Why is it so hard to beileve in Jesus Christ?????????

[razzelflabben]

really?

Really! Heard an atheist once talk about how God pursues us and the evidence of that is our constant looking for answers. Rings true to me.

 

[oi_antz]

Really! Heard an atheist once talk about how God pursues us and the evidence of that is our constant looking for answers. Rings true to me.

Indeed! It is when we stop looking for answers, then our heart becomes hardened. This hardening is pride, because we have committed to opposing the truth. It's a viscious cycle too, where lies require more lies and this enormous house of cards is waiting to be toppled. Just as Jesus said of those who hear Him but do not practice His teaching, they have built their house on sand and it will collapse when the flood comes. Another symptom of pride is mockery. The ones who become comfortable to oppose the truth also become confident in their clever ability to avoid being pinned down. This confidence can manifest as mockery. That also is another commitment to the cycle. Only humbleness can ever break that cycle. So country girl, be very careful what you are doing at this time, because we all can get locked in that cycle. Only by confessing our error and choosing to repent, then we can continue on the path of truth that leads to life. Yes, spiritual warfare is active in this process. Be aware that one side genuinely cares about you, while another side cares about themselves and not about you, even though a lie is more attractive to us than truth sometimes, only the truth can make us free from sin.

 

[Countryangel707]

Really! Heard an atheist once talk about how God pursues us and the evidence of that is our constant looking for answers. Rings true to me.

Wow

 

[Countryangel707]

Really! Heard an atheist once talk about how God pursues us and the evidence of that is our constant looking for answers. Rings true to me.

well if He is pursuing me why dont He just give me the faith to Accept Him.

 

[Leet]

Something that I have heard a lot as someone with OCD, is "if you're worried about it, then you're okay, you haven't done ____ or ____ or, it means you're heart is still open to God" etc. Well, you know what? I've had enough of that line of thought because God doesn't want people living in fear, worry, anxiety or uncertainty.

I just wanna share a post I made when I first came to this forum to see if you feel anything along these lines:
http://www.christianforums.com/thre...lieve-in-the-death-and-res-of-christ.7877793/

 

[oi_antz]

well if He is pursuing me why dont He just give me the faith to Accept Him.

He said, “The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to others I speak in parables, so that,

“‘though seeing, they may not see;
though hearing, they may not understand.’

Friendship with God is reserved for those who reverence him. With them alone he shares the secrets of his promises. (Psalms 25:14).

.. you need to ask Him to give you faith. We don't ever possess faith, but rather faith just is the result of us accepting His loving invitation.

 

[razzelflabben]

well if He is pursuing me why dont He just give me the faith to Accept Him.

because you haven't yet given Him your heart, soul, mind, and strength. He needs something to work with.

 

[KarateCowboy]

well if He is pursuing me why dont He just give me the faith to Accept Him.

I can understand your frustration. You're not alone. Many people consider how powerful the Creator must be and wonder why He won't just make His presence obvious. Like speaking audibly and such.

 

[Countryangel707]

because you haven't yet given Him your heart, soul, mind, and strength. He needs something to work with.

Well how do I do that

 

[razzelflabben]

Well how do I do that

Quietly sit before Him and talk to Him and listen with your soul/spirit. Forget everything you have been told about God. Forget about heaven and hell, salvation, etc. and just sit in His presence and talk with Him. Tell Him who you are and the struggles you are having and listen as He tells you who He is and what He wants for you.

There is a song called "Rediscover you" I think that is the name of the song. I think Downhere does the song. You need to discover the God you never knew. Downhere, Let me rediscover you....http://www.sweetslyrics.com/866633.Downhere - Let Me Rediscover You.html

 

[razzelflabben]

you seem to be holding something back from Him, something you don't want Him to touch, something you are afraid of losing....

 

[Countryangel707]

you seem to be holding something back from Him, something you don't want Him to touch, something you are afraid of losing....

I sometimes feel that way to , but I do not know what. I have prayed multiple times and told that He could have my everything.

 

[Countryangel707]

Quietly sit before Him and talk to Him and listen with your soul/spirit. Forget everything you have been told about God. Forget about heaven and hell, salvation, etc. and just sit in His presence and talk with Him. Tell Him who you are and the struggles you are having and listen as He tells you who He is and what He wants for you.

There is a song called "Rediscover you" I think that is the name of the song. I think Downhere does the song. You need to discover the God you never knew. Downhere, Let me rediscover you....http://www.sweetslyrics.com/866633.Downhere - Let Me Rediscover You.html

I have been trying that, but I honestly feel nothing, Just blank. Is it possible that Jesus is withholding Himself from me for some reason?

 

[razzelflabben]

I sometimes feel that way to , but I do not know what. I have prayed multiple times and told that He could have my everything.

what is your everything? Did you go through your life and seek out what you might be holding back?

 

[razzelflabben]

I have been trying that, but I honestly feel nothing, Just blank. Is it possible that Jesus is withholding Himself from me for some reason?

