Hi,

I feel a bit stupid asking this. I stopped going to church when I had bad expierences at school and other stuff too.
God just didn't make sense anymore, why would he let me suffer like this?
So I stopped going to church and praying (I used to pray every night before bed) now I don't really pray.
I want to love God but I'm not sure how I should (I hope you get what I mean I am so rubbish at explaining things)
Thanks Jack

Okay, you need to realize that bad experiences happen and our preception of this is different from Gods. For example, many tough experiences in life. Things we go through actually break us down but we get built up even stronger in the long run because of those rough times. Do you know what I am saying. You heard of the potter. The potter is the builder. If he is not happy, or just wants to build something better what does he do? He breaks it down to rebuilt it even better.

Your looking to reach out to God again. Pray to him. He is loving and caring and he will lift you up and hold you in his arms. All you have to do is pray to him. It does not have to involve anybody just YOU AND GOD. It is time to rebuild your relationship with God and prayer and reading your bible will help you get started. I hope I did get what you mean and hope whatever is said in these posts by me and others help you get back to loving God.

Joe

Well when I stopped going to church I sort of told myself he didn't exist, but now I believe in him I'm just not sure if I want to know him.. if you know what I mean

Thanks Joe, you did understand what I was saying, thank you for your help because I do want to get closer to God and get my beliefs back on track

Sorry about my first question(I have deleted the question as it maybe irrelevant)
I missed the bit about church in your question.

I am of a different faith, so maybe someone else will help.

I agree with Joe as well and would just encourage you to read through the book of James and maybe spend extra time studying the first chapter. If you persevere you will see light through your trials. Hang tight and know that God is with you every step of the way. It doesn't say in the Psalms that the Lord will prevent bad things from happening to you it says "though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death Lord you are with me (paraphrase)" He is also strong enough and big enough for you to tell Him anything in anyway you need to (scream, etc) or let Him bare any burden you have. God bless.

OK Firmbeliever, thank you for trying to help anyway.

You have received some great advice in this matter. I would just add that you're situation is not unusual. Many people go through ups and downs in their walk with God. So, you shouldn't "feel a bit stupid" asking any thing about how to reach out to God.

Faith should not be blind belief, Jack. That's the difference from the religious man to the spiritual one. To question everything is the best thing to do in the process of enlightenment. To regularly be in a church or temple is really not a pre-requisite for a spiritual life, too.

Be free, Jack. Don't blame yourself if you have faith or not. It doesn't matter, anyway. Just live your live as harmonious as is could be, love yourself, your family, your whole planet.

Be free, nothing but free, don't worry about it, and sooner or later you will discover that faith is not a belief in something or someone, but conscience and presence.

The Lord says that if we search for Him with all our hearts that we will find Him. So my best bet is to pray and ask Jesus to restore :)

Don't worry!! One stops praying usually when he\she feels guilty but in your case you stopped believing in him that means your faith wasn't strong enuf in the first place.it was for your personal good. Go to church and sit there for a while. You'll feel peaceful and you'll realise that god does everything for your good. There have to b ups and downs in life but they are smoother when you have him to fall back on!

Wow. I had to tell you that this comment resonated with me in such a way, that I have to keep reading it. Even though I believe exactly this, it sounded so profound when I read it. I kept saying yes, that's it! This is an awareness of living in truth. That means accepting what you don't understand and coming to peace with that and with everything. It surely isn't easy. Especially when you have probably looked to the church your whole life for the answers, but really they come from within. Your relationship with God has really nothing to do with church, it is just another way to celebrating what you believe. Not everyone who goes to church is religious or spiritual. That is the key here. You may think that because you feel safe and the answers are given, that you feel secure and firm in your beliefs. However, we all don't agree with the entirety of any religion. This is because we have our own personalities, souls, awareness, and judgments. How would a God who loves you unconditionally, punish you if you don't understand if God even exists in the first place? It isn't possible. There is no punishment from God, it comes from you. Trust yourself and believe God is within. Within you and everything else that is living.
Whether in this life or the next existence, you may continue to learn lessons and have to live again to maybe have more awareness or enlightenment. But I can tell you this, God did not create us with the opportunity or the gift of free will, to then punish and condemn us later for making mistakes. IT is in the mistakes or in the turmoil that we grow, learn and change. This is why many people who have lived their lives in a way that is harmful and then "find God" , usually are the most fervent in their beliefs. However, it is in the process of learning what the lesson is, that determines our next existence. How we change or grow from each experience, is more important than the experience itself.
You are questioning what everyone is questioning. What is my purpose? Am I worthy? Who is God? Yes, this is what every human experiences. So why would that occur, if God didn't want it to. HAve faith in knowing you will never know everything about anything and that includes God. Maybe you aren't supposed to.
Moreover, like this wise soul stated, be free, there is no one standing at a door waiting to put a stamp of disapproval on you. That is something you do to yourself. Be aware, be loving, grow in consciousness and the rest will be as it is supposed to..
I wish you peace within
:)

Do you remember in the book of Job, when the Lord releases his blessing form Job and lets the Devil test his faith. The Devil took everything from Job (not God) but in the end Job laid his heart out in front of God and asked to be forgiven.
What I mean by this is, the Lord will never give you something you can handle. Even when you look at the situation and say "This is impossible", the Lord knows how to work it out. All you have to do is ask him, and be open to what he tells you.
Remember, it is always easy to know God loves you when things are good. You always hear about people giving "Glory to God" for hitting that homerun, or for winning the lottery, but what about when God puts a trial in front of you... and YOU conqure it! That is God's true glory. When he sees his children become stronger by forgeing them through "Fire"!

Ask God to forgive you for walking away, and to restore you. He will.

1 John 1:9 (New King James Version)
New King James Version (NKJV)
Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

I got really mad at God. I lost my faith big time. Took many years and a few tries to get back into going to Church. My faith still has not recovered. Learned many years ago in school faith is a gift. I regret the day I poopooed away that gift. I pray for stronger faith all the time.

Someone once told me if you pray for patience God will test your patience to prove to yourself that you have it. Sometimes I think he does this with my request for faith.

Good question, don't give up!!

Hi! Jack,

We all believe different things, and we seem to get on just fine most of the time. We stop and start, we all doubt the things in our life from time to time. I think if you can remain calm and simply go with the flow for a while you will find your way again. Trust your instincts and whatever you believe to be at the core of your being - trust it.