This is a good question. Am always worried about seeming egocentric with questions like this, though, because it's very "me focused" and hsmommyofmany is bang on in that this really isn't about us. Just a pre-emptive apology, really, for all the impending "I this" and "I that"s.
No worries.
I'm a bi-sexual single woman, and a Christian of 2 and a half years, and I obey God every single day in not acting on homosexual thoughts or feelings. It's entirely His strength and grace, but I choose to lean on that strength and to accept that grace. I was never ever promiscuous, but where I could so easily hook up with an ex of either gender for one night or one weekend, I now choose to trust the Lord, and to trust His word.
As I clarified above, the OP is about positive actions; not about that from which we refrain. Of course as long as your post is, you were probably writing this as I was making that clarification.
It's only in doing so that I've discovered how unhealthy a relationship with sex many of us have - primarily women, perhaps - and it's only getting distance from it that's given me a real sense of peace and joy. Before Christ: feeling lonely, or miserable? Have sex with my girlfriend or boyfriend and let them temporarily chase the shadows away. With Christ, though, feelings of loneliness are given to Him, and He stills the soul as opposed to making you feel sated in the short run.
Even though this thread is about things we do rather than about things we don't do, let me attempt to address this (and the last paragraph) briefly.
I would rather expect that any sort of conversion would have effects similar to what you describe. Those who are serially convert from one religion to another only stop (if they stop) when the new religion helps them address problem areas in their lives. Or if they are less introspective, they stop when the religion gives them what they want.
I'm glad you found what you need. However, I don't think your experience is different from, say, a disillusioned Christian who converts to Buddhism.
That's a monumental change, and not one I can explain any better than I've done so, appallingly.
You are doing fine.
Obeying God is being kind to someone who is cruel to me and truly, truly forgiving them and acknowledging am no better; obeying Him is giving even when I feel like I don't really have any to spare. Please understand, this isn't me saying am an awesome person - am a sucky excuse for a Christian, and am barely mediocre as a person, but God asks me to do these things, because He's extraordinary, so I do.
Again, the principles here are not distinctly Christian. I'm glad framing it as Christian works for you. However, atheists and Buddhists and Confucians and Hindus and Muslims and Taoists and Jews all know that letting go and forgiving is the healthier way to go.
And it's only afterwards that I see how right He really was. I'll give an example. Have mentioned here before actually, the way people react if you give them money in line when they don't have enough. But the process leading up to it is interesting. God whsipers that you should give them the money they need - whether it's one pound, or whether they've left their wallet at home and need every penny - and your cheeks start to burn because it's not easy! If you only have enough on you for your own shopping, it's hard in that respect, but knowing you'll create suspicion isn't easy, either. It's actually embarrassing. What if they look at me funny? What if they say no thanks?
Great story. I can identify with it to some degree. My life has been relatively easy in latter years and some of the people I am friends with have hard lives. I find it relatively easy to give them what they need. I.e., with experience, you don't get so flustered about it.
WRT the OP though, charity is not uniquely Christian.
I'm not for a second saying only Christians will give something to someone in need; most of my closest friends are atheists, and they're some of the most loving, best people I know...
Rather the point of my thread ...
but I think only someone who has been prompted by God will give *everything* they have, because we know He will restore it, and we've done it because we know He loves the person we're giving it to.
I've never know a single Christian anywhere to sell their clothes, cars, and house (or even a fraction of the above) and give it all away. We've legends of Siddhartha Buddha and St. Francis et al. I've seen people give when they have little; but, I've never seen anyone give away *everything*. Perhaps, you mean only "giving until it hurts"? In which case, again this is not uniquely Christian. We need only point to ascetics of any given faith tradition (particularly those where the swami doesn't get the novitiate's stuff).
Obeying Him by praying and fasting is all well and good - and as Christians, we
should be doing both - but doing so out of obligation speaks to religiosity, as opposed to doing it because we know He loves us, and we want to do as He asks, because we love Him back.
I think, ultimately, what it comes down to is it's pointless obeying God "religiously" - we aren't saved by works. But by obeying Him in love, we ARE His hands here, because He asks us to love others, just as He did. Perhaps that's the difference between follwoing Him, and not.
Am sorry for typing such a long answer
Again, I'm not particularly interested in religious activity or the motivations for doing so. But, I will say that those who've converted to other religions would claim similar sorts of noble reasons for their religious devotion.
I'm happy that Christianity works for you.
