Why Is It

[watercolor]

That you burn with desire in your faith for a long time- and then just like that it can go away. I am trying to "feed" my soul- and now- I am needing more of something- and I cannot put my finger on what. I am just trying to understand the workings of the whole "losing" it when it was just there, and on fire to boot.

 

[rack'm]

IMHO........


At first you're hopeful that faith will fill the void you feel, and then uncertainty plagues your mind, testing your faith and making you question yourself.

 

[watercolor]

And that is what is happening. I am definately being tested, to the fullest extent- and I and really starting to want to just give up. Throw it all out, and wipe the chalk board clean persay. I am starting to question things- and I just dont, even really know why.

 

[rack'm]

And that is what is happening. I am definately being tested, to the fullest extent- and I and really starting to want to just give up. Throw it all out, and wipe the chalk board clean persay. I am starting to question things- and I just dont, even really know why.

There's nothing wrong with striving for truth, it's what you do with you new found knowledge that can be life changing.

Are you questioning your faith in God or your religion?


me of all people talking about this

 

[TexasPride77]

There's nothing wrong with striving for truth, it's what you do with you new found knowledge that can be life changing.
Are you questioning your faith in God or your religion?
me of all people talking about this

And that is what is happening. I am definately being tested, to the fullest extent- and I and really starting to want to just give up. Throw it all out, and wipe the chalk board clean persay. I am starting to question things- and I just dont, even really know why.

Your situation is just like those who try to loose weight but find they loose their drive to stick with the "diet" after a short time because of all the temptations.

I've been in your shoes here and there through out my life ... it’s like a see-saw. I think the issue is that we get all fired up at what we know will happen in the end...and we know what sacrifices we have to make in the mean time.....but it is not a popular thing to make those sacrifices in the eyes of the world. We all have vices....but giving them up is easier said than done. Later on, we look back...and beat ourselves up because we really wanted to "do the right thing" with our faith. Instead, we failed... It’s a vicious circle....and probably is such because we are so accustomed to living in the flesh that it is hard to understand how to live in the spirit.

I hope you do not loose your faith... I think that it can be easy to just live an earthly life, live by the golden rule.... but what will that get you in the end? Salvation through works alone?

My suggestion is that if you are questioning your faith...then you need to discover what your faith is in the first place. It’s hard to question something that you perceive as being a physical entity in your life. Many question God's existence because they cannot "see" him. For those who do not question God's existence, they perceive God as a physical entity in their lives. Hope that makes sense.

Lets look at this scenario: How can you question your car's ability to get you to work when it runs fine.....and reliably gets you where you need to go? Look at God as being like your car.... he is there to get you where you want to go...and when you are ready to get there....BUT you need to give him homage through your faithful service so that he knows you are ready to move in your faith. This act is the same as pushing down the gas peddle of your car. Your car is willing to move you down the road but you need to take the first step….the car re-acts to your initial action. You give the car gas….the car moves you in return. You give God your unconditional love, dedication, acceptance, servitude…..he will move you in your faith. How far down the road you will get is directly proportionate to the amount of gas you are willing to give your car. Likewise, how far in development your faith becomes, is directly proportionate to the amount of sacrifice you are willing to make for the sake of your faith in God.

Hope that helps…and makes some kind of sense overall.

 

[watercolor]

Wow, thank you for that post Texas, and appreciate your willingness to help. And rack'm, as always- its appreciated


I am just "shaken" for lack of better words right now. I know that God is there, and I know he always will be there for me, but right now my human flesh side is taking over and is basically over-ruling me- and not wanting to listen to that small voice of the holy spirit. Basically I am sitting in the area of, "Where is God when it hurts", somewhat pertaining to the book of Job. There was actually a sermon on this this past week at church- but for other issues, I wasnt able to attend. I have so many questions I guess going on with my life- and I know if I were able to just get over that "hump" I would get out of my rock in a hard place- it is just, yeah.

For the last month- I have felt something moving in me, my spirit- for me to follow in a direction that is awesome. That I want to become profound in so many areas of my spiritual growth- but I am so jumbled that I almost dont know where to begin. The fire was extreme to the point that when I was leaving from a weekend vacation- that is all I thought about on the trip home. Literally. And it rocked me to the core. BUT- as of the last couple days, it is dying, and that breaks my heart. More or less, because the fire was so strong- and I was able to be shaken so bad- that it had water tossed on it, and now the embers are just there- and I want that fire lit again.

My big thing is, I dont want to only be giving 80 % when I should be giving 100%. That basically, if I am only able to give 80% what is the point. And I know I can give 100%, but, what does it take for a person to become completely broken to do this? And can you have help in the direction, or does it fully have to be on you? What I mean by help is, the fact that can you have another person of your same faith- basically help you as the "jumper cables" to kick start things? I mean, is it enough to have the embers burning- and for them to add something to the pit to help fuel it, and once it is there- let God do the rest?

