What am I missing?

[dhh712]

So, here's some things I'm not missing:

- Happiness (because my life is pretty awesome)
- Community (I know plenty of people to hang around with, none of them religious)
- Understanding of the universe (I have a pretty good science education, so I can answer most questions without having to resort to gods and magic)
- Purpose and meaning (because I can make my own just fine)

Here's some things I don't have:

- Fear of death (I'd be terrified of eternal life on the other hand... now there is a scary thought)
- Fear of hell (because it makes no sense conceptually. And if it did, I'd be just as scared of heaven; because see previous entry)



So. Giving the above, is there anything I'm missing out on? I certainly don't feel like I'm missing anything and none of the answers I've gotten so far have been convincing, but I figured I'd give some more people a chance.

Well, I'll take a stab at it; I'm not trying to convince you of anything because ultimately, I can't (on my own). To be very plain, I feel I was once in a similar position (state of mind) a few years ago where you are: things were going very well in my life: I really felt happy and loved the world. I was pleased with my job, with my relationships (or lack thereof); I had hobbies I indulged in and received fulfillment from them. I wasn't scared of death (or hell) because I believed that after you die you ceased to exist (I wasn't aware of anything before I was born, so how is it I can fear what it is like after I die since it will be the same?).

Nevertheless, though I would imagine there is no way you can conceive of it now, there is a much greater happiness to be had in having a relationship with your Creator. I don't expect you to just take this from me just by having said it though, and there is frankly no way I can express to you how it is unless you experience it yourself (in some ways, this seems quite unfair). That saying, I will not hide any part of the truth of what happened to me when God disclosed to me from His own free grace His holiness: I became convicted of my status as a sinner before Him and realized the extensive mar of sin which the whole world is consumed in. Yes--it disturbed my ability to derive happiness from this world. I can't be completely happy in it anymore, solely from the things in it.

So, it seems that from a worldly person's perspective, knowing God will probably be something which they do not want to do if having fulfillment from the world is what they desire above all things and fulfills them completely. Personally, I really can't say I believe this can be possible 100%--I probably would have denied it when I was an unbeliever (or actually, what was going on was that I had no way of being aware of it) yet looking back, I realize now that I was trying to make myself believe I was happy when I actually wasn't. The things which I thought were fulfilling to me were very transient, and I (as all believers must) have to contend with the unfortunate things which happen to us such as loss, sickness, contention among people, etc.

So that is what I think you are missing is that you are being transiently fulfilled by the world but you can have no lasting fulfillment eternally with your Creator (as you stand at the moment without believing upon Him); not that this would matter to you from your perspective as you say you do not believe in anything after death. I would imagine rather, that a very worldly person (such as I was at one point) would say they would rather be transiently very fulfilled by this world than come to know God and not be able to be fulfilled completely by the world and rather recognize the mar of sin upon it (which wrecks the beauty of it). That's why it wasn't a choice for me--I accepted the offer of His relationship (I'm not sure how anyone can't once God comes into their lives), but I did not seek to know God; I was His from before the foundations of the world and there was nothing I could do to escape that as it is all in the Lord's hands.

 

[Brianlear]

People change my mind all the time, when they have verifiable facts. The only reason you fail to do so is because you don't have any.
I grow tired of this. Maybe I'll try again in a few years.

Well, just checking back after a few weeks. I hope you've been out enjoying life. That's what I've been doing actually. I've been to Mexico for 2 weeks soaking up God's glorious photons and swimming in his clear blue waters, and hanging out with my beautiful wife. It felt incredible. Now I'm home but the joy continues. The other day I was feeling so good I left a waitress a $50 tip because she seemed nice. Yesterday we made fish tacos and I enjoyed the afternoon sun with my wife and it was the best day ever. In that moment I could've stayed forever. Except that each moment passes and new ones come along that are just as good. The joy train continues--today, I get the day off work and I'm cuddled up in my bed while it's raining outside, relaxing and catching up on me time.

I believe in God. I think it is very likely that he came to earth inside a person named Yeshua. I admit, I have no proof of that. It just seems like an awesome story and one that I choose to believe in. I will never be able to prove it to you. And best of all, I don't even want to. It doesn't bother me that you are skeptical. It actually brings me joy. You are the one I would choose to roll with because we could discover more truth that way.

I'm glad you are here. How are you doing?