Would God be mad if I took a break from him?

[aiki]

I have never felt the peace or rest that other people have talked about. Nonetheless, I don't pursue it (I'm not allowed to)

I don't blame God for this (or for anything). I blame my ignorant self. I wanted to take a break from God so I can at least rest and figure out what I'm doing wrong.

Peace and rest in God come from Him, but also from a correct understanding of who He is, what His character is like. God is not "out to get you," as some might suggest. Such a God would not have set aside His heavenly glory and power, humiliated Himself in becoming a man, and then died on a cross for you in atonement for your sins if He was just "out to get you." No, God loves you and offers you joyful fellowship with Himself. What is there to fear, then, in accepting His offer?

There is no real rest, no place of unshakeable peace, contentment and stability, apart from God. He didn't give you life so that you might use it to walk from Him into your own plans and desires. God made you for Himself, not so you can go off and do as you like. And when you live for the purpose for which God made you, there is fulfillment, and peace, and joy that living any other way cannot produce or equal.

Many have tried to replace God with career, or fame, or money, or sex, or adventure, but none have found the rest and meaning that God provides in doing so. No, when we chase after what we want, we find ourselves always in pursuit of the next stimulating thing - more sex, more money, more thrills, more applause, more stuff - we can't get enough and chase on until we find ourselves one day crashing into exhaustion, unhappiness and death.

Is the glutton ever satisfied? No. He eats and eats, and eats some more, driven by his gluttony to consume food until his body distorts to grotesque proportions and gives out and he dies of a heart attack, or stroke. The sex addict does essentially the same, chasing after progressively more and fouler sexual acts until she is rotted with disease of soul and body, darkened and twisted beyond retrieval, dying of lust. The video gamer plays one game, then another, joining guilds, building characters, chasing fantasy, killing digital figments, fixed upon a computer screen hour upon hour, day upon day, forsaking reality for illusion, drawing in upon himself until there is nothing but the noise, and color, and movement of pixels and his life drains away, useless and imaginary.

God takes those who center themselves upon Him, seeking His kingdom first, in a very different direction into light, and life, and truth. There is adventure in walking with God, there is excitement and satisfaction, but it is constructive, serving a spiritual and eternal purpose that makes it meaningful and important far, far, far beyond any worldly pursuit.

Matthew 11:28-30
28 "Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.
29 "Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS.
30 "For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."

John 10:7-10
7 So Jesus said to them again, "Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.
8 "All who came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them.
9 "I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.
10 "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.

Psalm 16:8-11
8 I have set the LORD always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.
9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices; my flesh also dwells secure.
10 For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption.
11 You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

 

[Leet]

Do you feel you need too perfect of a performance, prayers are too emotionally taxing and the "right" amount of bible study is too much?

 

[lsume]

Hi

I have a lot of important things coming up at the moment that I need to 100% focus on. However, I have been noticing that once I get to thinking about God, I start to get unbearable anxiety (which often distracts me when studying for school, etc)

Would it be okay for me to take a break from God until I finish the important things in my life?

(Note, I'm not saying that God is not important, however, it's just that the thoughts I get when thinking about him are just too distracting and painful)

If there is anything that’s important in your life, you want Him involved.

 

[Gregory Thompson]

Hi

I have a lot of important things coming up at the moment that I need to 100% focus on. However, I have been noticing that once I get to thinking about God, I start to get unbearable anxiety (which often distracts me when studying for school, etc)

Would it be okay for me to take a break from God until I finish the important things in my life?

(Note, I'm not saying that God is not important, however, it's just that the thoughts I get when thinking about him are just too distracting and painful)

If church is causing anxiety, take a break. God isn't supposed to cause anxiety though.

 

[Blade]

Thats a choice you alone have to make. To not have GOD first is like tossing dice yet things will not always work out for your good. Our enemy is like a roaring lion always seeking whom he make kill steal and destroy.

In truth thinking about what you said.. I would be so scared NOT to think about pray to have Him in my life. To even think that would mean I do not know Him at all. He alone is for us not against.. He alone want every good thing in your life.

