Doubting Francis needs to know

[Doubting Francis]

I am 53, divorced twice. I was raised a Catholic, and believed because I was supposed to. As I got older I bounced back and forth. Im going to be honest, as I need to know, what that was. I will say if this event didnt happen to me,, I would be a non believer. I have many questions that probably only the almighty can answer, And it is these questions that hindered my belief in God. But? The event Im talking about went like this. My first wife, went to a Christian church here in Las Vegas called the Echoes of faith. The Pastor was a lady name Pastor Birdy or Birttey, I cant remember anyways, she was to perform the wedding. She however asked that we, I especially, go to service before she does this ceremony. When service started, she said? Lord, we have a new member, let him come forward and be recognized. In which I was not going forward, I slouched in my seat rather embarrassed, what happened next, is the sole reason I still have faith in something. As she was saying? Lord bring him forward, I was being lifted off my seat. I turned red, I like flushed I had a feeling inside me and was lifting up against my own power, I grabbed my fiancée and held on scared to death. I was then released and stood there and couldnt move. The pastor, almost knowing my thoughts, smiled and said? everyone please say hello to Frank. I couldnt move, or speak and held onto my wife to be arm so I wouldn't fall. I was told it was the Holy Spirit. I know I felt it, it was real. But why do I question everything? Why do I not want to believe, when I know something made its prescence felt, so I would believe. And why all these questions I have not being answered? Does anyone else feel like this? Is this normal? or am I disrespecting God, cause I want , I need more than faith.

 

[brinny]

Hello Francis. Welcome to CF.

 

[~Anastasia~]

Hello and welcome to CF.

You may get better answers elsewhere in CF but I'm not sure where they might like it moved to ... just don't be surprised if it gets moved.

As to your question ... I want to answer carefully. The problem is, it could have been by the power of God, or by another power. And coming from just your description of your experience, none of us can tell you for sure. You might be unable to discern yourself.

I will say this. I have also had various experiences - more than one and some of them pretty profound. I have come to understand years later that God was certainly active in my life (whether through angelic ministers or what - doesn't matter) and that the enemy made his own attempts to counterfeit. Some things I know were Holy. Some things I know were unholy. And some things I still can't be positive about.

But you know what? Because those things are in the past and do not affect how I go forward in life, I don't have to sort them out now. It might (or might not in some cases) have been helpful to discern then. But it doesn't matter now.

And if I were a determined skeptic, none of it is "proof of God" anyway - it is really only proof of SOMETHING spiritual outside human comprehension, so that if I were determined against God, I could believe whatever I wanted. For that reason, "proof" isn't helpful to the masses. But what I could not possibly deny is that there IS some spiritual reality. It just so happens that the sum of my experiences and what I have learned all through life makes me 99.999% sure it is God Who Is what He says and that all things - whether Holy or unholy - are created by Him.

My suggestion would be that if thoughts are driving you to "figure it out" ... don't. Put them aside. It is a distraction. Accept that SOMEthing happened, that SOMEthing exists, and go forward. Ultimately when you reach that point, the only thing that makes sense is that God and the spiritual realm are real, and we need to take a care that the influence on our souls is a good one.

And if I've read the situation wrong and my suggestions cause real distress to you, feel free to ignore them.

God be with you.

 

[eleos1954]

I am 53, divorced twice. I was raised a Catholic, and believed because I was supposed to. As I got older I bounced back and forth. Im going to be honest, as I need to know, what that was. I will say if this event didnt happen to me,, I would be a non believer. I have many questions that probably only the almighty can answer, And it is these questions that hindered my belief in God. But? The event Im talking about went like this. My first wife, went to a Christian church here in Las Vegas called the Echoes of faith. The Pastor was a lady name Pastor Birdy or Birttey, I cant remember anyways, she was to perform the wedding. She however asked that we, I especially, go to service before she does this ceremony. When service started, she said? Lord, we have a new member, let him come forward and be recognized. In which I was not going forward, I slouched in my seat rather embarrassed, what happened next, is the sole reason I still have faith in something. As she was saying? Lord bring him forward, I was being lifted off my seat. I turned red, I like flushed I had a feeling inside me and was lifting up against my own power, I grabbed my fiancée and held on scared to death. I was then released and stood there and couldnt move. The pastor, almost knowing my thoughts, smiled and said? everyone please say hello to Frank. I couldnt move, or speak and held onto my wife to be arm so I wouldn't fall. I was told it was the Holy Spirit. I know I felt it, it was real. But why do I question everything? Why do I not want to believe, when I know something made its prescence felt, so I would believe. And why all these questions I have not being answered? Does anyone else feel like this? Is this normal? or am I disrespecting God, cause I want , I need more than faith.

Hello Francis and welcome to the forum.

All of us experience the "doubting Thomas" episode(s) here and there. Usually it's because we have fallen away from reading and studying His Word daily and/or neglecting prayer time ... or possibly being pulled away from something in the world.

He wants all to have more faith and complete trust in Him. Ask Him in prayer to help you with that ... it certainly is in His will, no doubt about that.

John 14:14
And I will do whatever you ask in My name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it.

Remember His main method of communication with you is in His Word.

Matthew 4:4
But he answered, “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.

God Bless.

 

[mnorian]

Mod hat on

This thread has been moved from
Introduce yourself
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Carry on.​