How to change...

[alfrodull]

How does one deal with having no desire to do anything with one's life? Because, I can honestly say I don't.

This is not to say that I'm content doing nothing...I'd give just about anything to have some talents or a drive to accomplish something specific. I just don't, if that makes sense.

In the past, a lot of people have advised me to go volunteer in my community, helping people. And I did. Several hours each week, for four years of college, for several different organizations. Don't get me wrong, I sympathize with the less fortunate. It's not as if I'm completely callous. And I think the things those organzations do are good and worthwhile. I just didn't get any fulfillment from volunteering with them. Even if I had taken a more important role, actually organizing things rather than doing menial tasks a robot will probably be doing in twenty years, I don't think I would have found fulfillment in that.

Others have told me that it's simply a matter of finding the thing that I'm good at, or that I'm passionate about. I took a much wider selection of courses than necessary in college. At least one in every department (except foreign languages. I had enough of that in high school...) I explored all kinds of extracurriculars. I spent a couple summers doing research for the Chemistry department. And the more I learned about each discipline, the more I realized it wasn't for me. There are many things I find superficially interesting, but I found no subject or cause I desired to dedicate my life to.

Nor did I find anything I was good at. I always did well in English in high school, so I took several writing courses. My creative writing classmates and instructors did not agree with my previous critics. One professor very eloquently called one of my rough drafts "stupid", and many others insinuated the same thing about other works, albeit in kinder words. During my semesters of chemistry research, I found myself less quick to grasp concepts than most of my peers, and less inventive in designing experiments. And when it came to actual labwork...Let's just say my bill for broken glassware at the end of organic lab II was four times that of anyone else's. If I hadn't worked for the theory department, sitting at a computer all day, I would have surely been fired. Only in classes that were graded on effort rather than ability did I manage to pull respectable grades.

Some might think my strengths lie in non-academic areas? This could not be further from the truth. I am clumsy. I have horrible social skills and despite attempts to "reform" me honestly do not see the merit in having good ones. I could not build or cook or sew my way out of a paper bag. I have long accepted that academics are my strongpoint. It's just that my strongpoint fails in comparison with the average person.

And now for the response I commonly get from other Christians: that I must not be following God closely enough, or listening to him, or asking for his guidance in the first place. Well, I have been praying, for years. And I have been listening. Thanks to God's guidance I have made several important decisions, on faith, that seemed foolish to those close to me...And miraculously these "gambles" all turned out for the best. I'm not saying this to brag--after all, I have somehow managed to accomplish nothing with the wondeful guidance God has given me--but to illustrate that as pathetic as I may be, I'm not turning a deaf ear to him entirely.

But God has not answered my prayers to either help me discover that which I am meant to be doing or to change me so that I can be content wherever I am. If he was going to, I'm inclined to think he would have done so by now. Obviously I need to turn elsewhere for help.

This is why I'm asking here. How do I change myself so I can be content serving wherever I am? Please do not just say "Pray about it." As I said above, that hasn't worked so far. I'm looking for less passive things that I can do myself to change my mindset.

Oh, and thank you for taking the time to read all that. I know it's long. I just figured I'd get the same old, unsuccessful advice I always hear out of the way.

 

[renewedfaith]

I remember feeling like that yrs ago for about a good six months, then before I knew it God had called me into an area i least expected. Who knows, you may be at the threshold. Do you have kids? From your post it sounded like you were a single male, until i looked at the avatar profile lol. I don't know what else to say. It sounds like ppl are trying to give you advice but it sounds like you are tired of hearing it. At this point others will not be able to direct you, and this is just gonna have to be a one-on-one - thing with God. I don't know how old you are but there is no rush. Life is a marathon, not a sprint.

I have been a stay at home mom for 13 yrs, and have only worked for 1 year(part time evenings) out of the 13. Ppl have 'suggested' that i go to college online, or bragged about their degrees and made statements that i need to get independent b/c ''what if your hubby leaves you, or dies''. If we lived in a state of 'what if's' all the time, we'd never be doing what we really want. Sure i could go out there get an education and a career, but i'm in NO rush. My time will come. All things in due time. For the most part, my family, my church, and my community involvement are my passion. It doesn't have to be some major thing. I don't spring out of bed and say YIPPPPPPPEEEE, I'm going to wake my kids up and get em ready for school, or YIPPPPPPPEEE, I'm going to volunteer at the pharmacy today.It is just life as usual, but it's MY life, and as long as God is in it, I can bear it! I like my life, there have been times when i haven't but praise God those times only lasted seconds.

