I can’t take God and faith seriously

[pantingdeer]

when I was young I grew up in church and had very strong faith however I always had fear that I wasn’t saved.
When I was about 15 I got doubts and I stopped going to church as my faith in God deteriorated.
I am now 20 years old and have been back to my old church 4 times in the last month. But I do not feel anything anymore and I can’t take what the pastors and songs seriously anymore. I think I do believe God is there as I am slightly fearful I am not right with Him but I just don’t feel any connection with Christianity anymore and can’t get it back. When in church I just look around at everyone signing and crying and just think it is crazy and a bit weird instead of thinking it is beautiful and stuff like believers would think.
When I listen to testimonies I may think that they are really interesting but then they say things like “if you want to know Jesus raise your hand” and stuff like that. How can anyone be saved after just hearing a message when they know nothing about Jesus or anything in the bible. How can people be saved when they don’t even know what they are actually doing.
In the same way someone could say another person did great things in the past, “who wants this person in their lives now?”.
I just don’t get it at all anymore. I feel really awkward in church now as I am not saved and I can’t really take anymore me seriously. There are some really nice and funny people in the church and I wish I could be more like them as I have many problems right now in my life and am not happy at all.
I have no faith and belief anymore. I wish I could but I just can’t.

 

[com7fy8]

Jesus knows what is really going on.

 

[WESTOZZIE]

I have no faith and belief anymore. I wish I could but I just can’t.

Andrew that is a good place to come to. You admit that you cannot believe....you cannot do it. This is the place we all must come to Andrew.
It is Jesus Who comes into your heart to live, and He brings with Him His own faith in the Father, and that faith becomes yours.
When they make the invitation for those who want Jesus in the lives....That is the same as Revelation 3:20. Read it Andrew.
Jesus stands outside the door of your heart...NOT your head. Your head is arguing with God...your heart is longing for Jesus.
OPen the door to Jesus and let Him come in to live inside you, let Him fill you with His Spirit. Get born again my friend.
It is impossible for you to be a Christian...or have faith...or believe without FIRST having Jesus Himself come live inside your heart.
Dennis

 

[Mel333]

when I was young I grew up in church and had very strong faith however I always had fear that I wasn’t saved.
When I was about 15 I got doubts and I stopped going to church as my faith in God deteriorated.
I am now 20 years old and have been back to my old church 4 times in the last month. But I do not feel anything anymore and I can’t take what the pastors and songs seriously anymore. I think I do believe God is there as I am slightly fearful I am not right with Him but I just don’t feel any connection with Christianity anymore and can’t get it back. When in church I just look around at everyone signing and crying and just think it is crazy and a bit weird instead of thinking it is beautiful and stuff like believers would think.
When I listen to testimonies I may think that they are really interesting but then they say things like “if you want to know Jesus raise your hand” and stuff like that. How can anyone be saved after just hearing a message when they know nothing about Jesus or anything in the bible. How can people be saved when they don’t even know what they are actually doing.
In the same way someone could say another person did great things in the past, “who wants this person in their lives now?”.
I just don’t get it at all anymore. I feel really awkward in church now as I am not saved and I can’t really take anymore me seriously. There are some really nice and funny people in the church and I wish I could be more like them as I have many problems right now in my life and am not happy at all.
I have no faith and belief anymore. I wish I could but I just can’t.

Sorry to hear it's a struggle. I understand what you are saying.

