction, no emotion, just apathy towards Jesus (and all other religious beliefs). I have sacrificed so much for my faith over the years; how is this possible? I've heard that anybody who rejects god's law or fails to repent never really knew god, so what exactly was I feeling? This is one of many questions that causes my lack of faith. Or has god just hardened my heart because of my lack of faith, so I'm not longer able to believe? Has anybody else had a similar experience but eventually turned back to God?
Disappearing faith
- Thread starter lea1373
- Start date
- Jan 10, 2010
- 37,279
- 8,500
- Country
- United States
- Faith
- Non-Denom
- Marital Status
- Married
- Politics
- US-Others
It amazing that you can open up to complete strangers
and bare your soul with your third post here.
Other posts covering a different aspect of your crisis.
Thread
Disappearing faith
I have always believed there is a god. I have been through periods of intense belief, periods of doubt, periods where I believed there was a god...
- Thread
Hi!
Hello friends! I was raised Christian, turned away when I was about 12, then came back to God after many bad, ungodly decisions. It was a rocky...
Thread by: lea1373, Today at 5:11 AM, 5 replies, in forum: Introduce Yourself
We feel happy to be chosen to help, you.
If you don't understand
Got Answered Prayer?
then PM me.
Last edited:
Upvote
0
Albion
Facilitator
Lea, I haven't had the experience you describe, but I think that a lot of other people have.
My feeling is that it will pass. What you believe down deep will most likely resurface and be in even better focus if you don't worry yourself too much in the meantime or decide to go hunting through some replacement philosophies looking for a "Eureka!" moment. I'd say definitely to avoid doing that.
My feeling is that it will pass. What you believe down deep will most likely resurface and be in even better focus if you don't worry yourself too much in the meantime or decide to go hunting through some replacement philosophies looking for a "Eureka!" moment. I'd say definitely to avoid doing that.
Upvote
0
- Jan 10, 2010
- 37,279
- 8,500
- Country
- United States
- Faith
- Non-Denom
- Marital Status
- Married
- Politics
- US-Others
Upvote
0
Open Heart
Well-Known Member
- Aug 3, 2014
- 18,521
- 4,393
- 62
- Country
- United States
- Faith
- Seeker
- Marital Status
- Celibate
If you are asking this question, then God has not hardened your heart.
We can't depend on our emotions to determine these things, because emotions are fickle. If I depended on my emotions, I'd go back and forth between Atheism and Extreme devotion to God all the time -- total wishy washyness.
You need to choose what to believe. Weigh in what brings you the most health and happiness. What gives your life the most meaning. Then plan out your strategy to encourage commitment to that belief.
- Realize that you aren't always going to "feel it." Feelings are fleeting and terribly, terribly fickle. Being stressed out will effect how you feel. Hormones will effect how you feel. Getting a new job will effect how you feel. Getting wiped out from thinking about how you feel will effect how you feel. And depression is a real biggy -- it lies to you like nothing else you can imagine.
- When doubts occur, remind yourself that doubts WILL happen,and that they are only doubts,and let them pass. Thoughts, if you are like me, come from all different perspectives. You can have thoughts from opposing points of view and still be committed.
- Surround yourself with cheerleaders -- a supportive community that shares your committed beliefs, whatever you choose. You'll be surprised what a difference this makes.
- Act on your beliefs, even if you don't feel them. For example, I don't always "feel" like I believe the Nicene Creed, but I say it every week at Church. I also participate on apologetics forums where I defend the faith, even on days where my doubts might be strong. Read the Word. Spend time in Prayer. Make these things HABITUAL. Being a believer is more a way of life than feelings.
- Know you are not alone. Mother Theresa had intimate moments with Christ when she was young, but spent almost all of her adult life walking the walk without affirmation from God--we call this stepping out in faith. Even Camus, in "The Plague" wrote about an Atheist who was committed to being a Saint. I am personally committed, despite my doubts, to live my life in everyway as though God exists, as though Christ died for me, whether it is a day where that seems real to me, or not.
Upvote
0
- Mar 27, 2017
- 126
- 35
- 34
- Country
- Israel
- Faith
- Christian
- Marital Status
- Married
there is a book called "100 prophesies". that can maybe help you be more sure about God being real and being the God of Israel.
it details 100 prophesies from the bible and explain when where and how they actually came true.
some of those are really amazing.
it shows also (unintentionally) that the old testament prophets and jesus where real prophets. while the new testament figures like paul and all the ones after him, where false prophets.
because all the about 100 prophesies are from the earlier prophesies. except 2 from the new testament that just repeat earlier prophesies. which I assume the writer just put in not to raise this huge question of why all actual prophesies in the new testament after jesus prophesies failed.
Matthew 7: 15-19 is relevant in this context.
Upvote
0
Similar threads
