So what's wrong with me?

[MrDude]

I hate reading the Bible. I hate praying. I hate going to Church and I hate singing for God. I just hate all of it really. I mean I would honestly rather stare at a wall than read the Bible. I try to force myself to read it, but I get so incredibly bored with it that I start drifting off and can't even pay attention and soak in what I'm reading.

Before anyone asks, YES, I HAVE ACCEPTED JESUS CHRIST AS MY SAVIOR. I believe everything in the Bible. I have been baptized, etc. etc.

I just don't get why I hate it all so much when other Christians seem to really get into it.

 

[Blank123]

it sounds like you've lost the joy of your salvation

The only way to actually reclaim that is to actually spend time with your Saviour, yes I know you've already said you hate to pray and read the Bible, but there is really no other way to break free of this. Its the same with every relationship - it only works as long as both sides are working at keeping things going.

I'll tell you something - Every Christian hits hard times in their walk with the Lord. not every Christian always feels like praying or reading the Bible or worshipping, these are not necesarrily things we do because we feel like doing them, but because we know we need to, because we know its pleasing to God when we do.

I'm not going to make any presumtions, but sin causes barriers, this is a fact. Perhaps there is something in your own life that you need to honestly deal with before the Lord and make things right with Him again.

I would encourage you to sincerely examine yourself, and just spend some quiet time with the Lord.

 

[MrDude]

God never even talks to me. I've sacrificed so much for Him. I do my best to obey His rules. I confess my sins. I spend quiet time with Him. But does He ever answer? Does He ever even give me a hint He's listening? Nope. Not one. I'm seriously getting sick of Him.

 

[ReformedChapin]

God never even talks to me. I've sacrificed so much for Him. I do my best to obey His rules. I confess my sins. I spend quiet time with Him. But does He ever answer? Does He ever even give me a hint He's listening? Nope. Not one. I'm seriously getting sick of Him.

I always wish the Lord talked to me, I just don't know how to get him to communicate with him.

 

[paulewog]

YES, I HAVE ACCEPTED JESUS CHRIST AS MY SAVIOR. I believe everything in the Bible. I have been baptized, etc. etc.
Have you accepted Him as your LORD, or just your Saviour?

Believing it is a good start. Accepting it, repenting, and allowing Christ to be Lord of you is something else. A lot of us, I'd venture to say, struggle wit hte Lordship part.

Perhaps also, and I'm only saying this because it's possible, not because I suspect it... but perhaps there is sin in your life that needs to be dealt with (by you), and that is hindering your relationship with God.

 

[Lia]

Are you into reading? This book that I'm reading, "Knowing God" by J.I. Packer would give you the right perspectives about knowing God's characters. I know it deeply affects me and I would never "look" at God the same way again. I'm just simply overwhelmed by Him, His characters and His love for me.

Secondly, it's a natural sin in every human's being to not wanting a natural relationship/devotion with God. Why? because we're just sinful creatures. We just want it everything to be easy and instant. It takes lots of work and commitment on your part to nourish your relationship with God just like any other relationships. (I won't know my boyfriend or friend's characters if I don't spend enough time with her, correct?) Yet at the same time, God will give you much grace and blessings along the way.

Don't believe of the lies that God doesn't listen or never did anything to you. Consider this: initially, we are just sinners that deserve God's wrath and hell. We don't deserve anything to start with...not even a grace, not even a blessing in our lifes. But God, in His excellent goodness, sent His ONE and ONLY son to suffer and die for you and me for free by grace! If God gave His one and only son for us, what else could he not give us?

It's great that you are obeying Him and follow His ways, but we do all these not to gain God's favors. Yet, there is a blessing for doing that. Try Deutronomy 11, see how God has promised and blessed Israel in that time if they follow and obey His laws. God is an unchanging God - He can and will do those things happened thousand years ago to us today. Yes, today! He is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow.

If you say you believe the Bible and everything in it.. keep reading it. You said you don't even know if he listens to your prayers?... well keep reading your bible, because those are God's only words to you and I found many evidences in the bible that explains that God know my every tears and listens to every prayers and He loves me.

Jeremiah 29:11: For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you," declares the LORD.

Hope I don't offend you in any way but I just wanted to honestly share what the Lord has been showing to me in my Christian life these past few years. Be blessed and I pray that your daily communion with the Lord would be of joy and sweetness.

