Do you feel uplifted by your religion or battered

[Cassiopeia]

Tonight might just be a bad night but I just had someone tell me that I am struggling because I am not a good enough religious person.

Ever go through this? I just feel like throwing in the towel.

Casi

 

[Nymphalidae]

Maybe that person should learn how to mind their own business.

 

[gaijin178]

Casi, I am sorry that you are having troubles, but what the heck does not being a good enough religious person mean?

 

[peacechild4]

All of us have sinned and fallen short of Gods glory.. so rest assured.. yes even the one who said that to you!!

I tend not to call what I follow and believe in religion.. but faith in God!! Especially because faith is not based on me.. me being very imperfect and all!! God is perfect.. and on Him do I put my trust.. and base my faith!!

Dear Sister... stand up tall.. you are a child of the King of Kings.. all of us struggle because we live in such an imperfect world and we are flesh and blood and made from dust... Just look up to Him... and see the love He has for you.. ((((Hugs))))

Dear Father God thank You for my sister in the Lord Casi... Strengthen her heart this night.. and bless her.. For You are with her.. and love her so very much.. Let this silly thing that was said only draw her nearer to You and to Your love.. Let her heart be lifted... her smile stretch across her beautiful face.. and her spirit stronger.. For greater are You in her then he that is in the world.. amen

 

[Monica child of God 1]

Tonight might just be a bad night but I just had someone tell me that I am struggling because I am not a good enough religious person.

Ever go through this? I just feel like throwing in the towel.

Jesus struggled through His whole earthly life. He endured for "the joy set before Him." That joy was doing the Father's will and restoring communion with us. You and me. Struggle and pain are a normal part of spiritual growth.

We must endure whatever challenges our faith for the joy God has set before us. That is, pleasing God who loves us and being in communion with Him.

Blessings and prayers Casi,
Monica

"Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." --Hebrews 12:2

"we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. 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." --Romans 5

 

[ravenscape]

I feel uplifted by my faith. Battering, that seems to always come from other people.

 

[Arthra]

Not being a "good enough person" is to me an indication you may be really down on yourself... this is a very common feeling of self-depreciation. Given a choice most people will rate themselves far lower than how other people perceive them.

In religious life I've found there is often a high degree of guilt employed but we should also know that God is always Merciful and Most Compassionate and we can always ask the Almighty to forgive us .... saying that many people cannot accept the forgiveness of the Almighty and go back to the dregs of their unworthiness.

Here is a prayer asking for forgiveness:

"...seek forgiveness from God with this mighty, this great invocation:

"O Lord, I seek forgiveness from Thee by my tongue and my heart and my soul and my mind and my spirit and my body and my corporeality and my bones and my blood and my skin. Thou, verily, art the Forgiving, the Merciful.

"And I seek forgiveness from Thee, 0 my God, by the invocation whereby the fragrances of mercy have blown upon the people of rebellion and through which the sinful have been clothed in the beauteous garment of Thy forgiveness.

"And I seek forgiveness from Thee, 0 my King, by the invocation whereby the power of Thy clemency and Thy grace is made manifest and whereby the sun of loving-kindness and bounty shineth forth above the forms of the sinful.

"And I seek forgiveness from Thee, 0 Forgiver of my sins and my Creator, by the invocation whereby the wrongdoers hasten in the direction of Thy pardon and graciousness and through which the seekers stand at the gate of Thy mercy, 0 Thou the Merciful and Compassionate.

"And I seek forgiveness from Thee, 0 my Lord, by the invocation that Thou hast made a fire that burneth away all sins and rebelliousness from every one that hath repented and returned to Thee, regretting what he hath done, weeping over his actions, and secure in Thee, and through which the bodies of all created things are purified from the defilement of sins and wrongful actions and from all that Thy mighty and all-wise Self abhorreth."

 

[azzy]

Tonight might just be a bad night but I just had someone tell me that I am struggling because I am not a good enough religious person.

Ever go through this? I just feel like throwing in the towel.