 

[Bobber]

when I was young I grew up in church and had very strong faith however I always had fear that I wasn’t saved.
When I was about 15 I got doubts and I stopped going to church as my faith in God deteriorated.
I am now 20 years old and have been back to my old church 4 times in the last month. But I do not feel anything anymore and I can’t take what the pastors and songs seriously anymore. I think I do believe God is there as I am slightly fearful I am not right with Him but I just don’t feel any connection with Christianity anymore and can’t get it back. When in church I just look around at everyone signing and crying and just think it is crazy and a bit weird instead of thinking it is beautiful and stuff like believers would think.
When I listen to testimonies I may think that they are really interesting but then they say things like “if you want to know Jesus raise your hand” and stuff like that. How can anyone be saved after just hearing a message when they know nothing about Jesus or anything in the bible. How can people be saved when they don’t even know what they are actually doing.
In the same way someone could say another person did great things in the past, “who wants this person in their lives now?”.
I just don’t get it at all anymore. I feel really awkward in church now as I am not saved and I can’t really take anymore me seriously. There are some really nice and funny people in the church and I wish I could be more like them as I have many problems right now in my life and am not happy at all.
I have no faith and belief anymore. I wish I could but I just can’t.

Well you said you have no faith and belief anymore but you did say this, "I think I do believe God is there as I am slightly fearful I am not right with Him but I just don’t feel any connection with Christianity anymore and can’t get it back."

So what is it? Do you believe God is there or not. You said prior you did. Seeing you do your next step is to diligently seek him. Nope that's not something you have to do but something you get to. Is it a drudgery to do so? Nope. It's a joy. God will manifest himself to those who choose to do so.

 

[pantingdeer]

Well you said you have no faith and belief anymore but you did say this, "I think I do believe God is there as I am slightly fearful I am not right with Him but I just don’t feel any connection with Christianity anymore and can’t get it back."

So what is it? Do you believe God is there or not. You said prior you did. Seeing you do your next step is to diligently seek him. Nope that's not something you have to do but something you get to. Is it a drudgery to do so? Nope. It's a joy. God will manifest himself to those who choose to do so.

I think from my childhood I still think God like be there but I can’t take it seriously

 

[Dave G.]

You don't need to know anything more than where to turn to, I should say Who to turn to. That one is the person of Jesus Christ. We each have our moment, that time when we realize we really are not in control of ourselves like we once thought and we give it over to Jesus. Give what ? Ourselves, even not fully knowing Him. Why ? Because we can't really come to knowing Him till we do that. I did that in 1979, upstairs in my bedroom, I didn't know what way to turn anymore, not just spiritually but even in life. I prayed to Him something like this: "Jesus they say you are the way out of the kind of mess I'm in, and if that be the case I'm giving myself to you because it has become obvious to me I'm really blowing it, would you help me" . And my life was changed forever and is still changing to this very day.

It's all about Jesus Christ, it's not about your church or the person sitting next to you, though they can be instrumental in your walk once you know Him. They can't save you, only accepting Jesus does that. Life can still be tough but we get a new peace to deal with it. We get the Holy Spirit and sometimes that Spirit could lead you to a new assembly of believers or just as well open your eyes to the one you're in. Because right now you have no eyes to see or ears to hear beyond just the call. And that little something inside you that says there is God, is exactly that, God. It's His quiet voice and what you need to get from that is Jesus Christ. It is He who will change you from the inside out, starting at the heart level.

 

[Sanoy]

From your post it seems like your core issue is epistemology when it comes to knowing whether Christ is real. How can it be that Christianity is true when the same statements can be made by another religion.

There are many types of knowledge and knowledge by acquaintance is one type of knowledge. In making this very post you have come to have knowledge of me based on semantic structures represented as pixels on your screen. And while it may be said that you could meet me in person that wouldn't change the fact that you would still have come to know me through semantic speech and inferred gestures. So there should be nothing strange about the claim that one has come to know God, because we come to know all other minds by apprehending that another mind is the opperant force in the things we see, read, and hear.

As to the claim of non Christians, Paul says in Romans 1:20 that "...His invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world" so we should not be surprised to hear that those who have never heard of Christ have come to admire and accord their lives to His nature based on His nature which all of us can perceive. And we should also not be surprised that those in other religions have had experiences of their god's because Christianity includes a spiritual landscape of deceiving spirits.

