Feeling a little lost..

[Kateena]

I have only been a Christian since January this year, and at the beginning it felt wonderful and amazing and i felt like God was everywhere.. But in the last couple of months, I've felt a little.. not abandoned exactly.. Just a little lost.

I was baptised 3 weeks ago, and i felt great, but i didnt feel any different change in me, i was told to expect some amazing feeling or some revelation or something amazing to happen, but nothing did.

I have no doubts that God is real, and I dont believe that he's 'forgotten' me as such, but i just wonder why I feel like this?

Sometimes i wonder if its because im not a 'good christian', but i know im not perfect, and i do sin, but who doesnt?

If any of you have had this sort of feeling before, or if you have any advice, i'd really appreciate it to know im not the only one, and to help me get through this rough patch.

God bless

 

[12volt_man]

I have only been a Christian since January this year, and at the beginning it felt wonderful and amazing and i felt like God was everywhere.. But in the last couple of months, I've felt a little.. not abandoned exactly.. Just a little lost.

I was baptised 3 weeks ago, and i felt great, but i didnt feel any different change in me, i was told to expect some amazing feeling or some revelation or something amazing to happen, but nothing did.

I have no doubts that God is real, and I dont believe that he's 'forgotten' me as such, but i just wonder why I feel like this?

Sometimes i wonder if its because im not a 'good christian', but i know im not perfect, and i do sin, but who doesnt?

If any of you have had this sort of feeling before, or if you have any advice, i'd really appreciate it to know im not the only one, and to help me get through this rough patch.

God bless

...and so the honeymoon comes to a close.

I wouldn't lose any sleep over it. It's not anything you're doing wrong, it's just something that all Christians go through from time to time. It will pass.

I like what Steve Brown says, "Don't forget in the darkness what you learned in the light". In other words, God, who was there in the good times, is there even when it doesn't seem like it.

A couple of things you'll want to do if you're not doing them already.

1. Stay grounded in scripture. As we say in our church, get into the word of God and the word of God will get into you.

2. Find yourself a couple of women, preferably older women, who will be there to encourage you, teach you and hold you accountable.

3. Pray. Even if you don't feel like it. Talk to God. He is listening and waiting for you to talk to Him.

3a. Listen. Just be still and listen for God to speak. He may speak through your spirit, He may speak through His word but He will speak if you will listen.

Remember that God often speaks in quiet whispers, rather than the big, thundering voice that we expect.

4. Relax. Like the song says, "don't worry 'bout a thing. Every little thing gonna be alright"

May I recommend Thomas Merton's book, "Contemplative Prayer"? It's a great book. It's also a little, um, shall we say, "different"?

You might want to share it with an older Christian and ask them to discuss it with you but it's well worth the read.

Like I said, this really is something that every Christian goes through sooner or later. It's perfectly natural and it's not anything you're doing wrong so don't get yourself worked up about it.

I hope this helps and I'll be praying for you.

 

[Evangelical Pastor]

I'll give you some possible explanations for what you're feeling.You became a Christian as a young adult and the change in your mindset and hopefully your lifestyle,made you feel really great because it was such an improvement in your life.This feeling was bound to wear off as you became used to your new spiritual self.You apparently just went through a water baptism ceremony and you are disappointed because you did not experience an amazing feeling as apparently some of your friends told you that you would.What they did not explain to you is that they were describing the baptism of the Holy Spirit not the water baptism.Those are two very different experiences .However in some cases,God will send His Holy Spirit at the same time a minister is going through a church ceremony.But that seldom happens.So you just need to keep asking God to send you the second baptism.

Ok now your sin problem.Yes everyone except the Pope sins but we do need to try to decrease and eliminate our wrong behavior.It's possible that your failure to do so is the reason you have not yet received the baptism of the Holy Spirit.So that is something for you to definitely work on.But it is wrong for you to feel lost.God has found you so that makes it impossible for you to be lost.Here we go,GOD LOVES YOU STRONGLY AND HE WILL NEVER LET YOU GO.This is sort of funny.When I started to type this message I knew that God had strong feelings for you and that you were a very special person in His eyes because I kept feeling the presence of the Holy Spirit.But the Holy Spirit wasn't telling me what to tell you.I you can see, I started a new paragraph to deal with sin because I thought the Holy Spirit would want me to talk to you about that.But He didn't.

