Why is Faith so hard

[Ariellamb]

This is many peoples feeling about faith

I'm on it just about,but don't know if I can stay on

 

[Johnnz]

What do you mean by hard? Hard to understand? Hard to get? Hard to put into practice?

John
NZ

 

[Zebra1552]

Okay... do you care to share why you feel that way?

 

[Ariellamb]

Okay... do you care to share why you feel that way?

In my walk as a servant of the Lord & in helping others of His flock i come across these admissions many times from other Christians concerning their faith.

1/ Not sure i'll be able to run the course,I'm to weak a Christian
2/ The temptations are to great for me
3/ Don't know if i can stay a virgin until I'm married my faith in God is so weak, maybe I'll die without getting married at all ,unless I marry a non Christian
4/ It works for others this faith thing(a personal relationship) but not that well for me
5/ Many days I don't feel like Christ is with me,I pray and get nothing back
(thats the most common one)
6/I think I'v committed the unforgivable sin,so not sure I want to carry on trying encase I have
7/ I take one step forward and two back all the time,not sure I'm saved at all sometimes
8/ I doubt so much about God even His existence sometimes,I can't be a Christian can I?(also a common one)
9/ I pray so hard and it doesn't happen

Just a few illustrations of what I'm trying to get some answers to

 

[Zebra1552]

In my walk as a servant of the Lord & in helping others of His flock i come across these admissions many times from other Christians concerning their faith.

1/ Not sure i'll be able to run the course,I'm to weak a Christian
2/ The temptations are to great for me
3/ Don't know if i can stay a virgin until I'm married my faith in God is so weak, maybe I'll die without getting married at all ,unless I marry a non Christian
4/ It works for others this faith thing(a personal relationship) but not that well for me
5/ Many days I don't feel like Christ is with me,I pray and get nothing back
(thats the most common one)
6/I think I'v committed the unforgivable sin,so not sure I want to carry on trying encase I have
7/ I take one step forward and two back all the time,not sure I'm saved at all sometimes
8/ I doubt so much about God even His existence sometimes,I can't be a Christian can I?(also a common one)
9/ I pray so hard and it doesn't happen

Just a few illustrations of what I'm trying to get some answers to

Those are all feelings- not factual statements. Our faith is not based on feelings, but on the facts of the Bible. You start basing it around feelings and it ceases to be faith.

 

[Johnnz]

That explains a lot. You haven't been given sensible, intelligent teaching. Little wonder you find it's not working.

John
NZ

 

[heron]

<--but it's fun enough that some people do it, and always come back to it.

Those points are common concerns, but remember that this life is not about trying to prove to God that we're acceptable to Him. His terms of Fatherhood promise to always have the door open for us. A father does not throw a child out of the house for lack of self-control.

It's a spread out process, an ongoing life of faith. We want to fix everything up at once and look tidy, but God knows that we take a long time to line up with His will for us. He will make all things work out for the good.

The promise is redemption.

 

[sunshinegrl]

I think that God understands that it is easy for us to sometimes lose faith or give in to certain temptations. But if we have the Holy Spirit leading us on, he will help to direct our path into righteousness. Maybe you should ask the Holy Spirit to help you more in your weaknesses, and if you keep faith in him that he will do it for you, he most certainly will. Keep praying and staying in the Word of God. Also surround yourself with other christian people that can motivate you, and who are going through some of the same things as you. As long as we're in this world there will always be temptations that our flesh succumbs to, but with the Holy Spirit leading you, it becomes a lot easier to avoid them.

 

[alatir]

Faith is hard because the Word of God promises it to be.

For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.
Mat 7:14

Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.
Act 14:22

I think the hardness of faith consist of several things. We have still have the flesh resisting the will of God in our lives. Sin is still more desirable to our flesh than Christ. Our new nature in Christ delights in God and in the will of God, but our flesh doesn't. So we need to constantly ask God to increase the spiritual joys and enjoyments so that He Himself would be more desirable to us than sin.

Another factor that makes faith hard is the world and the devil bringing in temptations to this flesh of ours and causes us to stumble. And there's also the tribulations which the devil and the world brings to believers, like persecution and some other harm.

 

[Quasicentennial]

I thank Jesus for giving me such a healthy mind and body by choosing the right foods to eat such as frozen wild berries you get at the supermarket. I thought if using the scientific equation to show how faith from Jesus works, it would bring confidence and a sense of laughter to wipe away the sin of depression:
F =mc2
Faith = Christ *2 x mass

 

[ashout]

Faith is hard this is true. I come across a lot of people who are barely hanging on, and honestly I hate talking to them becuase I never know if what I say is helping or not. Them and atheists, I hate talking to atheists becuase I can't answer their questions.

But If faith were any easier, then people would be getting into heaven who shouldn't be there. God has decided that we must struggle, feel pain, and then die, but it's perfect that he did for reasons that if you don't find in this life, will be shown to you in the next, so don't let the difficult one's keep YOU from having faith, along with repentence it's the most healthy thing you can do for yourself.

 

[Ariellamb]

Faith is hard this is true. I come across a lot of people who are barely hanging on, and honestly I hate talking to them becuase I never know if what I say is helping or not. Them and atheists, I hate talking to atheists becuase I can't answer their questions.