There is also a great deal of reason to doubt the scriptural testimonies of other religions. But when it comes to the Gospels the 4 facts of the resurrection, His death, burial, empty tomb, and and the experience of Christ after His death are agreed upon by the majority of NT scholars as a historical fact. So every point from which one may draw the conclusion that Christ was indeed resurrected is strongly historical. In fact many great skeptics have become Christians just from trying to deny the historicity and conclusion of the Gospels. If you haven't seen "The case for Christ" I encourage you to watch it because it is one man's journey from skeptical atheism to sold out Christian from examining the historical evidence of the resurrection. I also encourage you to ask your pastor if you could speak privately with him about the struggles you are having, and you should not feel bad about having them because it is overcoming those doubts with reason that leads us into greater faith (trust) in Christ.

 

[Hazelelponi]

First - try a different church. It sounds like the beliefs they hold are a bit weird, in general.

Try visiting a nice Presbyterian church a few times and see if the atmosphere is different.

There's not normally crying or people saying things like if you want to know Jesus raise your hand.

Truthfully, if you want to know the triune God you ask God for understanding of Him.

 

[Yennora]

I think you cannot take your church seriously anymore not God.

And quite honestly I would have done the same if I was in your place. I was never interested in that style of worship however I admit that everyone is different in the way they worship God and that is up to God to judge such aspects not to me.

Now it looks like both of us are unhappy with such style of worship because it is unrealistic. The world is full of disasters and tragedies and such a very "optimistic" and "euphoric" style doesn't make sense at all.

However, this doesn't mean that all churches do that! I go to a Coptic Orthodox church and they are brilliant. The prayer is meaningful, they seem to have a focus and the Holy Mass ends with the Holy Communion (which I believe we all need)

-(REDACTED: I DON'T RECOMMEND CATHOLIC CHURCHES ANYMORE)-

One important tip: Your relationship with God is a personal matter. God won't judge you because you don't go to a church. Church=/=God.

And God is very realistic when it comes to us and our emotions. That's why if you would ask me whether God is happy or not; I would tell you, God is not happy at all with all that happens and has happened on this planet. The sense of reality you are seeking will be found in your relationship with God I guarantee you. Just focus to know him more and be honest with him yet try your best to please him by keeping his word.

 

[paul1149]

You can't force your heart to believe. Neither can you substitute the faith of others for what you don't have. Maybe you're trying to go back to something, when you should accept where you are and go forward from there. Right now your experience is at the intellectual level, and from that you evaluate what you see. That is ok, but doesn't go far enough. Try getting alone and on your knees ask the Lord to reveal Himself. Do it with a humble and sincere heart. Through out the pressure to believe this or that, or to fit in. Just you and the Lord. Also, seek Him in Scripture too if you have peace about that. Then give Him time to answer. Sometimes answers take time. Stay mindful of Him during your day. Remember His promise:

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.
Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.
And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. -Jer 29.11-13​

 

[brinny]

Hi Andrew. i understand. i've been there. Praying for you. (((hug)))

 

[com7fy8]

When in church I just look around at everyone signing and crying and just think it is crazy and a bit weird instead of thinking it is beautiful and stuff like believers would think.

I of course don't know this church. But, in any case, you do not need to expect a church to conform to you.

Do you know personally people who are mature Christians, who know how to love and who help you get real with God and find out how to love any and all people???? These are the church.

"And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful." (Colossians 3:15)

This is a basic of Jesus Christ's functional church > how all the time we are busy with seeking to submit to how our Heavenly Father personally rules each of us with His own peace in our "hearts". This is "in one body" > not in some church > and this is all the time - - more and better as God corrects us so we really are staying submissive to Him in His own peace.

So, looking around in a church can be not looking to God for His real correction and how He cares for us and guides us in this peace. And this peace has His own creativity shared with us, for how to love each person. So, if you are with people in a church, Jesus is trusting you to care about them; if they are wrong, have compassion for them, instead of just judging >

"He can have compassion on those who are ignorant and going astray, since he himself is also subject to weakness." (Hebrews 5:2)

You become the example people need to know; be every person's best friend, tied for first place with everyone else who is being each person's best friend, by being an example in the sight of God, of how to be real with God and how Jesus wants us to love any and all people.