 

[JeremiahJ]

Just as the person above stated with Jeremiah 29:11, if you believe everything the Bible says, then you also have to believe that everything that God does or doesn't do is good and is out of love. Even His allowing you to dislike reading and praying is out of love. It's too bad that you don't enjoy reading the Bible or praying. Why do you do it? Do you do it because you're supposed to, or do you do it because you love God? Praying and reading your Bible has no eternal value if it is not done with love. My advice would be to change your perception on the praying and reading your Bible thing. Jesus Christ is my best friend. That's why I pray, that's why I read my Bible, that's why I spend time with Him. How could I not want to spend time with the person I care most about and who I love being around? Don't pursue the "do's and don'ts," pursue the building of a relationship. If the growth of the relationship requires it, yell at God, let Him know you're angry, let Him know you don't understand, let Him know you want Him to show up... vent on Him, openly and honesty. The first step to deep relationships is sincerity - even if it's an angry sincerity.

 

[Pyrogenesis]

I'm hearing ya bro, I went through a patch like that in my life. The most frustrating thing was that I knew that God was real, and I knew that He loved me! I just couldn't concentrate on Him, I couldn't hear Him, and I just didn't care. I just felt like giving up. I gave Him so many ultimatiums that I lost count, "God if You don't show Yourself to me right now, I'm finished with You!" He never did, but I never stopped believing in Him.

One day I got really frustrated (Even more so than usual) and I just said "I don't care any more God. You can ignore me for the rest of my life, but I know You're real, and I know You sent Jesus to die for me. You have saved me when I couldn't save myself, and I'm going to praise Your name even if You kill me." From that point on I just started praising Him. I didn't feel like it, but I did anyway. And you know what? He turned up again! I got my joy back, and my relationship with Him rocked again!

If you can manage, read the book of Job; it's packed full of this guy getting absolutely smashed (I'm talking seriously wasted here), but he trusts in God through it all, and in the end God pulls through and gives him more than he ever had.

Here's one of my favorite bits: Job's friends are all telling him to forsake God, that God is punishing him and it's all his fault, and Job replies, "Though He slay me, yet will I trust in him" (Job 13:15). He trusted God after all that he'd been through, enough to say that he'd keep trusting God even if God killed him.

It's a test. It's hard and it sucks, but keep on pushing through and you'll come out the other end stronger than ever before.

 

[chanis]

it's important to understand that in our walk with go through down times when we don't feel like doing any of the disciplines we should...but I think what's important to realize is that christianity is not about emotions, if it was then we'd be throwing in the towel all the time...even when we don't feel like it we need to do it...that's how you get to the heart of God and knowing what he wants. As you begin to "deny" yourself and reading/praying (even if it's 5 min a day for now) you'll begin to see a difference. another thing too is don't expect to be all into the swing of things right away it takes time...

 

[none the wiser]

I hate reading the Bible....I mean I would honestly rather stare at a wall than read the Bible. I try to force myself to read it, but I get so incredibly bored with it that I start drifting off and can't even pay attention and soak in what I'm reading.

May I recommend The Message Remix, if you don't have it already? It's in modern language, and the translation is, as far as I can tell, more up to date and I heard somewhere, more accurate. And speaking from personal experience here, it's alot easier to read, and understand.

Also, check out some of CS Lewis's books on Christianity. They're really interesting to me, because he used to be an atheist. They really make you think. Blue Like Jazz is another book I've heard good things about, though I have yet to read it myself.

 

[Spicy McHaggis]

God never even talks to me. I've sacrificed so much for Him. I do my best to obey His rules. I confess my sins. I spend quiet time with Him. But does He ever answer? Does He ever even give me a hint He's listening? Nope. Not one. I'm seriously getting sick of Him.

Might be a good opportunity to honestly examine the strength of your faith. Faith is pretty easy to have when God's right there making Himself obvious. Take away the costant re-assurance and you're able to see where you stand, what you need to work on, etc...

If you truly beleive in God, you've just got to wait it out until He finishes whatever He's doing with you.

Until then, it is what it is really. Not much you can do but go with it.

Just don't forget.

 

[RED that's ME]

All christians do go through down times I know I have and yes sometimes reading the Bible it's easy to let your mind wander or fall asleep been there done that. God doesn't owe us anything we are the ones who owe him.

God speaks to us in 2 ways through his word and his people. We don't always see/hear God when he is speaking cause of not really paying attention. God will sometimes confirm what he is saying with both sources. An example I gave another person advice yesterday about a friendship problem he was having. That night while he was doing personal daily devotions, the verses said what I had said earlier in the day. That only reaffirmed that God was speaking to him about it.
Pray and ask God to give you a love for his word, for prayer, singing/praising him.
Sometimes we get condition by tv, movies etc... to be entertain and we expect the same thing to happen at church. We should to church not with what I can get but what can I give. Too many times we don't go with the right thinking, we go tired flop down and say alright feed me, entertain me. Read the passages your pastor is speaking from take notes and go back over them later.