The only reason God might withhold Himself from you is if sin is keeping you from Him. So if He is withholding, it is you holding onto a sin that you are not repentant of.

But let's talk about emotion for a moment. I remember growing up, knowing I belonged to God and God belonged me to, but then going to church and seeing all these people who were so emotional that it seemed like they had something I didn't. So time and time again, I went to God seeking that emotional "high" they felt. Eventually, God showed me that a relationship isn't about the "emotional highs" we feel but rather about the deep abiding Love that compels to fellowship, trust, obey, talk with Him, etc. He wants a relationship not a formula. He wants you to Love Him for who He is not what He can do for you. Think in relationship to other relationships in your life, do you treat those you love with the same care you treat God?

 

[Countryangel707]

The only reason God might withhold Himself from you is if sin is keeping you from Him. So if He is withholding, it is you holding onto a sin that you are not repentant of.

But let's talk about emotion for a moment. I remember growing up, knowing I belonged to God and God belonged me to, but then going to church and seeing all these people who were so emotional that it seemed like they had something I didn't. So time and time again, I went to God seeking that emotional "high" they felt. Eventually, God showed me that a relationship isn't about the "emotional highs" we feel but rather about the deep abiding Love that compels to fellowship, trust, obey, talk with Him, etc. He wants a relationship not a formula. He wants you to Love Him for who He is not what He can do for you. Think in relationship to other relationships in your life, do you treat those you love with the same care you treat God?

Yes I think so .

 

[razzelflabben]

Yes I think so .

if you spend the time and care on your relationship with God that you do with your other important relationships, if you spend the time, willing to sacrifice, want the same things from, then I would say there is a hidden sin that is keeping you from God. Something that requires humbling to discover and destroy.

 

[Countryangel707]

if you spend the time and care on your relationship with God that you do with your other important relationships, if you spend the time, willing to sacrifice, want the same things from, then I would say there is a hidden sin that is keeping you from God. Something that requires humbling to discover and destroy.

i have searched and asked for any sin to be revealed but have got nothing.

 

[razzelflabben]

i have searched and asked for any sin to be revealed but have got nothing.

sometimes, what separates us from God is sins that don't even feel like sins at all. IOWs in our day and age we like to focus on the big things, the things that hit the media and ignore the little things that are just as deadly to our spiritual life. Sometimes they are conditions of the heart and not actions we have committed at all. Like lust or coveting, these can be heart conditions without even acting upon them. One sin your posts reveal is that of covetous prayers. That is prayers that are focused on what you can gain not on who God is. Remember talking to us about your desire for heaven...that is a covetous prayer if that is all you want from God, a spot in heaven. Prayer has to be a place of yielding your desires and wants over to God and letting HIm place within you new desires and wants.

Look at it this way, Gal. 2:20 tells us that we are to be crucified with Christ. What part of yourself have you put to death so that Christ might live in you this crucifying the old man is the desires that we have in the flesh, the sensual things that call us to come to them before coming to God. I John 2:16 tells us that all sin comes from the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, or the pride of life. Somewhere rooted in your life are these three things that keep you from seeing God with spiritual eyes. Things that need put to death in a very painful way (crucified) so that the new man, that man that is the image of God, can live. You won't be the same person you are now, and that scares a lot of people into holding onto the lusts of the eyes and flesh and the pride of life that leads us into sin.

Look into some of the things we don't usually think of as sin and in that, put to death the old desires and the sins that come with them You can't do it alone, it will require God's help, but you have to be willing to take those extreme measures.

 

[Countryangel707]

sometimes, what separates us from God is sins that don't even feel like sins at all. IOWs in our day and age we like to focus on the big things, the things that hit the media and ignore the little things that are just as deadly to our spiritual life. Sometimes they are conditions of the heart and not actions we have committed at all. Like lust or coveting, these can be heart conditions without even acting upon them. One sin your posts reveal is that of covetous prayers. That is prayers that are focused on what you can gain not on who God is. Remember talking to us about your desire for heaven...that is a covetous prayer if that is all you want from God, a spot in heaven. Prayer has to be a place of yielding your desires and wants over to God and letting HIm place within you new desires and wants.

Look at it this way, Gal. 2:20 tells us that we are to be crucified with Christ. What part of yourself have you put to death so that Christ might live in you this crucifying the old man is the desires that we have in the flesh, the sensual things that call us to come to them before coming to God. I John 2:16 tells us that all sin comes from the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, or the pride of life. Somewhere rooted in your life are these three things that keep you from seeing God with spiritual eyes. Things that need put to death in a very painful way (crucified) so that the new man, that man that is the image of God, can live. You won't be the same person you are now, and that scares a lot of people into holding onto the lusts of the eyes and flesh and the pride of life that leads us into sin.

Look into some of the things we don't usually think of as sin and in that, put to death the old desires and the sins that come with them You can't do it alone, it will require God's help, but you have to be willing to take those extreme measures.

i think this is where my ocd and depersonalization comes in. those two combines make me careless one second and care the next. it makes me feel a lot of the time that nothing is real but i know it is.