What is your biggest struggle in your walk with God?

[scraparcs]

Believing in God.

 

[StarryEyes]

My selfishness and my wacko emotions, and caring too much about what other people think, holding back, my 'quietness'..

Praying for ya, Gilbert.

 

[Gilbert 61]

I work out too, both for my health and to make myself look better. Don't understand why girls wouldn't want you if you're that muscular though. But I ask myself similar questions, since people consider me "fit and good-looking" as well. And then when I think about those questions, I get all arrogant and act as though I'm God's gift to women in order to make up for my insecurities, which usually come back to slap me in the face.

Glad I found someone who's in the same boat though; not that I actually want you to be in that boat. It's a nasty place, honestly.

It's ok that I am in the same boat, if I can help at least one person that has the same problem its worth it.

Yeah, I have been told (by the girls I like) that I am attractive and an awesome person. Still nothing comes of it tho. I am very confused about it also. Mostly hearing that causes me to have more insecurities.

 

[Gilbert 61]

StarryEyes, Thank you very much for the prayers.

 

[TanteBelle]

Castration then? I don't see how you could avoid the "near occasion" since there are so many lovely women around in our world.

(And no to other people, lust does not mean that you are some sicko. We all do it, which only adds to the fact that this sort of thing is a bit on the impossible side.)

Haven't you read that passage in Matthew, here, I'll put it up.

Matthew 5:29 And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.
30 And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.

'And if thy ............ erm, .......... yeah!!!' LOL! I totally kids fellas!!! Oh good Lord, help!

Comment: IMHO, I have noticed in my life that women are VERY reluctant to let their guard down to answer this openly, like our culture that tends to think men are the bad guys.

What do you mean by this part?

That's his nature.

No, I don't believe so. If you have something struggling within you, if you don't do the actual sin, then it stays between you and God. Once you put that thought into action, that's where the bigger problem lies; it's now between you, God, and man. It seems to be that folks think, 'Oh well, because I'm thinking it, I might as well do it!' It's far harder to control our emotions than it is to control our actions! Our actions are not impossible to control (amazing, I know, but true!). Does that mean that it's not sin while it's internal? No, of course not. Was Joseph tempted when Potiphah's wife tried to seduce him? Personally, I have no doubt. But by him controlling his actions, he was innocent! Yeshua expounded the spirit of torah. All folks struggle; it's part of being human, which is why Paul labeled 'self-control' as one of the fruits of the spirit! Knowing how to control those very struggles.

I don't think I'm explaining this as well as I'm wanting to.

 

[peacechild4]

Letting go... I want to think about my problems.. especially when they come to my mind and these problems can be people.. I want to do something.. or say something.. or interfere with what GOD is doing because I cannot see anything happening..

I find being patient to see my breakthroughs perhaps the hardest thing of all..

 

[stan1472]

Sexual temptation is my BIGGEST weakness, and I know it's a stronghold from the Devil. I do know that my life is much more free, much more clear, much more blessed when I am AVOIDING sexual temptations. I believe overcoming sexual sins does not happen overnight; it takes self-control, wisdom, and DAILY looking to God to see your proper self image. God will lead you into Truth of how you got where you are and will provide a way out. Basically it was a series of small decisions that got me where I am, and it will take a reversal for each and every decision/lie that I fell for to get me out... completely. Not by my strength of course, but leaning wholly on God to get me out.

John 10:10....

For the Devil comes to steal, to kill, and to destroy you. But Jesus came that you might have life and have it more abundantly.

 

[Aino]

My attitude. I guess I'm just too selfish to be able to keep my focus on God. Like I either feel I'm so superb and awesome that I don't need or want God for anything really or then I'm so overwhelmed about my sins that I'm too afraid or ashamed of talking to Him.. Kind of LOL really. xD

 

[Brad2009]

Dissipation, boredom, sexual temptation, wasting time.

 

[Gilbert 61]

Believing in God.

What hinders your belief in God?

 

[mina]

In painfully honest style:
I grew up being made fun of mercilessly about how I look, by peers in church. So I grew up feeling rejected from the get go and even though I think I became pretty and I often heard that those that teased me really liked me or were jealous, the damage was done. I never got asked out in highschool, I still got teased or slammed about my looks even though I don't think I looked that bad (looking back now) by people who acted like I deserved it b/c i was "ugly" . In adulthood, I never got asked out, Christian guys seemed to give off the impression that it was the worst thing in the world to be near me and that I deserved to be made fun of and the butt of jokes; so I struggled and sometimes still struggle with thinking if God made all sorts of other girls to be really beautiful and wanted (not in a bad way) then why did He make me like this: to look how I look, to be surrounded and raised among people who collectively reacted to me the way they did, to experience all those bad negative experiences where I didn't get one shred of positive that would have at least assured me that I was ok and not a total reject. It's odd thinking for sure and it took me long enough and enough damaging experiences to find someone that assures me daily (even when he didn't know all this about my own insecurities) that he likes and loves and is proud of the way I look and who values and respects me as a woman. I'm coming out and have been coming out of this way of thinking for a while, but sometimes an experience or an encounter with someone from the past will pop up and i'll wonder things again. It makes me feel distant and like God's red headed stepchild when that happens...... Thank goodness for God's word that repeatedly tells me what He really thinks of me....Now if i could only believe it unwaveringly.

