Having problem with faith

[Questioning Brother]

Lately, (well a few years now) I have noticed a decided drop in my level of faith. I kept hoping it would recover, but it didn't. More recently I have been trying to figure out why. When I really thought about it, I realized I really only want to follow God for what he can do for me(because I can't do the things I am asking him for myself) Even my initial conversion was more about avoiding Hell (pain) than any amount of love for him. I no longeidr care what his reasons for the painful experiences are, I just want them to stop. I want him to remove them from my life and place them further from me than he places sin from Himself. Where there is trial or tribulation or test there is no victory, only loss. Even a restoration after the fact is only a mitigation of the loss (and not a full one at that), not a victory. My faith is made of thin-cut, gas-soaked balsa wood. Any pressure with splinter it. Any heat will burn it to ashes. I believe in God and Jesus, but I don't have any real trust for God anymore. I want to have more trust, but experience has taught me he doesn't care about whatt I want AT ALL, and I don't want what he is offering (the spiritual things) due to the pain involved in obtaining them.
Before you quote the usual Biblical examples about problems:
If I was Job: My wife wouldn't have had to prompt me with Curse God and die
If I was Joseph: I would have probably not have talked to God again after the pit
If I was David: I would have walked away from the whole King thing
I also don't get ANY comfort from him being with me. What good is that if you suffer anyway? Also, if he is waiting until I die to fix my problems, what good is it to worship him while alive?

 

[JacquelineDeane55]

I just said a prayer for you. I hope you feel better.

 

[Dave G.]

Lately, (well a few years now) I have noticed a decided drop in my level of faith. I kept hoping it would recover, but it didn't. More recently I have been trying to figure out why. When I really thought about it, I realized I really only want to follow God for what he can do for me(because I can't do the things I am asking him for myself) Even my initial conversion was more about avoiding Hell (pain) than any amount of love for him. I no longeidr care what his reasons for the painful experiences are, I just want them to stop. I want him to remove them from my life and place them further from me than he places sin from Himself. Where there is trial or tribulation or test there is no victory, only loss. Even a restoration after the fact is only a mitigation of the loss (and not a full one at that), not a victory. My faith is made of thin-cut, gas-soaked balsa wood. Any pressure with splinter it. Any heat will burn it to ashes. I believe in God and Jesus, but I don't have any real trust for God anymore. I want to have more trust, but experience has taught me he doesn't care about whatt I want AT ALL, and I don't want what he is offering (the spiritual things) due to the pain involved in obtaining them.
Before you quote the usual Biblical examples about problems:
If I was Job: My wife wouldn't have had to prompt me with Curse God and die
If I was Joseph: I would have probably not have talked to God again after the pit
If I was David: I would have walked away from the whole King thing
I also don't get ANY comfort from him being with me. What good is that if you suffer anyway? Also, if he is waiting until I die to fix my problems, what good is it to worship him while alive?

It sounds like you fit perfectly into the I My Me World. Your problem isn't God, it's yourself. He doesn't walk away form us, we walk away from Him, we separate ourselves and then can't see Him. And just as you are experienced faith gets weaker and weaker as a result. We are active participants in a relationship with God and just that is worth the price of admission. And think about it, if you're not going to do it His way, then there is only one other power in this world and it's not worth walking with that guy.

 

[Winken]

Lately, (well a few years now) I have noticed a decided drop in my level of faith. I kept hoping it would recover, but it didn't. More recently I have been trying to figure out why. When I really thought about it, I realized I really only want to follow God for what he can do for me(because I can't do the things I am asking him for myself) Even my initial conversion was more about avoiding Hell (pain) than any amount of love for him. I no longeidr care what his reasons for the painful experiences are, I just want them to stop. I want him to remove them from my life and place them further from me than he places sin from Himself. Where there is trial or tribulation or test there is no victory, only loss. Even a restoration after the fact is only a mitigation of the loss (and not a full one at that), not a victory. My faith is made of thin-cut, gas-soaked balsa wood. Any pressure with splinter it. Any heat will burn it to ashes. I believe in God and Jesus, but I don't have any real trust for God anymore. I want to have more trust, but experience has taught me he doesn't care about whatt I want AT ALL, and I don't want what he is offering (the spiritual things) due to the pain involved in obtaining them.
Before you quote the usual Biblical examples about problems:
If I was Job: My wife wouldn't have had to prompt me with Curse God and die
If I was Joseph: I would have probably not have talked to God again after the pit
If I was David: I would have walked away from the whole King thing
I also don't get ANY comfort from him being with me. What good is that if you suffer anyway? Also, if he is waiting until I die to fix my problems, what good is it to worship him while alive?

You MAY want to share your initial salvation experience with us. Or you may want to go to conversation mode with me.

 

[Dave G.]

I just listened to a really good devotional on the show Grace Hour today, it was about the Lamb of God, and how people want to shepherd but how many want to be the lamb. God all mighty did, He was sacrificed, He came down, way down from heaven as a lamb and is listed 27 times in the book of Revelation as the Lamb. He also washed feet incidentally. He has done it all for us. So when we get in a pity party over our faith, we should maybe drop down a bit lower yet and look up to where He is now at the right hand of God the Father. I mean who are we that the creator of the universe should have such interest in us anyway ? Amazing stuff if you stop and think about it. But He wants us in humility and from that position He reveals things to us. Not until.

 

[Tolworth John]

I believe in God and Jesus, but I don't have any real trust for God anymore. I want to have more trust, but experience has taught me he doesn't care about whatt I want AT ALL, and I don't want what he is offering (the spiritual things) due to the pain involved in obtaining them.

Christianity is a reasonable faith, questions about what and why one believes are encouraged as we have to be able to explain why and what we believe.

So just what do you believe about Jesus?
What is he to you?