Also, if you are comparing your life to someone else'......STOP. That will breed more discontentment. God only made one YOU, and only YOU can be YOU.

As a side note. I am dealing with a health issue right now that i don't know if it could be life threatening or not. When all this came about, it really showed me what's important and to count my blessings. Sometimes when ppl are dealt with terminal illnesses, they looked back and thought, man i'd do anything to be back where i thought my life was boring and monotaneous.

Maybe you need to come to a point of acceptance?

 

[SilverFire]

Let's start from a different point. What do you enjoy? If it's some kind of music, painting, skit, or film, do you ever find yourself saying, "Man that was good, but they really needed to change this part."?

I agree with Renewedfaith above about comparing yourself to others. That way lies death, and I know, because I used to do it. I used to set the bar so high for myself (as a perfectionist) that I ended up doing nothing at all and wasting the time God gave me. What other people do we can only see the outside of. Maybe Guy A did does better at lab, but that's only because he's channeling his rage at his father into it. We really don't know and if we ever did change places with someone else, then we'd have to face all the problems that they have that they hide so well.

 

[alfrodull]

I remember feeling like that yrs ago for about a good six months, then before I knew it God had called me into an area i least expected. Who knows, you may be at the threshold. Do you have kids? From your post it sounded like you were a single male, until i looked at the avatar profile lol. I don't know what else to say. It sounds like ppl are trying to give you advice but it sounds like you are tired of hearing it. At this point others will not be able to direct you, and this is just gonna have to be a one-on-one - thing with God. I don't know how old you are but there is no rush. Life is a marathon, not a sprint.

No kids, nor do I want any. Married, 21-year-old female, just like my icons say. And given that I've already wasted a good 25% of my expected lifespan, I do think it's time to stop wasting it.

I have been a stay at home mom for 13 yrs, and have only worked for 1 year(part time evenings) out of the 13. Ppl have 'suggested' that i go to college online, or bragged about their degrees and made statements that i need to get independent b/c ''what if your hubby leaves you, or dies''. If we lived in a state of 'what if's' all the time, we'd never be doing what we really want. Sure i could go out there get an education and a career, but i'm in NO rush. My time will come. All things in due time. For the most part, my family, my church, and my community involvement are my passion. It doesn't have to be some major thing. I don't spring out of bed and say YIPPPPPPPEEEE, I'm going to wake my kids up and get em ready for school, or YIPPPPPPPEEE, I'm going to volunteer at the pharmacy today.It is just life as usual, but it's MY life, and as long as God is in it, I can bear it! I like my life, there have been times when i haven't but praise God those times only lasted seconds.

It's good that you enjoy your life. Do you have any insights on how you manage to keep this positive attitude?

Let's start from a different point. What do you enjoy? If it's some kind of music, painting, skit, or film, do you ever find yourself saying, "Man that was good, but they really needed to change this part."?

I enjoy the same things everyone else enjoys: books, movies, games, etc. Nothing really unusual though, aside from maybe DND, which is basically the same thing as an entire genre of video games but in pen and paper form. Nor would I say I am truly passionate about film or games or literature. I used to think I was, but college made me realize I simply enjoyed experiencing them. I have no desire to study them as a career, and I do not have the artistic ability or the PR skills to participate in their creation.

And who doesn't look at ANY work of art, no matter how well executed, and think of ways they would improve it? Everyone's a critic, as they say. This bit of human nature also applies to professional sports, politics...basically all human activity. I'm not sure where you're trying to go with that one...

I try not to compare myself to others, but in this case, I feel lacking compared to pretty much everyone. I've never heard anyone else fail to list one or more things they were passionate about when asked. Surely all those people can't be lying.

 

[wonderwaleye]

How does one deal with having no desire to do anything with one's life? Because, I can honestly say I don't.

This is not to say that I'm content doing nothing...I'd give just about anything to have some talents or a drive to accomplish something specific. I just don't, if that makes sense.

In the past, a lot of people have advised me to go volunteer in my community, helping people. And I did. Several hours each week, for four years of college, for several different organizations. Don't get me wrong, I sympathize with the less fortunate. It's not as if I'm completely callous. And I think the things those organzations do are good and worthwhile. I just didn't get any fulfillment from volunteering with them. Even if I had taken a more important role, actually organizing things rather than doing menial tasks a robot will probably be doing in twenty years, I don't think I would have found fulfillment in that.