So here is the Holy Spirit's paragraph.God loves you just as you are.You do NOT have a sin problem.You have been forgiven.God's love for you took care of that.There is something about you that is really turning God on to you.You don't have to worry about experiencing amazing feelings.You're going to have some amazing EXPERIENCES with God, and that's far better.

I'm glad I was wrong about your sin.Thank God for forgiving you.Trust me,God's love for you is overwhelming.The Holy Spirit is very excited about coming to you.Now just ask for Him to come and baptize you.Make the Holy Spirit's day.Ask Him to come.He is waiting for your prayer and belief.You're one special kid in God's eyes.

 

[Pirch80]

It's excellent to know that you're baptized and saved! I know everybody goes through this and sometimes there's that dead period. All I can say is you got to take joy in praising the lord. I know every sunday (I go to an Assembly of God) that when we sing I just love to sing his praise and that's what makes it worthwhile! Just knowing you're praising the lord and being around other people that praise him the same!

The thing that will make it more excellent is learning MORE about Jesus and learning more about what he has planned for your life! I've been going to AOG for almost a year now and I'm still learning stuff almost every time! The only thing I can say is to stay enthiuastic about serving God and his kingdom and he will fill you!

Just curious what kind of church or denomination are you?

 

[SonOfThunder]

Kateena

The thing is some people get high on emotion, but as a newbie you start to read The Bible and The Holy Spirit then speaks to you through Scripture. Sounds funny saying 'SPEAK' doesn't it?

It's hard to explain, but The Bible becaomes alive and what GOD has chosen to have in The Bible directs you by the Power of The Holy Spirit.

Dig into it, rather than relying on emotion


James

 

[fishstix]

I have only been a Christian since January this year, and at the beginning it felt wonderful and amazing and i felt like God was everywhere.. But in the last couple of months, I've felt a little.. not abandoned exactly.. Just a little lost.

You're not alone there. Most Christians go through a time when the feelings they first felt when they were saved seem to wear off. It's kind of like a marriage. That initial romantic spark tends to fade away. However it doesn't mean that the love is gone. It may have just changed from a spark to sort of a deeper, steady flame that is less based on feelings. And while it may not seem as exciting, it can be a positive thing if you let it as it can really help you to grow and deepen your faith.

I was baptised 3 weeks ago, and i felt great, but i didnt feel any different change in me, i was told to expect some amazing feeling or some revelation or something amazing to happen, but nothing did.

Not everyone has those amazing feelings or sudden revelations. But that doesn't mean that nothing happened. Our relationship with God isn't a relationship of feelings; it is one of faith and hope and love. Many of the things that God does in us are done slowly, subtly, quietly, and without us even knowing that anything is happening. Sometimes we do notice things and respond with all kinds of emotions, but it isn't those feelings themselves that are the important thing - they are just a response that some people sometimes have.

I have no doubts that God is real, and I dont believe that he's 'forgotten' me as such, but i just wonder why I feel like this?

Sometimes i wonder if its because im not a 'good christian', but i know im not perfect, and i do sin, but who doesnt?

If any of you have had this sort of feeling before, or if you have any advice, i'd really appreciate it to know im not the only one, and to help me get through this rough patch.

God bless

Like I said, most Christians feel that way at some time or another. As far as advice goes - just keep on loving God and striving to be the person He wants you to be. Keep on going to church, reading your Bible, praying, and having fellowship with other Christians. Strive for God and not for feelings. If amazing feelings and happenings come, great, but keep God as your focus rather than the things He may give to you. That way you can stay strong and steady in your relationship with Him regardless of whether you're going through a time of clearly amazing things or a quieter time.

 

[Kateena]

Just wanted to say thankyou very much to all of you, its good to know im not the only person who goes through a "slow" patch, for lack of a better term.

And also thankyou very much for all of your advice, I will try and take on board all of it.. And thankyou to Evangelical Pastor for that word from the Holy Spirit. I am going to pray for Baptism in the Holy Spirit, and get one of my senior pastors to aswell.

Perch80, I am at a new pentecostal church in melbourne, australia..

Thankyou all again for all your words and prayers

Kateena