Does that make sense?

 

[dems4me]

Wow, thank you for that post Texas, and appreciate your willingness to help. And rack'm, as always- its appreciated


I am just "shaken" for lack of better words right now. I know that God is there, and I know he always will be there for me, but right now my human flesh side is taking over and is basically over-ruling me- and not wanting to listen to that small voice of the holy spirit. Basically I am sitting in the area of, "Where is God when it hurts", somewhat pertaining to the book of Job. There was actually a sermon on this this past week at church- but for other issues, I wasnt able to attend. I have so many questions I guess going on with my life- and I know if I were able to just get over that "hump" I would get out of my rock in a hard place- it is just, yeah.

For the last month- I have felt something moving in me, my spirit- for me to follow in a direction that is awesome. That I want to become profound in so many areas of my spiritual growth- but I am so jumbled that I almost dont know where to begin. The fire was extreme to the point that when I was leaving from a weekend vacation- that is all I thought about on the trip home. Literally. And it rocked me to the core. BUT- as of the last couple days, it is dying, and that breaks my heart. More or less, because the fire was so strong- and I was able to be shaken so bad- that it had water tossed on it, and now the embers are just there- and I want that fire lit again.

My big thing is, I dont want to only be giving 80 % when I should be giving 100%. That basically, if I am only able to give 80% what is the point. And I know I can give 100%, but, what does it take for a person to become completely broken to do this? And can you have help in the direction, or does it fully have to be on you? What I mean by help is, the fact that can you have another person of your same faith- basically help you as the "jumper cables" to kick start things? I mean, is it enough to have the embers burning- and for them to add something to the pit to help fuel it, and once it is there- let God do the rest?

Does that make sense?

If it helps any. God never gives you more than you can handle. Just pray for his strength and guidance to help get you through. You walk through the fire then come out a stronger, more confident, faith filled and beautiful person inside and out. Hang in there!!!

 

[vraiblonde]

God never gives you more than you can handle.

This is not true. "God" frequently gives people more than they can handle or they wouldn't turn to drugs, alcohol, go crazy or commit suicide.

Watercolor, back in my religious days, I was depressed and whined to a friend, "God hates me. " She replied that she would be stunned if God gave a crap about me one way or the other because He certainly has better things to do with His time than worry about my piddly problems.

That seems cold but it really snapped me around. Bad times come and we can either hang or we can't. When you think about all the stuff that's going on in the world, it's humbling to realize that you felt bummed over something that didn't involve watching your child starve to death or be taken off to an Iraqi rape room.

Whether you believe in God or not, you should still always count your blessings. That sounds trite, but it's true. You, WC, have so many wonderful things going for you that whatever is causing your doubt or depression is merely a speed bump.

 

[dems4me]

This is not true. "God" frequently gives people more than they can handle or they wouldn't turn to drugs, alcohol, go crazy or commit suicide.
:

We may have to agree to disagree on this one Vria. I disagree :shrug: I think its a cop out. I see the drugs, alcohol, go crazy and commit suicide as a lack of God in one's life and a lack of faith. I think its somewhere in the Bible that God doesn't give you more than one can handle. :shrug: We are all given our share of trials and tribulations... lifes a biatch sometimes and you need to grab hold of your faith during these times so you don't turn to drugs, alcohol or go crazy and commit suicide as your remedy:shrug: Faith is key. There is light at the end of the tunnel Maybe this is a test Watercolor. Hang in there!!! Put on the suit of Armor (Ephesians 6?) and don't let the Devil get you down!!

 

[Nickel]

We may have to agree to disagree on this one Vria. I disagree :shrug: I think its a cop out. I see the drugs, alcohol, go crazy and commit suicide as a lack of God in one's life and a lack of faith. I think its somewhere in the Bible that God doesn't give you more than one can handle. :shrug: We are all given our share of trials and tribulations... lifes a biatch sometimes and you need to grab hold of your faith during these times so you don't turn to drugs, alcohol or go crazy and commit suicide as your remedy:shrug: Faith is key. There is light at the end of the tunnel Maybe this is a test Watercolor. Hang in there!!! Put on the suit of Armor (Ephesians 6?) and don't let the Devil get you down!!