Others have told me that it's simply a matter of finding the thing that I'm good at, or that I'm passionate about. I took a much wider selection of courses than necessary in college. At least one in every department (except foreign languages. I had enough of that in high school...) I explored all kinds of extracurriculars. I spent a couple summers doing research for the Chemistry department. And the more I learned about each discipline, the more I realized it wasn't for me. There are many things I find superficially interesting, but I found no subject or cause I desired to dedicate my life to.

Nor did I find anything I was good at. I always did well in English in high school, so I took several writing courses. My creative writing classmates and instructors did not agree with my previous critics. One professor very eloquently called one of my rough drafts "stupid", and many others insinuated the same thing about other works, albeit in kinder words. During my semesters of chemistry research, I found myself less quick to grasp concepts than most of my peers, and less inventive in designing experiments. And when it came to actual labwork...Let's just say my bill for broken glassware at the end of organic lab II was four times that of anyone else's. If I hadn't worked for the theory department, sitting at a computer all day, I would have surely been fired. Only in classes that were graded on effort rather than ability did I manage to pull respectable grades.

Some might think my strengths lie in non-academic areas? This could not be further from the truth. I am clumsy. I have horrible social skills and despite attempts to "reform" me honestly do not see the merit in having good ones. I could not build or cook or sew my way out of a paper bag. I have long accepted that academics are my strongpoint. It's just that my strongpoint fails in comparison with the average person.

And now for the response I commonly get from other Christians: that I must not be following God closely enough, or listening to him, or asking for his guidance in the first place. Well, I have been praying, for years. And I have been listening. Thanks to God's guidance I have made several important decisions, on faith, that seemed foolish to those close to me...And miraculously these "gambles" all turned out for the best. I'm not saying this to brag--after all, I have somehow managed to accomplish nothing with the wondeful guidance God has given me--but to illustrate that as pathetic as I may be, I'm not turning a deaf ear to him entirely.

But God has not answered my prayers to either help me discover that which I am meant to be doing or to change me so that I can be content wherever I am. If he was going to, I'm inclined to think he would have done so by now. Obviously I need to turn elsewhere for help.

This is why I'm asking here. How do I change myself so I can be content serving wherever I am? Please do not just say "Pray about it." As I said above, that hasn't worked so far. I'm looking for less passive things that I can do myself to change my mindset.

Oh, and thank you for taking the time to read all that. I know it's long. I just figured I'd get the same old, unsuccessful advice I always hear out of the way.

There is a small easy read book that is really a must for you. The writer had to be inspired by GOD. It is a book that will led you where it is you want to go and help you in finding it. I read that book years ago, have since read it many times, and even bought the record so when those times would come and I needed a uplift it would come fast. The name of this book is:



THINK AND GROW RICH
by NAPOLEAN HILL



Don't be deceived by the title and think it is just talking about money because that would not be correct. Riches are whatever you desire in life. Could be a greater faith, job, family, money, or whatever it is you desire.



There is 13 very easy to follow steps that just work. Some folks think it so simple that at first they doubt it, only to find latter just how great they work.




You can get this book at a book store. If they are out they can order it for you or you can get it off the Internet.




I know what you said in your post but I feel you also need to know If you are going to be part of the KINGDOM of ALMIGHTY GOD you MUST GIVE IT ALL TO GOD.






GOD demands that you give HIM your WHOLE heart, mind, strength, and soul. That means you go in prayer and tell GOD that you will do this and from that moment on seek GOD in all your decisions. After this is complete GOD will know. For HE searches the heart. HE will then send HIS HOLY SPIRIT ( ANOINTED-BORN AGAIN- SAVED ). For it is then that you shall receive the MISSION GOD has for just you and supply all your needs, even what you have not the ability to have.






Pick up GOD'S ROAD MAP to the KINGDOM of ALMIGHTY GOD ( BIBLE ) and start reading the NEW TESTIMENT till the next time you read it you will already know what IT'S going to say. For then it's locked in your heart to draw from for the rest of your life. You will NEVER be sorry you did.






Do yourself a BIG FAVOR and Start right now!!!



LOVE



steven

 

[YoungPilgrim]

Hey, Alfrodull.

