trying to understand

[maxer]

hello,
i count myself as a new Christian, i had no idea til very recently what the whole thing was about. I've lived my own way for a long time.
i'm finding this so hard!
feels like coming back to the Lord has created a monster in me.
we're supposed to pick up the cross daily and follow him, i am struggling with this to an almost impossible degree! Its exasperating.
Theres so much to remember like the armour of God, i fall down constantly because i keep thinking the wrong thoughts and have had a dog of a couple of days.
Its not that inspiring that this is the way the rest of my life will be now.
my question is how long does it take to get on more of an even keel with this stuff?
Maybe thats impossible to answer?
God is so good, don't get me wrong okay, i'm happy to do this just wondering if this gets easier? if its always a fight thats cool, be nice to know what other people are finding.

 

[Daughter of His]

Welcome to the family of God ! Sometimes there are seasons where things are difficult. You can pray for protection from the enemy. Ask God daily to send His angels to protect you and your family, and to put a hedge of protection around you. A great defense is to read read read the Word of God. I just for you, bless you !

 

[maxer]

thanks for your thoughts on this, I hope its a short season
(and the other part of me says 'unless he wants otherwise of course' )
its so weird to be where I am right now - always thought i knew a lot about Christianity, but I was clueless man. kinda scary, makes me want to curl up in the corner and tell the world to go away but can't do that.
thanks for the advice too, 'preciate it a lot

 

[Radagast]

It's a lifelong journey... but it gets easier as you grow.

Peace in Him,

-- Radagast

 

[maxer]

thank you... grow, cool,
that helps,

 

[butterfly33]

hey! I know exactly how you feel. when i first became a Christian (about 5 months ago), I can tell you the first week was full of mixed emotions. and for about the first month, i was still confused, having bad days, and wondering what was going on. But i tell ya, after a while things started to get good and i've never looked back since! I've never been happier and Things are a lot clearer now! I guess you just get overwhelmed when you first become a Christian because its something totally new and it takes a while to get ur head around. But just keep praying and learning, and very soon you will come out on top. stick with it and God wont let u down!

 

[maxer]

hey! I know exactly how you feel. when i first became a Christian (about 5 months ago), I can tell you the first week was full of mixed emotions. and for about the first month, i was still confused, having bad days, and wondering what was going on. But i tell ya, after a while things started to get good and i've never looked back since! I've never been happier and Things are a lot clearer now! I guess you just get overwhelmed when you first become a Christian because its something totally new and it takes a while to get ur head around. But just keep praying and learning, and very soon you will come out on top. stick with it and God wont let u down!

thanks, glad i'm not the only one, takes a bit to get used to, thanks for the encouragement!

 

[psalms 91]

you dont have to be that way the rest of your life! you can be victorious! surround yourself with strong people in the lord, learn from them, find one you can taklk to about all this, read the word, put on some good christian music, just as you immersed yourself in whatever it was you did before being saved devote that much energy to growing in the lord, remember prayer as this is important. tell god how you feel and wait to get an answer. i know it can be hard but remember that you are saved and thats why satan is throwing so much at you.

 

[maxer]

you dont have to be that way the rest of your life! you can be victorious! surround yourself with strong people in the lord, learn from them, find one you can taklk to about all this, read the word, put on some good christian music, just as you immersed yourself in whatever it was you did before being saved devote that much energy to growing in the lord, remember prayer as this is important. tell god how you feel and wait to get an answer. i know it can be hard but remember that you are saved and thats why satan is throwing so much at you.

thanks for the advice, useful! i haven't checked the forums for a while hence the lateness of this reply, but thank you aswell for the encouragement.