So if you get " unbearable anxiety" its NOT from God. Hes your best friend. He NEVER condemns you. He loves you. Read Luke 11:13 and do that.. see what comes next..praise GOD glory to Jesus.

 

[Aussie Pete]

Hi

I have a lot of important things coming up at the moment that I need to 100% focus on. However, I have been noticing that once I get to thinking about God, I start to get unbearable anxiety (which often distracts me when studying for school, etc)

Would it be okay for me to take a break from God until I finish the important things in my life?

(Note, I'm not saying that God is not important, however, it's just that the thoughts I get when thinking about him are just too distracting and painful)

Life for you should be the opposite. It's the things of this world that are troubling and distracting. Psalm 16:11 "You will make known to me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand there are pleasures forever." "Taking a break from God" (whatever that means) sounds like a recipe for real trouble. Why don't you ask God for His help in the important things of life? Get to know God as a real Person who can and will help all who call upon His name.

 

[faythymns]

Hi

I have a lot of important things coming up at the moment that I need to 100% focus on. However, I have been noticing that once I get to thinking about God, I start to get unbearable anxiety (which often distracts me when studying for school, etc)

Would it be okay for me to take a break from God until I finish the important things in my life?

(Note, I'm not saying that God is not important, however, it's just that the thoughts I get when thinking about him are just too distracting and painful)

I use to experience the same thing, being overwhelmed by the Bible and the Lord and also being tempted to take a break from Him which now seems impossible, triggering my anxiety almost instantly, God brings peace to our weary spirit, mind and body.. This life is toxic and God is our only lifeline, taking a break from Him would be removing the shielding of the Holy Spirit. My mom would always tell me, "God never takes a break.." so why should we? Scripture does point to the fact that God knows that we become overwhelmed which may lead to the temptation of walking away from Him which removes our shielding and leaves us wide open for Satan's attacks, in 1 Corinthians 10:13 states that God will not give you more than you can bear and will always provide away out of temptation. The overwhelming anxiety you are feeling is not from God, but what you can do and I could do for you right now is ask the Father to cast Satan far from you and bring you back to peace with Him who loves you beyond compare. God is love, God is Joy and God is Peace. Rest assured, this uncomfortable feeling will not last long and may you find peace in the Lord again real soon!

 

[PaulCyp1]

You want accomplish the most important things in your life, while taking a break from the One Whose guidance is most essential to accomplishing the most important things in life??

 

[Joined2krist]

Being separated from God leads to spiritual death, just like it was for Adam and Eve when they were separated from Him. He won't be mad at you but you may be left open to the enemy, your adversary (satan) to devour. He will use subtle thoughts to deceive and lie to you in many ways, leading you further away from God than you imagined

 

[prodromos]

Matthew 6:25-34

“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you shall eat or what you shall drink, nor about your body, what you shall put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add one cubit to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin; yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O men of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek all these things; and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well.

“Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Let the day’s own trouble be sufficient for the day.​

 

[nolidad]

Hi

I have a lot of important things coming up at the moment that I need to 100% focus on. However, I have been noticing that once I get to thinking about God, I start to get unbearable anxiety (which often distracts me when studying for school, etc)

Would it be okay for me to take a break from God until I finish the important things in my life?

(Note, I'm not saying that God is not important, however, it's just that the thoughts I get when thinking about him are just too distracting and painful)

You don't have to take a break from god to focus on things you need to get done. Maybe just reorder things in your life to allow more time to focus on what needs to get done (hopefully not to satisfy wants).

But you have to ask, are these things more important than following God? Remember following Him is following Him and maybe not doing a whole bunch of stuff in a church or whatever.

You are free to break from God. However that means you take a break from His Joy, His peace, His outpouring of love. He will still love you, but you will put a shield up from experiencing the blessings He wishes to give you.

If you truly belong to HIm, taking a break from Him will after a time make you absolutely miserable. We may enjoy teh pleasures of sin, but it will only be for a season, then we must pay the wages sin demands and that is an internal sense of death for being away from God.

God will welcome you back from being a prodigal son, but the husks you will be forced to eat will taste rotten compared to the banquets you r Father in heaven has for you!