Casi

Bless your heart,How can someone look into your heart and see what you are like?Who cares about religion anyway,God loves you and always will,and in his eyes you are precious,and always will be.Tell the person to kiss your grits.

God isnt looking for you to be religious anyway,all he wants is your love,and your trust.May the Lord comfort you and speak peace to you.

 

[Cassiopeia]

All of us have sinned and fallen short of Gods glory.. so rest assured.. yes even the one who said that to you!!

I tend not to call what I follow and believe in religion.. but faith in God!! Especially because faith is not based on me.. me being very imperfect and all!! God is perfect.. and on Him do I put my trust.. and base my faith!!

Dear Sister... stand up tall.. you are a child of the King of Kings.. all of us struggle because we live in such an imperfect world and we are flesh and blood and made from dust... Just look up to Him... and see the love He has for you.. ((((Hugs))))

Dear Father God thank You for my sister in the Lord Casi... Strengthen her heart this night.. and bless her.. For You are with her.. and love her so very much.. Let this silly thing that was said only draw her nearer to You and to Your love.. Let her heart be lifted... her smile stretch across her beautiful face.. and her spirit stronger.. For greater are You in her then he that is in the world.. amen

I wanted to respond to this post in particular. I will others but first let me speak to you.

You have brought tears to my eyes with the sincerity of your prayer. Thank you for your kindness and your thoughts and prayers on my behalf. Yours is an example to which I wish to contrast by posting to one PM I recieved from someone else.

Hi!

I thought it better to express this in a PM rather than in your thread. I dunno if you'll welcome my observation but here goes:

I figured because you're recently converted to Christianity (ie. less than 5 years) you have a certain holier than thou attitude that wasn't there before. Not unusual for newly converted eager Christians.

Oh well, that's my observation anyway - I hope you take it without offense as none is intended.

This is the kind of thing I am talking about. peacefulchild4, I offer you my most sincere gratitude for the beautiful and loving way you reached out to me.

For the record, I have been Christian my ENTIRE life and as you can see I am 47 and that is a long time. Since the age of (4), I have been very aware of the spiritual world and at 14 in a ralley during the 70's I went forward to accept Jesus. I think that is pretty defining.

But what has that to do with anything? God loves each and every one of us.
peacefulchild4 you have set a great example for us today in offering a prayer of sincerity. Thank you so very much

Casi (humbled by your willingness)

 

[Cassiopeia]

Bless your heart,How can someone look into your heart and see what you are like?Who cares about religion anyway,God loves you and always will,and in his eyes you are precious,and always will be.Tell the person to kiss your grits.

God isnt looking for you to be religious anyway,all he wants is your love,and your trust.May the Lord comfort you and speak peace to you.

Thank you so very much for your beautiful comforting words. You are right, noone but God can really know our hearts. I am thankful to be reminded of it and I hope others will be too.

 

[Cassiopeia]

Jesus struggled through His whole earthly life. He endured for "the joy set before Him." That joy was doing the Father's will and restoring communion with us. You and me. Struggle and pain are a normal part of spiritual growth.

We must endure whatever challenges our faith for the joy God has set before us. That is, pleasing God who loves us and being in communion with Him.

Blessings and prayers Casi,
Monica

"Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." --Hebrews 12:2

"we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. 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." --Romans 5

Monica!!!! how very good to see you again my friend. Yes you are right, even Jesus suffered the cruelties that man is so very capable of.

 

[Cassiopeia]

Casi, I am sorry that you are having troubles, but what the heck does not being a good enough religious person mean?

Yeah I would like to know that as well. It seems it is believed if I had enough faith in Jesus I wouldn't struggle. And if I was more submissive in my life as well I wouldn't struggle. To me that equates to asking me to be a doormat for others to wipe their boots on. Been there...done that...and I own the factory that makes the t-shirt.

 

[Cassiopeia]

I feel uplifted by my faith. Battering, that seems to always come from other people.

Forever a light, you are a rock ravenscape.