A verse that is sometimes taken out of context is Psalm 37:5-7 talks about trusting in God and he will give us the desires of our hearts. That doesn't mean a big house, a bf/gf, car, material things. What God wants us to desire is a close relationship with him. He wants us to desire his word, to praise him. God is not going to refuse us to giving us a desire for him. Do you have any unconfess sins in your life that needs taking care of? If you do, you need to confess/repent so there is nothing between you and your relationship with God. Even when we don't understand the reason or rhyme of everything we are still to trust God. Someone had mentioned Job here we think our life can be bad, he had it bad but still he trusted God through it all and continue to seek God and because of his faithfulness God blessed him double.

"Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun. Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him..." Psalm 37:5-7

"Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen" Ephesians 3:20-21

 

[JeremiahJ]

Be careful with The Message nonethewiser. It's good sometimes to help bring clarity to a confusing passage for the less experienced reader of the Word, but while "The Message Remix" might be more accurate than "The Message," it's not more accurate than NASB, NRSV, NKJV, or NIV. The language might be more contemporary, but a lot of it is dumbed down. It can be a useful secondary tool for reading the Bible, but any theologian will tell you it's not the most accurate Bible out there. Rick Warren, author of "The Purpose Driven Life," deservedly received a lot of flak for using the text so extensively in his book and quoting it as Scripture.

 

[WITNESS8]

Hmmm....

 

[invisiblebabe]

From this post and the handful of other posts I've seen of yours, I would seriously wonder if you are clinically depressed. (and yes, real Christians can be seriously depressed and not have it be a result of any type of sin on their end) I have been there and it is no fun. I'm praying for you.

Blessings,
Kayli

 

[MrDude]

another thing too is don't expect to be all into the swing of things right away it takes time...

Going on 4 years now, that's a hell of a lot of time.

 

[none the wiser]

Be careful with The Message nonethewiser. It's good sometimes to help bring clarity to a confusing passage for the less experienced reader of the Word, but while "The Message Remix" might be more accurate than "The Message," it's not more accurate than NASB, NRSV, NKJV, or NIV. The language might be more contemporary, but a lot of it is dumbed down. It can be a useful secondary tool for reading the Bible, but any theologian will tell you it's not the most accurate Bible out there. Rick Warren, author of "The Purpose Driven Life," deservedly received a lot of flak for using the text so extensively in his book and quoting it as Scripture.

Ooo...thanks man, I didn't know that. I'm a relatively new reader....but I'll keep that in mind

 

[none the wiser]

Going on 4 years now, that's a hell of a lot of time.

Hmm...I assume that's for how long you've been a Christian?

Honestly, I have been a Christian for more than 5 years now, and I'm just now starting to find more joy in my faith. I don't think I could put my finger on why...it just happened. Perhaps it had something to do with an atheist friend that got me questioning...in any case, it got me rethinking how I was approaching my faith. I was approaching it more as a religion than a faith, or a relationship. I'll keep you in my prayers that you find joy in your walk

 

[lady_of_god]

I was approaching it more as a religion than a faith, or a relationship. I'll keep you in my prayers that you find joy in your walk

I think that's interesting and find that most people (myself included) approached things in the beginning... and let me tell you it's frustrating. We tend to be all religion and no faith or relationship.. we pray occasionally,open the book when we really force ourselves to and it becomes more of an obligation, and then we think "what's the point?".

It's not that your not saved or accepted Him as your Lord and Saviour, it's just that the relationship is not there.

I think Mrdude you need to desire it again like when you first got saved, and then you have to want to talk to Him (not just pray "oh Lord, this and that is bothering me....", you have to talk to Him as if you would a friend or your father because that's who He is.... He's our Father in Heaven.

It wasn't until somethings happened to me lastyear that I truly opened up to God and talked to Him. He filled me with the Holy Ghost in October and I felt renewed again. We talk all the time.... i think i'm pestering Him now lol

I love the Lord and I know He loves me. That's not to say that I read the bible everyday... I would be lying if i said i did but I desire to stay close to Him and I ask the Lord to keep that fire in me. It's a struggle and it sounds like your on the down side right now but if you really love Him then you and the Lord's relationship will only get stronger... just talk to Him because He is listening. Open your eyes & ears and listen to Him because He is talking to you too

-Lady.

 

[MrDude]

II think Mrdude you need to desire it again like when you first got saved, and then you have to want to talk to Him (not just pray "oh Lord, this and that is bothering me....", you have to talk to Him as if you would a friend or your father because that's who He is.... He's our Father in Heaven.

Believe me, some of you people have got me figured a little wrong. The relationship is there. I DO talk to God as if He were a friend/father. I talk like He's in the room. Unfortunatly, it's a very bad relationship that seems like it's on a road to divorce. I don't like the way He does things, praying to Him, or His "word". I get a feeling He doesn't like me too much right now either. Well...I guess it's a mutual disliking at least.