I've been somewhere pretty similar to where you are. I was there for a long time until about a year ago. I've seen tremendous change in my life since then that I didn't think was at all possible, so I want you to know that change is possible. In Ephesians 3 Paul says that God "is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think."

I'm going to be really honest with you. I think that what you are missing--or what you have lost--is hope. You say that you have no desire to do anything in life, but I suspect that what's really going on is that you have lost any hope for the possibility of life having anything in it that is worthwhile. I say this because it was true of myself for a long time. And it's a very normal place for a person to be--this world that we live in is fallen and full of sin; it only makes sense that such a world should continually shatter our hopes and dreams.

So what's the answer? I would say that what you probably hope for deep down is not just some outward activity, but more of an inward activity. Contentment that is not subject to what we are doing outwardly is the best kind of contentment there is.

I was going through some very turbulent times about a year ago, and I was wrestling with wanting to do something but being afraid to do it. What I was really afraid of was being excited. For all of my life I had learned to suppress excitement and hope because they are dangerous--there is always the possibility of not geting what you so hope for and that you are excited about. There is the possibility of disappointment, and the more hopeful you are about something, the more painful the disappointment can be. What happened with me about a year ago is that I decided that the pain of disappointment is better than the emptiness and numbness of a life without hope. Around that time I began writing down things that I wanted to remember, and it became a journal. This is the first entry:

I want to be kind and loving, and to build people up. I don’t want to be a boastful, self-centered jerk. I need to truly be myself and not let myself be hardened and bitter. When I have been bitter, it is because I have not wanted to deal with pain in my life, so I have taken on different roles; I have been an actor refusing to be who I really am in order to escape my pain. I need to leave myself defenseless in order to truly live. I always need to be the person I would want to be around the person I love the most.
Life is not just a waiting game. Seek true happiness! Seek perfection in yourself and in the world around you! Don’t give in to or try to content yourself with the fact that the world is fallen. Expect the fallenness of the world, but fight it! Seek all that is truly good, and truly beautiful, and righteous, and worth seeking in this world, for if you seek these things, you also seek God.

This was another one of my early entries:

Live unrepentantly and unashamedly for that which is not sin in you. Do not be proud, but do not be a coward either; that is, do not be afraid of being who you are, saying what you think, acting as you believe that you should.
Do not sit around and mope and say, “Poor me, I don’t have what I want. Life is sad. Nothing good ever happens.” Go out there and give everything you have for what you believe in! When you come off the battlefield, it won’t matter if you won or if you lost, because if you fought with everything you have, you will have no regrets. Never give up. Fight to the bitter end of each battle, and the end will not be so bitter. Fight the good fight, and keep watchful for that which is worth fighting for. Live in this way, and you will truly be alive.

The last words of advice I will give you are these. Your soul can only be satisfied in God. Anything that does not have God as its foundation is empty. Do not fear disappointment, because even if you don't get what you hope for, if you are in Christ, you know that God is still in control and He still works all things for the good of those who love Him (Romans 8:28). You have nothing to fear if you are in Christ. To be in Christ means that Christ took on your sin and endured the wrath of God in your place, and it means that Christ has given you his righteousness as well as every blessing from God that his righteousness deserves.

I wish you well in the trials that you deal with now and that are ahead of you. Grace and peace in the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

[aldar]

Alfrodull,

You seem bright and quite responsive on here. What you say has depth and meaning. You seem to have quite a resource for logic and reasoning, you even has quotes that most people would not be aware of or feel significanT without an endeavor into and an appreciation of the fields of theology or philosyphy.

Maybe you are not a doer at all, maybe your a thinker a speaker, a professor, a preacher, a counseler, a person who makes their living off of thinking and talking to people about ideas concerning beliefs, psycology, philosyphy, theology etc.

Maybe your a great mind, and not a doer at all.

Maybe?

 

[Winter]

I was the same way when I was your age - until life's trials and experiences came my way. Then the doors suddenly opened and I had an interest in an abundance of things. Give yourself time. Seriously. I was just like you. Once you get out there in the world and have to deal with the stresses of living and working, you'll suddenly see yourself gravitating towards things you never considered before. Sometimes we just need to wake up, that's all. And life's experiences will awaken things you never knew you had. You never know what the tide brings.

Just give it time.