So, if your attention is mainly to churches and what they are doing, your misguided attention tendency could have you noticing only or mainly what is wrong. Be prayerful, trust God to guide your attention and how you see things

 

[eleos1954]

when I was young I grew up in church and had very strong faith however I always had fear that I wasn’t saved.
When I was about 15 I got doubts and I stopped going to church as my faith in God deteriorated.
I am now 20 years old and have been back to my old church 4 times in the last month. But I do not feel anything anymore and I can’t take what the pastors and songs seriously anymore. I think I do believe God is there as I am slightly fearful I am not right with Him but I just don’t feel any connection with Christianity anymore and can’t get it back. When in church I just look around at everyone signing and crying and just think it is crazy and a bit weird instead of thinking it is beautiful and stuff like believers would think.
When I listen to testimonies I may think that they are really interesting but then they say things like “if you want to know Jesus raise your hand” and stuff like that. How can anyone be saved after just hearing a message when they know nothing about Jesus or anything in the bible. How can people be saved when they don’t even know what they are actually doing.
In the same way someone could say another person did great things in the past, “who wants this person in their lives now?”.
I just don’t get it at all anymore. I feel really awkward in church now as I am not saved and I can’t really take anymore me seriously. There are some really nice and funny people in the church and I wish I could be more like them as I have many problems right now in my life and am not happy at all.
I have no faith and belief anymore. I wish I could but I just can’t.

Sounds like you are starving for the Word of God, but not willing to go to where the food is.
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."

I would encourage you to study His word diligently ... else you starve to death.

 

[Johan_1988]

when I was young I grew up in church and had very strong faith however I always had fear that I wasn’t saved.
When I was about 15 I got doubts and I stopped going to church as my faith in God deteriorated.
I am now 20 years old and have been back to my old church 4 times in the last month. But I do not feel anything anymore and I can’t take what the pastors and songs seriously anymore. I think I do believe God is there as I am slightly fearful I am not right with Him but I just don’t feel any connection with Christianity anymore and can’t get it back. When in church I just look around at everyone signing and crying and just think it is crazy and a bit weird instead of thinking it is beautiful and stuff like believers would think.
When I listen to testimonies I may think that they are really interesting but then they say things like “if you want to know Jesus raise your hand” and stuff like that. How can anyone be saved after just hearing a message when they know nothing about Jesus or anything in the bible. How can people be saved when they don’t even know what they are actually doing.
In the same way someone could say another person did great things in the past, “who wants this person in their lives now?”.
I just don’t get it at all anymore. I feel really awkward in church now as I am not saved and I can’t really take anymore me seriously. There are some really nice and funny people in the church and I wish I could be more like them as I have many problems right now in my life and am not happy at all.
I have no faith and belief anymore. I wish I could but I just can’t.

I have lost my faith once when I was a child and only really came in touch with God though Jesus Christ again when I was an adult. The regaining of your faith will only come if you won't give up seeking him in my experience. If you give up however it will be gone for good.

 

[Temirlan]

when I was young I grew up in church and had very strong faith however I always had fear that I wasn’t saved.
When I was about 15 I got doubts and I stopped going to church as my faith in God deteriorated.
I am now 20 years old and have been back to my old church 4 times in the last month. But I do not feel anything anymore and I can’t take what the pastors and songs seriously anymore. I think I do believe God is there as I am slightly fearful I am not right with Him but I just don’t feel any connection with Christianity anymore and can’t get it back. When in church I just look around at everyone signing and crying and just think it is crazy and a bit weird instead of thinking it is beautiful and stuff like believers would think.
When I listen to testimonies I may think that they are really interesting but then they say things like “if you want to know Jesus raise your hand” and stuff like that. How can anyone be saved after just hearing a message when they know nothing about Jesus or anything in the bible. How can people be saved when they don’t even know what they are actually doing.
In the same way someone could say another person did great things in the past, “who wants this person in their lives now?”.
I just don’t get it at all anymore. I feel really awkward in church now as I am not saved and I can’t really take anymore me seriously. There are some really nice and funny people in the church and I wish I could be more like them as I have many problems right now in my life and am not happy at all.
I have no faith and belief anymore. I wish I could but I just can’t.