 

[Cassiopeia]

Maybe that person should learn how to mind their own business.

LOL! This made me giggle. I agree...maybe they should not only learn to mind their own business but also perhaps tend to their own backyard

 

[Cassiopeia]

Not being a "good enough person" is to me an indication you may be really down on yourself... this is a very common feeling of self-depreciation. Given a choice most people will rate themselves far lower than how other people perceive them.

In religious life I've found there is often a high degree of guilt employed but we should also know that God is always Merciful and Most Compassionate and we can always ask the Almighty to forgive us .... saying that many people cannot accept the forgiveness of the Almighty and go back to the dregs of their unworthiness.

Here is a prayer asking for forgiveness:

"...seek forgiveness from God with this mighty, this great invocation:

"O Lord, I seek forgiveness from Thee by my tongue and my heart and my soul and my mind and my spirit and my body and my corporeality and my bones and my blood and my skin. Thou, verily, art the Forgiving, the Merciful.

"And I seek forgiveness from Thee, 0 my God, by the invocation whereby the fragrances of mercy have blown upon the people of rebellion and through which the sinful have been clothed in the beauteous garment of Thy forgiveness.

"And I seek forgiveness from Thee, 0 my King, by the invocation whereby the power of Thy clemency and Thy grace is made manifest and whereby the sun of loving-kindness and bounty shineth forth above the forms of the sinful.

"And I seek forgiveness from Thee, 0 Forgiver of my sins and my Creator, by the invocation whereby the wrongdoers hasten in the direction of Thy pardon and graciousness and through which the seekers stand at the gate of Thy mercy, 0 Thou the Merciful and Compassionate.

"And I seek forgiveness from Thee, 0 my Lord, by the invocation that Thou hast made a fire that burneth away all sins and rebelliousness from every one that hath repented and returned to Thee, regretting what he hath done, weeping over his actions, and secure in Thee, and through which the bodies of all created things are purified from the defilement of sins and wrongful actions and from all that Thy mighty and all-wise Self abhorreth."

Um...not helping. Not helping.

 

[psychedelicist]

I'm not the most experienced at comforting people so this might come out wrong... but heck I'll give it a shot.

From the PM you got it sounds to me like the assailant him/herself isn't exactly a shining star of how "religious people" should be. S/He sounds quite condescending and rude. I would not worry that they do not think you are being the way they think you ought to be (far easier said than done I know. I have problems with it too sometimes).

It seems like the people who disagree with you always do so the loudest and that kind of gives the impression of you being in the wrong. But when you're feeling so depressed like this, instead of focusing on one bunghole that disagrees with you, what about all the many people that you have affected so positively? I think I'll leave it at this before I start to sound too much like a self-help book

 

[Cassiopeia]

I'm not the most experienced at comforting people so this might come out wrong... but heck I'll give it a shot.

From the PM you got it sounds to me like the assailant him/herself isn't exactly a shining star of how "religious people" should be. S/He sounds quite condescending and rude. I would not worry that they do not think you are being the way they think you ought to be (far easier said than done I know. I have problems with it too sometimes).

It seems like the people who disagree with you always do so the loudest and that kind of gives the impression of you being in the wrong. But when you're feeling so depressed like this, instead of focusing on one bunghole that disagrees with you, what about all the many people that you have affected so positively? I think I'll leave it at this before I start to sound too much like a self-help book

I think you are right. Thank you and btw...self help books are wonderful Although the person who attacked me in the first place said I use them and scriptures to justify my choices. yeah nice huh. But in any case you are very right Thanks

 

[kit]

When I was Christian I felt battered. As a Buddhist I feel uplifted.

 

[sidhe]

I feel uplifted by my faith. Battering, that seems to always come from other people.

I'll second that...

 

[vedickings]

Tonight might just be a bad night but I just had someone tell me that I am struggling because I am not a good enough religious person.

Ever go through this? I just feel like throwing in the towel.

Casi

You know, I stuffer with this alot, thats why I don't go out much!