I knew a man that definitely had God in his life. He obviously had a lot of other hidden issues too though, because he died of a drug overdose two and a half years ago. A pastor said that God realized that the path he had ahead of him was too much for him to bear, and so he took him away. I don't know what that means. I don't know if it was a copout meant to appease his family, or how this man really felt. I don't know that I agree or disagree. From my personal experience, having God in your life gives you hope. It doesn't hurt me to believe in God, so I'm just going to go on believing. My family has been through such a hard time the past few months, and sometimes I think faith is the only thing that's gotten us through. :shrug:

 

[dems4me]

I knew a man that definitely had God in his life. He obviously had a lot of other hidden issues too though, because he died of a drug overdose two and a half years ago. A pastor said that God realized that the path he had ahead of him was too much for him to bear, and so he took him away. I don't know what that means. I don't know if it was a copout meant to appease his family, or how this man really felt. I don't know that I agree or disagree. From my personal experience, having God in your life gives you hope. It doesn't hurt me to believe in God, so I'm just going to go on believing. My family has been through such a hard time the past few months, and sometimes I think faith is the only thing that's gotten us through. :shrug:

My past was pretty horrific growing up and I think that's probably one of the reasons I turned out as quirky as I have But without faith and God, I would have been dead, I'm sure of this. I was stripped of everything growing up and had no adults people or anything to rely on or believe in and I read my Bible coloring book daily and clung to what I could of it just to keep going and surviving one more day. It was all I had. For a few years there was some relief, my grandmother had taken me in when I was little and then I watched her savagely get eaten alive by cancer, then thrown back to my parents. I had folks constantly try to intervene and not have my brother and I placed back with my parents. Life was even more hell. But without hope and belief in God, I don't know how I would have gotten through it all. I know TMI
Later in life though, I did date someone briefly before I knew he was agonostic, atheist or whatever and I kept asking him... How do you live in a world without hope, faith or miracles? I just couldn't understand at the time. I still don't to some degree. I believe in God and I believe in miracles, and the saying "there's nothing that can happen to me that God and I can't go through together" I have a personal relationship with God and wouldn't trade it for anything in the world

 

[Pandora]

Dems,

1 Corinthians 10:13

No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.

Earlier you said, God doesn't give you more than you can bear. I don't know where it says that. I just know where it says God will not let you be tempted beyond what you can handle without offering a way out.

We live in a dirty, evil, destructive world, with diseases, war, hatred, envy, jealously, death…. The list goes on and on and it is a painful one. There are times it is an awful lot to bear but God doesn't have a hand in all that, now does he?

 

[dems4me]

Dems,

1 Corinthians 10:13

No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.

Earlier you said, God doesn't give you more than you can bear. I don't know where it says that. I just know where it says God will not let you be tempted beyond what you can handle without offering a way out.

We live in a dirty, evil, destructive world, with diseases, war, hatred, envy, jealously, death…. The list goes on and on and it is a painful one. There are times it is an awful lot to bear but God doesn't have a hand in all that, now does he?

I don't have time to look for it. He doesn't put you through a fire you and him can't walk thorugh together Whatever I give up, your right, Watercolor should just give up her faith entirely and join Wicca

 

[Pandora]

I don't have time to look for it. He doesn't put you through a fire you and him can't walk thorugh together Whatever

Did you forget your purple little pill today?

 

[dems4me]

Did you forget your purple little pill today?

No. I'm just saying, I believe in the Bible and and its my intepretatin that God doesn't put you through more than one can handle. Although it feels like it at times. Its not more than any one person can bear. I feel badly for people down on their luck or hard times more so than the average bear but I do know your faith and hope in God is about the only thing you can't turn your back on during trials, tests and tribulations.

 

[BlackSheep]

This is not true. "God" frequently gives people more than they can handle or they wouldn't turn to drugs, alcohol, go crazy or commit suicide.

IMHO-God gives you more than you can handle just to see what you're made of!

 

[dems4me]

IMHO-God gives you more than you can handle just to see what you're made of!

In that case - this oughtta do it

Dear God, its me Dems,

Please dont' give me anything more, I'm made of nothing and can handle nothing. Many Thanks!!!

Dems

 

[vraiblonde]

IMHO-God gives you more than you can handle just to see what you're made of!

What's the point of that? God's supposed to already know what you're made of.

Watercolor, is any of this making you feel any better?

 

[BlackSheep]

What's the point of that? God's supposed to already know what you're made of.

I think we're just a rough draft!

 

[watercolor]

Watercolor, is any of this making you feel any better?

Yeah.



But just to comment on what you said, I am not, not counting my blessings, I know I have MUCH more than anyone in a harder position has. And I am very blessed to this day. I am just saying in an emotional faith fashion- I am not speaking of my "life" situations- but more of what is going on inside, if that makes sense? More so- that I am trying to "figure" things out in my head persay- with the whole, where I am suppose to be in my faith?m I guess...