I don't think the fairy tales of religions have any place in the 21st century. Too bad, they're still very strong and are deceiving people as strongly as ever. I'm glad to hear your eyes got opened to the truth that all of it is just a bunch of nonsense... The truth is so much different and greater than all human religions together million times over. Humanity must grow out of religion

 

[Johan_1988]

I don't think the fairy tales of religions have any place in the 21st century. Too bad, they're still very strong and are deceiving people as strongly as ever. I'm glad to hear your eyes got opened to the truth that all of it is just a bunch of nonsense... The truth is so much different and greater than all human religions together million times over. Humanity must grow out of religion

Fairy tales? Some ,yes, but I can stake my life on my faith in Jesus Christ. Faithlessness are mankind's way of trying to justify themselves for their evil. Mankind is incredibly wicked, destroying the world,others and themselves. How does this make them the most intelligent and superior being in the universe when even in comparison some animals behave better? Look at history of all the great empires in history: The Egyptians, Babylonians, Persians,Grecian's and Romans. All have fallen for the evil they have committed and are an example to all people what is the consequences of disobeying God.

 

[Temirlan]

Fairy tales? Some ,yes, but I can stake my life on my faith in Jesus Christ. Faithlessness are mankind's way of trying to justify themselves for their evil. Mankind is incredibly wicked, destroying the world,others and themselves. How does this make them the most intelligent and superior being in the universe when even in comparison some animals behave better? Look at history of all the great empires in history: The Egyptians, Babylonians, Persians,Grecian's and Romans. All have fallen for the evil they have committed and are an example to all people what is the consequences of disobeying God.

Religious people are the greatest sinners of all, committing the worst atrocities and inciting hate and war.

 

[Johan_1988]

Religious people are the greatest sinners of all, committing the worst atrocities and inciting hate and war.

Sir which teachings of Christianity incites violence. I do not speak of other religions that can. No it teaches the opposite to rather suffer wrong and not retaliate.

The only reason atheism exists is because the Christian faith allowed people to believe in what they wanted as a biblical principal. Now secular atheists force their beliefs in secular education systems.

There is no love and compassion without God, just and empty void. Hate is the only thing left and seeking to fulfill ones carnal desires. A deadly mix that has lead to the death of millions in the form of communism which has atheism and evolution as its world view. Which says man is an animal and conflict is a part of his nature.

I'm sorry if you feel very hurt by some religious people, your real enemy is not us. It's the man in the mirror. It goes for myself to. We are the inventors of our own demise if we do not seek the will of God.

 

[Temirlan]

Sir which teachings of Christianity incites violence. I do not speak of other religions that can. No it teaches the opposite to rather suffer wrong and not retaliate.

The only reason atheism exists is because the Christian faith allowed people to believe in what they wanted as a biblical principal. Now secular atheists force their beliefs in secular education systems.

There is no love and compassion without God, just and empty void. Hate is the only thing left and seeking to fulfill ones carnal desires. A deadly mix that has lead to the death of millions in the form of communism which has atheism and evolution as its world view. Which says man is an animal and conflict is a part of his nature.

I'm sorry if you feel very hurt by some religious people, your real enemy is not us. It's the man in the mirror. It goes for myself to. We are the inventors of our own demise if we do not seek the will of God.

Religious people killed more than anybody. Fact. Christian USA destroys Muslim middle east today. Millions upon millions of deaths. Christian US voters support it