 

[TheOliveSeed]

Staying motivated and not trusting Him fully at times.

 

[Gilbert 61]

In painfully honest style:
I grew up being made fun of mercilessly about how I look, by peers in church. So I grew up feeling rejected from the get go and even though I think I became pretty and I often heard that those that teased me really liked me or were jealous, the damage was done. I never got asked out in highschool, I still got teased or slammed about my looks even though I don't think I looked that bad (looking back now) by people who acted like I deserved it b/c i was "ugly" . In adulthood, I never got asked out, Christian guys seemed to give off the impression that it was the worst thing in the world to be near me and that I deserved to be made fun of and the butt of jokes; so I struggled and sometimes still struggle with thinking if God made all sorts of other girls to be really beautiful and wanted (not in a bad way) then why did He make me like this: to look how I look, to be surrounded and raised among people who collectively reacted to me the way they did, to experience all those bad negative experiences where I didn't get one shred of positive that would have at least assured me that I was ok and not a total reject. It's odd thinking for sure and it took me long enough and enough damaging experiences to find someone that assures me daily (even when he didn't know all this about my own insecurities) that he likes and loves and is proud of the way I look and who values and respects me as a woman. I'm coming out and have been coming out of this way of thinking for a while, but sometimes an experience or an encounter with someone from the past will pop up and i'll wonder things again. It makes me feel distant and like God's red headed stepchild when that happens...... Thank goodness for God's word that repeatedly tells me what He really thinks of me....Now if i could only believe it unwaveringly.

I am sorry that they made you feel that way.

 

[rodsorp]

My biggest struggles are sexual problems, lust,etc. Just like broken one was saying it's really hard dealing with these desires as a young male in today's society. Also it's been a year since my last relationship and the longer I go with out a girlfriend the desire to have one becomes stronger. I do a great job of occupying my time for the most part various bible studies throughout the week that I truly enjoy and going to church. But no matter how deep in my word I get the desires keep racing back to me and now I'm at the point where I just ask god to take all the desires away. The sexual, longing for a mate that's so strong even though im only 22. Add to that I've been getting rejected lately (I dare say on one occasion I was placed in limbo i.e friendzone) so much that I just stopped trying and it seems to be shortage of young, real, authentic christian women in the city I reside in.

 

[PeculiarTreasure]

I think my biggest struggle is just understanding who God really is. Obviously the Bible gives us some clear indications but I still struggle with knowing His will and understanding why He does what He does. I think it all boils down to wishing that God would give me less free will so that I might do His, which I don't seem to do enough of when left to make my own decisions. I hope that made some kind of sense.

Makes perfect sense. This is my biggest struggle as well. I believe Satan's lies rather than God's truth. It's a battle between my head/heart. Due to past experiences I'm scared to go in any direction because I'm scared it's not in the will of God.

 

[ceh85]

What Thunder said. Also, I have trouble believing how awesome and all powerful He is, and wth trusting Him with all areas of my life. Sometimes I feel like I have trouble trusting Him with ANY part of my life

 

[Niels]

I'm not much of a "joiner", and that can make it more difficult for me to socialize with other Christians. Sometimes, I wonder why God would desire that I go against how he designed me by wanting me to sign up for lots of organized activities. Spirituality is more of a personal matter for me. I'd rather quietly live out Christian principles in my daily life than look religious for others. I also don't like it when people try to get between me and God. Charismatic leaders and big church hierarchies can rub me the wrong way for this reason.

 

[Edwards1984]

Blind post!

I got the idea for this thread while talking to my friend.

We all have our own person struggles in our walk, somethings that are easy for some people are extremely hard for another. So I figured why not start a thread where we can help each other not only through our current struggles but as well as our long term struggles.

My spirit tugging me towards monogamy and my flesh tugging me in, well, the opposite direction.

 

[leothelioness]

Trusting God. Trusting that He will provide for me. That's probably the hardest thing for me to do.

 

[scraparcs]

What hinders your belief in God?

Lack of concrete proof. Occasional lack of desire to follow God anyway. I'm an analyst type at heart. Stick to the facts, ma'am.