But If faith were any easier, then people would be getting into heaven who shouldn't be there. God has decided that we must struggle, feel pain, and then die, but it's perfect that he did for reasons that if you don't find in this life, will be shown to you in the next, so don't let the difficult one's keep YOU from having faith, along with repentence it's the most healthy thing you can do for yourself.

Very good post from your heart thank you

If my Q has no basis(as some earlier posters suggested) how come 90% of ppl fall away from faith in quite a short time after profession,and their lack of faith is one of the main reasons.
It is not just wanting to sin or the world that draws them back, but finding the faith issue a difficult one.

 

[Johnnz]

My, there is some heavy stuff here.

I don't serve an angry, hard to please God. That is not the NT message although Jonathan Edwards (a lawyer not a theologian) seemed tothink so.

What's more I don't have and can't ever work up enough faith anyway. But I have learned that genuine faith actually is not mine - Gal 2:20 "..the life I now live I live by the faith of the Son of God ...." Faith is gifted to us by the Holy Spirit, the very faith of Jesus.

Learn to live out of the wonderful gift of a loving God, not an unpredictable, hard to please god of paganism. That is the good news of the gospel.

John
NZ

 

[Ariellamb]

John
I just wish there was/is a Rosier picture to paint,but history is not on the side of numbers making it.
Please help me with this if you see it differently & why, Thx

 

[alatir]

My, there is some heavy stuff here.

I don't serve an angry, hard to please God. That is not the NT message although Jonathan Edwards (a lawyer not a theologian) seemed tothink so.

What's more I don't have and can't ever work up enough faith anyway. But I have learned that genuine faith actually is not mine - Gal 2:20 "..the life I now live I live by the faith of the Son of God ...." Faith is gifted to us by the Holy Spirit, the very faith of Jesus.

Learn to live out of the wonderful gift of a loving God, not an unpredictable, hard to please god of paganism. That is the good news of the gospel.

John
NZ

God in His holiness and righteousness is so hard to please that only Jesus can do it.

 

[Ariellamb]

'I'v lost my faith'

http://www.christianforums.com/t7396548/

Another thread which may be of help

The more i go on in ministry the more i am uncovering this massive problem which ppl are secretly having to deal with within themselves. THE STRUGGLE OF FAITH

There is a way through,hold on He is more than able to deliver You

Pls take a look at some of my other threads on and around this topic

 

[sk8Joyful]

i come across these admissions many times from other Christians concerning their faith.

1/ Not sure i'll be able to run the course,I'm to weak a Christian
2/ The temptations are to great for me
3/ Don't know if i can stay a virgin until I'm married my faith in God is so weak, maybe I'll die without getting married at all ,unless I marry a non Christian
4/ It works for others this faith thing(a personal relationship) but not that well for me
5/ Many days I don't feel like Christ is with me,I pray and get nothing back
(thats the most common one)
6/I think I'v committed the unforgivable sin,so not sure I want to carry on trying encase I have
7/ I take one step forward and two back all the time,not sure I'm saved at all sometimes
8/ I doubt so much about God even His existence sometimes,I can't be a Christian can I?(also a common one)
9/ I pray so hard and it doesn't happen

Just a few illustrations of what I'm trying to get some answers to

There's a new excuse, born every minute, or shorter - why, supposedly, people find faith impossible or hard. Those really don't qualify; particularly

Since many more people have it much much harder than that, while yet their FAITH does not suffer. - Most likely partly because these of us also understand that "Faith is the substance of things hoped for, yeah! the EVIDENCE of things (to others not yet) seen" - Iow, some people do, with spiritual eyes, SEE... Praise God!

 

[Ariellamb]

Interesting

 

[Zebra1552]

Very good post from your heart thank you

If my Q has no basis(as some earlier posters suggested) how come 90% of ppl fall away from faith in quite a short time after profession,and their lack of faith is one of the main reasons.
It is not just wanting to sin or the world that draws them back, but finding the faith issue a difficult one.

As I pointed out earlier, they are not having a faith issue, they are having a feelings issue. Ever heard of the fact faith feeling train?

Facts come first- the facts of the Bible- upon which we base our faith, which comes next, which is then followed by feelings. That is the order of priority. When people struggle with faith, it is not because they have a problem with faith but because their faith is founded on a feeling and is therefore shaky and not real faith.

 

[Ariellamb]

As I pointed out earlier, they are not having a faith issue, they are having a feelings issue. Ever heard of the fact faith feeling train?

Facts come first- the facts of the Bible- upon which we base our faith, which comes next, which is then followed by feelings. That is the order of priority. When people struggle with faith, it is not because they have a problem with faith but because their faith is founded on a feeling and is therefore shaky and not real faith.

Point taken

Where do we go to from here then,a bit like ppl who are obese or ppl who have a drinking problem,its no good to just keep saying that's so & so you should do, we know the problem ,its how to get ppl from that problem (feelings) onto a firmer footing of faith.
Because we are ppl who live in the (feelings world) Its an up & down cycle for some all their lives in trying to break out into the faith realm alone. I find even some long serving Christians are constantly fighting this & saying this in private.