 

[alfrodull]

There is a small easy read book that is really a must for you. The writer had to be inspired by GOD. It is a book that will led you where it is you want to go and help you in finding it. I read that book years ago, have since read it many times, and even bought the record so when those times would come and I needed a uplift it would come fast. The name of this book is:

THINK AND GROW RICH
by NAPOLEAN HILL

Thank you for the recommendation. I'm a bit wary of adopting any such philosophy supposedly held by Andrew Carnegie, but it can't hurt to check it out. I'm sure the local library has it or could get it.

Hey, Alfrodull.

I've been somewhere pretty similar to where you are. I was there for a long time until about a year ago. I've seen tremendous change in my life since then that I didn't think was at all possible, so I want you to know that change is possible. In Ephesians 3 Paul says that God "is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think."

I'm going to be really honest with you. I think that what you are missing--or what you have lost--is hope. You say that you have no desire to do anything in life, but I suspect that what's really going on is that you have lost any hope for the possibility of life having anything in it that is worthwhile. I say this because it was true of myself for a long time. And it's a very normal place for a person to be--this world that we live in is fallen and full of sin; it only makes sense that such a world should continually shatter our hopes and dreams.

So what's the answer? I would say that what you probably hope for deep down is not just some outward activity, but more of an inward activity. Contentment that is not subject to what we are doing outwardly is the best kind of contentment there is.

I was going through some very turbulent times about a year ago, and I was wrestling with wanting to do something but being afraid to do it. What I was really afraid of was being excited. For all of my life I had learned to suppress excitement and hope because they are dangerous--there is always the possibility of not geting what you so hope for and that you are excited about. There is the possibility of disappointment, and the more hopeful you are about something, the more painful the disappointment can be. What happened with me about a year ago is that I decided that the pain of disappointment is better than the emptiness and numbness of a life without hope. Around that time I began writing down things that I wanted to remember, and it became a journal. This is the first entry:

I want to be kind and loving, and to build people up. I don’t want to be a boastful, self-centered jerk. I need to truly be myself and not let myself be hardened and bitter. When I have been bitter, it is because I have not wanted to deal with pain in my life, so I have taken on different roles; I have been an actor refusing to be who I really am in order to escape my pain. I need to leave myself defenseless in order to truly live. I always need to be the person I would want to be around the person I love the most.
Life is not just a waiting game. Seek true happiness! Seek perfection in yourself and in the world around you! Don’t give in to or try to content yourself with the fact that the world is fallen. Expect the fallenness of the world, but fight it! Seek all that is truly good, and truly beautiful, and righteous, and worth seeking in this world, for if you seek these things, you also seek God.

This was another one of my early entries:

Live unrepentantly and unashamedly for that which is not sin in you. Do not be proud, but do not be a coward either; that is, do not be afraid of being who you are, saying what you think, acting as you believe that you should.
Do not sit around and mope and say, “Poor me, I don’t have what I want. Life is sad. Nothing good ever happens.” Go out there and give everything you have for what you believe in! When you come off the battlefield, it won’t matter if you won or if you lost, because if you fought with everything you have, you will have no regrets. Never give up. Fight to the bitter end of each battle, and the end will not be so bitter. Fight the good fight, and keep watchful for that which is worth fighting for. Live in this way, and you will truly be alive.

The last words of advice I will give you are these. Your soul can only be satisfied in God. Anything that does not have God as its foundation is empty. Do not fear disappointment, because even if you don't get what you hope for, if you are in Christ, you know that God is still in control and He still works all things for the good of those who love Him (Romans 8:28). You have nothing to fear if you are in Christ. To be in Christ means that Christ took on your sin and endured the wrath of God in your place, and it means that Christ has given you his righteousness as well as every blessing from God that his righteousness deserves.

I wish you well in the trials that you deal with now and that are ahead of you. Grace and peace in the Lord Jesus Christ.

You're right...I don't really have hope. But I honestly don't think I'm suppressing it. I do not lack hope because I think I'll never be able to accomplish certain goals; I lack hope because I have nothing specific to hope for. Over time I discovered that all my long term goals really weren't what I thought they were. They weren't what I wanted.

Alfrodull,

You seem bright and quite responsive on here. What you say has depth and meaning. You seem to have quite a resource for logic and reasoning, you even has quotes that most people would not be aware of or feel significanT without an endeavor into and an appreciation of the fields of theology or philosyphy.