 

[LucianoCardoso]

Well, I wouldn't say that He would be mad. It would be bad for you.
But I think that maybe we could help better if you could share what kinds of thoughts about God make you anxious.
By the way, have you ever watched Pastor Joseph Prince's sermons?

 

[Bruce Leiter]

Hi

I have a lot of important things coming up at the moment that I need to 100% focus on. However, I have been noticing that once I get to thinking about God, I start to get unbearable anxiety (which often distracts me when studying for school, etc)

Would it be okay for me to take a break from God until I finish the important things in my life?

(Note, I'm not saying that God is not important, however, it's just that the thoughts I get when thinking about him are just too distracting and painful)

Why are those thoughts "distracting and painful" when you think about God?

 

[Fervent]

Jesus declared "Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls." If you're not finding rest, and even being made anxious, by thoughts of God you likely haven't taken those words seriously. What, exactly, are your thoughts about God that make you anxious? Ignoring them will just cause them to pop up later and cause more destruction in the long run. Just be honest with God, lay out what's on your heart and speak to Him as a loving Father. Anxiety is exactly when God needs to be sought the most, but often we allow the accuser to put us to shame and cause us to fear God's judgment for something we did or didn't do instead of recognizing that God loves us without restraint or restriction.

 

[Jaedan]

Jesus declared "Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls." If you're not finding rest, and even being made anxious, by thoughts of God you likely haven't taken those words seriously. What, exactly, are your thoughts about God that make you anxious? Ignoring them will just cause them to pop up later and cause more destruction in the long run. Just be honest with God, lay out what's on your heart and speak to Him as a loving Father. Anxiety is exactly when God needs to be sought the most, but often we allow the accuser to put us to shame and cause us to fear God's judgment for something we did or didn't do instead of recognizing that God loves us without restraint or restriction.

I have read that scripture many times. Moreover, I have tried to talk to God about those anxious thoughts. And I have talked and sought after God in regards to my anxiety for a few years. I’m overall just not good at this

I also have to realize that God doesn’t fix everything So I’m willing to put up with those thoughts and anxiety (or at least seek help from someone else)

 

[A_Thinker]

I think the scripture you referenced is accurate

I think I just need to get rid of all of my future dreams/etc (getting into a decent college, becoming a doctor, etc) and just focus more on God.

I don't know how I should approach this situation (Ill do some studying)

Thank you!

Why is it one or the other ?

Why not do both ???

 

[A_Thinker]

I have never felt the peace or rest that other people have talked about. Nonetheless, I don't pursue it (I'm not allowed to)

I don't blame God for this (or for anything). I blame my ignorant self. I wanted to take a break from God so I can at least rest and figure out what I'm doing wrong.

Referencing the parable of the Prodigal Son, ... God allows us to choose to figure things out ourselves, ... but, in the end, the answer is always to come back to God.

Recall that Adam and Eve also wanted to be able to figure out their own way ... and that it led them out of the garden ... into the cold cruel world in which we live today.

 

[chilehed]

Would God be mad if I took a break from him?

Take a break from that without which you cannot exist? I doubt that such an experiment will end well.

Would it be okay for me to take a break from God until I finish the important things in my life?

That's like suggesting that you take a break from eating in order to finish a candy bar.

 

[Bruce Leiter]

Jesus declared "Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls." If you're not finding rest, and even being made anxious, by thoughts of God you likely haven't taken those words seriously. What, exactly, are your thoughts about God that make you anxious? Ignoring them will just cause them to pop up later and cause more destruction in the long run. Just be honest with God, lay out what's on your heart and speak to Him as a loving Father. Anxiety is exactly when God needs to be sought the most, but often we allow the accuser to put us to shame and cause us to fear God's judgment for something we did or didn't do instead of recognizing that God loves us without restraint or restriction.

I see what you're talking about; it's anxiety about his reaction to our sins? Well, if we believe Paul's teachings about justification in Romans and Galatians, we don't need to be anxious about his judgment. However, we do need to pray for God's cleansing from our sins daily because though God declares us "not guilty" and free from his judgment, our sins remain for him to enable us to overcome gradually.

 

[tturt]

Seems like we need to rely on God even more when our lives are busier.




Armor up (Eph 6:10-18)