 

[Endure2]

friend,

i am coming to realise christianity is not just a set of rules and regulations and life of deprevation. though it can feel that way.

the key to living it is not telling yourself to just carry on till it gets better.

the key to living it is to focus on engaging in a relationship with God for yourself so you can hear from himself and talk to him yourself, and when you know him and stay close to him he gives you strength and the joy to do things you otherwise cant.

i myself dont have it in me to stop watching pornography, i enjoy it to much.
and if christianity was just God telling me i better stop it, i couldnt be a christian very long, becuase i myself just cant stop, when i try, its just a trails of tears, anguish an sorrowful self destruction.

but when you spend time alone with him and talk to him yourself and ask him to give you strength you dont have, he will, and then... i can stop watching it and i lose my desire for it and i just dont want pornography anymore.

what im trying to say is God did not leave you on your own to muster your own motivation and peace and contentment in this, God wants to give you those things himself.

this is why david cried out and asked God to create in him a clean heart and renew in him a right spirit, becuase david couldnt be like being bare footed and kicking agaisnt a cactus determined and wanting to knock it down.
i believe the bible calls it "kicking against the pricks"

find a way to spend time worshipping God and spending time alone with him everyday, real quality time alone with God, and when you do this strength and peace and joy like a river flows from him, it flows from the secret place alone with God.

YOU CAN FIND A LIFE YOU LOVE! IN HIM!
BUT IT DOESNT COME FROM BEING COMMITED!
it comes from knowing and receiving from him in the secret place everyday.
hell touch you, and youll cry tears of joy, and youll love this life.
but you need a secret place of prayer to express yourself sincerely to him and ask all things from him and to just hear from him... strength flows from the presence of God, not yourself.

or else youll burn out and die out.
dont make this a dead treck of dry nostalgic rules and reasons like some have done, ask God to give you rivers of living water flowing out of you, like Jesus said would happen if you drink of him, and he will.

ITS A JOY! OH ITS A JOY! if you really know him yourself, and you arent just trying to live something for the sake of other people or someone elses idea's that arent your own.

you have to ask the holyspirit to come and make this all real to you, and youll fall in love with it.

 

[Endure2]

and when you know God yourself everyday,
you can honestly talk to God about how you dont want live holy as a christian anymore becuase its too hard, and he cares and understands and hell reach out to you and give you peace and give you strength and tralk to you about it.
and before you know it, youll have new life in your bones and youll be joyfully following him.

becuase he wants to see you succeed, he doesnt just get angry when you feel undecided or uncertain.

 

[Nevada77]

It is not at all unusual to feel the way you are maxer. When you accept Jesus you make God happy but rememeber you are also upsetting Satan. He doesn't want you to be a Christian and he will do whatever he can to discourage you and make you feel like it is not worth it. He will use your family, friends and anyone he can to do it . Read the bible, find a church to attend and get plugged in to. Start going to a bible study if you can, we are all sisters and brothers in Christ and can help you get through what you are dealing with.

Nevada

 

[Rafael]

hello,
i count myself as a new Christian, i had no idea til very recently what the whole thing was about. I've lived my own way for a long time.
i'm finding this so hard!
feels like coming back to the Lord has created a monster in me.
we're supposed to pick up the cross daily and follow him, i am struggling with this to an almost impossible degree! Its exasperating.
Theres so much to remember like the armour of God, i fall down constantly because i keep thinking the wrong thoughts and have had a dog of a couple of days.
Its not that inspiring that this is the way the rest of my life will be now.
my question is how long does it take to get on more of an even keel with this stuff?
Maybe thats impossible to answer?
God is so good, don't get me wrong okay, i'm happy to do this just wondering if this gets easier? if its always a fight thats cool, be nice to know what other people are finding.

Don't worry, but submit all anxieties to God in supplication and prayer. God has given you assurance and grace to grow up in. He never abandons a child for learning to grow up, as no parent would throw out the baby with the dirty diaper. He is greater than any earthly parent in His love.
The Bible tells us to grow in His grace and be patient, learning self control as the fruit of Spirit matures in us. Don't give up or be impatient - settle down and TRUST God to always be there to help and understand. He walked in the flesh of man and sympathizes with us.

Hebrews 4:15 This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same temptations we do, yet he did not sin.
16 So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it.

Php 1:6 And I am sure that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on that day when Christ Jesus comes back again.

2Pe 3:18 But grow in the special favor and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be all glory and honor, both now and forevermore. Amen.

 

[maxer]

thank you all so much for your posts. my heart has been warmed as i've read through them and i've been so encouraged, your love has really touched me.
this whole place is a blessing, even in my darkest hour God has been kind to me beyond words, He is very real here.
May he bless each one of you so much for the love and encouragement, and good advice you have given me it has meant a great deal, more than i can say.