Maybe you are not a doer at all, maybe your a thinker a speaker, a professor, a preacher, a counseler, a person who makes their living off of thinking and talking to people about ideas concerning beliefs, psycology, philosyphy, theology etc.

Maybe your a great mind, and not a doer at all.

Maybe?

I appreciate the compliments. Unfortunately, being a "thinker" in this day and age (since Gutenberg came along, really, if not before...) requires skill in written and oral expression. My college experiences taught me that I do not have this. I have a fairly large vocabulary, yes, and I follow the rules of written English more closely than most. This does not make someone a good writer.

I couldn't even finish college by the way...I failed out the last semester of my senior year.

I was the same way when I was your age - until life's trials and experiences came my way. Then the doors suddenly opened and I had an interest in an abundance of things. Give yourself time. Seriously. I was just like you. Once you get out there in the world and have to deal with the stresses of living and working, you'll suddenly see yourself gravitating towards things you never considered before. Sometimes we just need to wake up, that's all. And life's experiences will awaken things you never knew you had. You never know what the tide brings.

Just give it time.

I've been out of school for the better part of a year now, and I even if I could afford it I wouldn't see the point of going back to finish up. I'd be equally discontent with just about any job I held, and in this economy having the degree wouldn't guarantee I'd be able to find anything better than what's open to me already.

If this epiphany is going to happen, I wish it would just happen already...

 

[aldar]

I think you just need to start believing in yourself, try again... the writing thing seemed to be doing well unto you pretty said "eh...I can't do it" .

 

[Mr.Cheese]

.

 

[alfrodull]

I think you just need to start believing in yourself, try again... the writing thing seemed to be doing well unto you pretty said "eh...I can't do it" .

Once I learned about the whole business side of things, writing kind of lost its appeal to me anyway. The last thing I want to be is a salesman, especially for my own product.

*hug*
i don't have any wise words for you. i just wanted to say that it's nice to know i'm not the only one who feels this way.
misfittedness is overrated.

 

[wonderwaleye]

Thank you for the recommendation. I'm a bit wary of adopting any such philosophy supposedly held by Andrew Carnegie, but it can't hurt to check it out. I'm sure the local library has it or could get it. ...

This is not philosophy held by Andrew Carnegie. HILL was only inspired by him. I know of no book that is anything like this book. This is not about money, it's about WHATEVER you desire. Folks can be misled thinking it only refers to money.



If I were you I would not delay and the cost to have your own copy is pennies to someone that wants to make a difference in this world.



It was published in 1937 during the Great Depression selling a 30 million copies over the next 70 years. Yet it is just as good today as the day it was published.



I pity anyone that is told about this and yet fails to move on it. It just shows they have a " I would like to do " and not a " I am going to do it " attitude. Many folks think they would like to do things but never do it because they fail to take the very first step!




LOVE


steven

 

[2 King]

How does one deal with having no desire to do anything with one's life? Because, I can honestly say I don't.

Sounds like you don't have much of a purpose...what I did when I was in this situation was start preaching on street corners, and in cofee shops or bars. With that kind of outlook I hardly cared what people thought of my preaching at the time.
Look around you. People are searching for something to give their lives a boost. Few people seem content within themselves. A strange and often hard-to-identify inner vacuum gives most people an uneasy sense of imcompleteness. Christ fills that vacuum! As Jesus' person is fully divine, so we, united by faith to JEsus, find personal fulfillment in Him: "You also are complete through your union witrh Christ."-Colossians 2:10 NLT
When you know Jesus Christ, you don't need to seek God by means of other religions, cults, or unbiblical phiosophies as the Colossians were doing. Christ alone holds the answers to the true meaning of life because He is life. Christ is the unique source of knowledge and power for the Christian life. No Christian needs anything in addition to what Christ has provided to be saved. Some days may not feel like it, but in JEsus, the vacuum is gone; the full power and presence of God have taken up residence in your mind and heart. You are a new person, equipped for life and satisfied in God. Take some risks-God will guide you. Give more generously-God will supply. Love more freely-God will energize you.
Say "Can do" more often-God will amaze you.

 

[alfrodull]

This is not philosophy held by Andrew Carnegie. HILL was only inspired by him. I know of no book that is anything like this book. This is not about money, it's about WHATEVER you desire. Folks can be misled thinking it only refers to money.

If I were you I would not delay and the cost to have your own copy is pennies to someone that wants to make a difference in this world.

It was published in 1937 during the Great Depression selling a 30 million copies over the next 70 years. Yet it is just as good today as the day it was published.

I pity anyone that is told about this and yet fails to move on it. It just shows they have a " I would like to do " and not a " I am going to do it " attitude. Many folks think they would like to do things but never do it because they fail to take the very first step!

LOVE
steven

Actually, turns out it's in the public domain and easily obtainable for free online. I've already read the first two chapters.

The thing is, it hasn't really addressed my issue. It seems to be all about attaining things you already want, and wanting the things you already want more, so you are more motivated to achieve them. I don't want anything in particular, other than perhaps, to want something.

Sounds like you don't have much of a purpose...what I did when I was in this situation was start preaching on street corners, and in cofee shops or bars. With that kind of outlook I hardly cared what people thought of my preaching at the time.
Look around you. People are searching for something to give their lives a boost. Few people seem content within themselves. A strange and often hard-to-identify inner vacuum gives most people an uneasy sense of imcompleteness. Christ fills that vacuum! As Jesus' person is fully divine, so we, united by faith to JEsus, find personal fulfillment in Him: "You also are complete through your union witrh Christ."-Colossians 2:10 NLT
When you know Jesus Christ, you don't need to seek God by means of other religions, cults, or unbiblical phiosophies as the Colossians were doing. Christ alone holds the answers to the true meaning of life because He is life. Christ is the unique source of knowledge and power for the Christian life. No Christian needs anything in addition to what Christ has provided to be saved. Some days may not feel like it, but in JEsus, the vacuum is gone; the full power and presence of God have taken up residence in your mind and heart. You are a new person, equipped for life and satisfied in God. Take some risks-God will guide you. Give more generously-God will supply. Love more freely-God will energize you.
Say "Can do" more often-God will amaze you.

You had no purpose, so you started street preaching? To me, it sounds like you already had a purpose in mind.

Anyway, thank you for the encouragement. I know God does not and cannot forget anyone, but it really does feel like he's been ignoring me for some time. Perhaps my purpose is just to die in some accident so someone with a real purpose can get a heart transplant or whatever? While the idea of not having contributed anything on earth isn't very appealing, in a way, that would be welcome. I'm sure everyone has a real purpose in heaven, and it would be nice to get started on that.

 

[salida]

You will find sometime in God's timing. When I was in college after being in an office job for 10 years I didn't like(not the office type); I didn't know at all what I wanted to do and then I started taking classes in biology and chemistry and was thrilled. Have worked for 10 years - got laid off as the economy is dead. Now, I'm applying for job or jobs that have a big cut in pay - but they are hiring. One sometimes has to go with the flow. Go where God plants you and be salt and light there.

Sometimes God just wants you to wait - Psalms 46:10 - Be still and know that I'm God.

God doesn't always gives us answers at MacDonald hamburgers speed. Our society wants everything fast - but God isn't limited to time and has His timing which is best for us.

 

[Shadolus]

You're only 21! You've got to realize that everyone, even Chirstians, are dealing with one thing or another. Not to sound mean, but rather the contrary. Trust us, a lot of us have been there, some of us are still there. As said before, its in God's timing. All God wants from you now is to endure, because that alone will build your character. Just do what you feel you should be doing and if all that entails is taking care of your family, so be it. As long as you are trying and doing all the normals like reading the Bible and praying, it will surely happen.

Life can have a lot of down times and periods of wondering what the heck we're suppose to be doing, but that's all in the process. I assure you, what you're dealing with is very natural. I'm 24 and am clueless to what I'll be doing a year from now. However, we just have to trust God knows what He is doing and to do the best we can without trying to handle it completely ourselves.

Pray for peace, because really that's all we want during our trials. I know it seems impossible that you will have a purpose or a drive, but one day at a time will inch you closer to understanding God's plan. Don't feel you have to rush, don't be so down on yourself, just by reading all your posts, theirs no doubt you have talent, inwhich the Lord gave and will use!

 

[YoungPilgrim]

You say you have nothing that you want to do. You have no purpose. No goals. Here's a goal for you: become more like Christ. Learn to follow God better. Love God with all your heart and love your neighbor as yourself. Live as a good ambassador for Christ. Die more to yourself and live more unto Christ. If you have no desire for any of these things, I would tell you that you need to make a close inspection of your faith and that you need start examining your heart.

"Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?--unless indeed you fail to meet the test!" - 2 Corinthians 13:5

Do you understand the gospel of Christ? Does it powerfully affect your life? Do you rejoice in God? If not, I would tell you that you do not understand the gospel, or that you do not believe it.

I don't say this things to be mean, but I say these things out of love, to help you, hoping that God will work in you to form Christ in you.

Grace and peace.

 

[wonderwaleye]

Actually, turns out it's in the public domain and easily obtainable for free online. I've already read the first two chapters.

The thing is, it hasn't really addressed my issue. It seems to be all about attaining things you already want, and wanting the things you already want more, so you are more motivated to achieve them. I don't want anything in particular, other than perhaps, to want something.



You had no purpose, so you started street preaching? To me, it sounds like you already had a purpose in mind.

Anyway, thank you for the encouragement. I know God does not and cannot forget anyone, but it really does feel like he's been ignoring me for some time. Perhaps my purpose is just to die in some accident so someone with a real purpose can get a heart transplant or whatever? While the idea of not having contributed anything on earth isn't very appealing, in a way, that would be welcome. I'm sure everyone has a real purpose in heaven, and it would be nice to get started on that.

Just keep reading!!! READ IT ALL!!! As you will use this the rest of your life. Make sure you pay CLOSE attention to the word REAL DESIRE.


LOVE



steven

 

[alfrodull]

You're only 21! You've got to realize that everyone, even Chirstians, are dealing with one thing or another. Not to sound mean, but rather the contrary. Trust us, a lot of us have been there, some of us are still there. As said before, its in God's timing. All God wants from you now is to endure, because that alone will build your character. Just do what you feel you should be doing and if all that entails is taking care of your family, so be it. As long as you are trying and doing all the normals like reading the Bible and praying, it will surely happen.

Life can have a lot of down times and periods of wondering what the heck we're suppose to be doing, but that's all in the process. I assure you, what you're dealing with is very natural. I'm 24 and am clueless to what I'll be doing a year from now. However, we just have to trust God knows what He is doing and to do the best we can without trying to handle it completely ourselves.

Pray for peace, because really that's all we want during our trials. I know it seems impossible that you will have a purpose or a drive, but one day at a time will inch you closer to understanding God's plan. Don't feel you have to rush, don't be so down on yourself, just by reading all your posts, theirs no doubt you have talent, inwhich the Lord gave and will use!

Not everyone who has talent will ever get to use it. I'm sure there are some children starving to death in Africa right now who would have made excellent doctors, lawyers, and scientists.

Of course, your post did make me think of things in a way I hadn't before. If God never gives me any abilities, he can't really blame me for not using my nonexistant abilities, just like he can't blame those poor children who never got the chance to use what they were given.

You say you have nothing that you want to do. You have no purpose. No goals. Here's a goal for you: become more like Christ. Learn to follow God better. Love God with all your heart and love your neighbor as yourself. Live as a good ambassador for Christ. Die more to yourself and live more unto Christ. If you have no desire for any of these things, I would tell you that you need to make a close inspection of your faith and that you need start examining your heart.

"Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?--unless indeed you fail to meet the test!" - 2 Corinthians 13:5

Do you understand the gospel of Christ? Does it powerfully affect your life? Do you rejoice in God? If not, I would tell you that you do not understand the gospel, or that you do not believe it.

I don't say this things to be mean, but I say these things out of love, to help you, hoping that God will work in you to form Christ in you.

Grace and peace.

I can absorb all I want intellectually, but it won't do me any good until I get an opportunity to apply what I've learned. How can I truly grow in Christ when my existence is so stagnant?

Maybe I do interpret the Gospels incorrectly. Christ's teachings as I understand them have always made me feel encouraged to live and grow and incite change. But the desire to do all that is killing me inside, because I have nowhere to use it. As I look out into the city and think of all those people out there stuck in dead-end jobs and cold marriages, I realize that most people wouldn't.

I desire too much. And I don't know how to change that.

Just keep reading!!! READ IT ALL!!! As you will use this the rest of your life. Make sure you pay CLOSE attention to the word REAL DESIRE.


LOVE



steven

I will finish it, as it certainly can't hurt. I think what put me of at first was the superficial resemblance to that Law of Attraction fad, which conflicted with Christian principles in several ways. I'm sure once I read a bit more of the Hill book the differences will become apparent.