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    manimuth's Avatar
    manimuth Posts: 261, Reputation: 60
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    #1

    Feb 14, 2007, 03:22 PM
    My faith is being aggressively tested.
    Over the past 4 or 5 years, I have grown closer and closer to my God. Recently, I needed His help. When I had no other thing or person to turn to, I held on to my faith that He will not abandon me in my time of need. Even as disappointments threatened my hope, I held onto Him even more. As friends and family had no words of comfort or advice, I found strength in my faith in Him. I prayed, implored, and pleaded. But, the thing I prayed for, what I needed from Him, has been lost. I can't explain how let down I feel. What happened to "Ask...and knock..."? What happened to "If you believe..."? What about "Have faith..."?
    Even now, I am trying to tell myself that He will open other doors for me... or that He has better plans.. or that things will work out... But, I can still feel the bitterness at the back of my throat.
    How can I hold onto my faith, belief, and love for my God even as I am overwhelmed by a stunned disappointment?
    JoeCanada76's Avatar
    JoeCanada76 Posts: 6,669, Reputation: 1707
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    #2

    Feb 14, 2007, 03:36 PM
    First of all, what exactly is lost that you wanted God to do. Honestly nothing is really lost and every experience and life lesson we go through is needed to grow in strength and faith. If you give up so easily then God has a lot of work to do with you and for you. You keep stating Your God, so I am not sure exactly what God you are talking about. With my God, I think of all the suffering Jesus went through. Do you think you would rather go through that. I think we lack thankfulness to God our creator. I think we need to be more thankful for what we do have. God has a way of keeping us humble.

    What about Job, I hope you know the story about all the suffering he went through. Even when we see and hear about people who have so many other problems worse then ourselves, we should be thankful. Road blocks in our life are meant for us to overcome. For us to grow stronger. Remember that God is always with us. Always guiding us.

    Another thing that people do not realize is that. Many people communicate like crazy to God. Praying all the time and asking and requesting. Yet the relationship is ONLY ONE SIDED. People need to remember we need quite time to be able to open up to God. To hear back from God to receive answers from God. This is TWO WAY COMMUNICATION which as you know is proven to be a lot better then one sided. Keep that in mind.

    Hope this post helps you find your way.

    Joe
    manimuth's Avatar
    manimuth Posts: 261, Reputation: 60
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    #3

    Feb 14, 2007, 03:54 PM
    Jesushelper,
    I am an Orthodox Christian and the reason why I said my God is because that is just the way I think of Him. I also welcome opinions from people of other faiths.
    I am acutely aware of my blessings and am also very thankful and grateful of His love and sacrifice. My grandmother taught me how to pray and in fact, she has taught me to start every day with just thanking Him. And, so, every morning I am thankful and grateful for everything I have.
    I also don't think of myself as always complaining and requesting. I am satisfied with my communication. I feel responded to and I feel loved.
    Yes, I know about Job and obviously have a long way to go before I can pass and withstand the tests he went through. I just wanted some advice on how to push through these tests (that is how I see this... as a test) when I feel so terrible.
    What I needed from Him was an opening and an opportunity important to my life and what I want to do with my life.
    No, I have definitely not given up on God! I just want to know how to get over this stunned feeling of being dissapointed and get back in touch with God.
    Thank you for your words.
    valinors_sorrow's Avatar
    valinors_sorrow Posts: 2,927, Reputation: 653
    I regard all beings mostly by their consciousness and little else
     
    #4

    Feb 14, 2007, 03:58 PM
    I tend to trust my Creators's understanding of things is vast and that my mortal understanding of things is quite small. I think you are on to something very important when you said you could see how there is a possibility... "He will open other doors for me...or that He has better plans..or that things will work out..." Focus on that more and you will find your faith grows.

    Also, know that the stunned part will ease and the pain lesson over time -- the grieving process our Creator built into us is just for these occasions. Trust that if you can't trust anything else. Feel how carefully we were made to be able to survive the disappointments He knew we would encounter. I am sorry for your loss.

    Also, realise God provided free will to everyone so there is no making this work out here and that work out there. You might be asking something of God that can't be done without sacrificing one of the greatest gifts given to all of us. In other words, the miracle you hoped for might be at someone else's expense and that wouldn't be right.

    And lastly, faith in our respective God is much like a muscle in our bodies. It needs exercise to gain in strength. Consider what you are going through as exactly that. It helps to think this pain was not for nothing. I am encouraged in times like this to learn what it is that maybe God is trying to teach me and so I encourage you to do likewise. You have several gifts in this that only time may show you. Those who have experienced gifts like this know all about it. Seek their company so that you can believe that they believe until you once again believe yourself. We all need help like that now and then.

    I hope that helps.
    Allheart's Avatar
    Allheart Posts: 1,639, Reputation: 436
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    #5

    Feb 14, 2007, 04:02 PM
    Hi Manimuth,

    The one thing that I have learned, is the only one that I can have faith in, the only one that I can truly trust, is God.

    You have to keep in mind, that our Father, can see our tomorrow's, where we can not.
    So many times, we may ask our Father for things, that we think we need, we thing we want, we think our good for us, but our Father not only listens to our prayers, but he most certainly answers them.

    I once heard this story, that I hope you enjoy.

    The Cardinal was attending a professional football game, and the home fans were going crazy, trying to route their home team to victory. Well, after four quarters, the home team lost. A couple of the fans went up to the Cardinal, and said, "Cardinal, we prayed so hard for our team to win, but God did not answer our prayers". The Cardinal smiled just a little and said "Son, oh God heard your prayers and he did indeed answer them, but God just answered "No".

    I guess the moral to this is, God always knows what is best for us, so much more than we do. The faith part comes in when we have to trust this. Even more imporant, we never want anything for ourselves, that is not God's will. To be outside of His will, and what he has planned for us, will forever keep us in a confused and dark state.

    Open your heart to Him, trust his will, and pray, Father, may your will be done.

    I am not trying to lessen your hurts, or trivilize your dismay, we all have these moments, but thankfully we have each other to remind us, that there is not a problem on this earth, that is more powerful than our loving Father.

    I hope this brings you some comfort.
    JoeCanada76's Avatar
    JoeCanada76 Posts: 6,669, Reputation: 1707
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    #6

    Feb 14, 2007, 04:06 PM
    The thing is I never felt that way about God. So honestly I do not understand where your coming from but I wanted to answer you from what I felt and saw from your post. There have been lots of ups and lots of downs. Never disappointment in God. Maybe upset or hurt with the situations that I have gone through. Your post cried out saying your disappointment and your giving up, that is what your post read to me. God knows us more then ourselves. He knows what is best for us.

    Joe
    manimuth's Avatar
    manimuth Posts: 261, Reputation: 60
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    #7

    Feb 14, 2007, 04:17 PM
    Joe,
    I am from a different culture and learned to worship in a different language and so, I think that the way I refer to God is roughly translated to "my God". That is just the way I think of Him when I talk about Him.
    Again, I am caught in the human emotions of feeling disappointed and discouraged but am in no way ready or convinced to give up on God.
    But, thank you. I will remember that He knows what is best.
    laura0909009's Avatar
    laura0909009 Posts: 17, Reputation: 2
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    #8

    Feb 14, 2007, 05:38 PM
    U need patience!
    Stop thinking negative even a ounce of negativity can drown out the positive

    If u want something bad enough in life u will get it
    Just have to hang in there and wait for it
    Remember god works in mysterious ways
    Pezcore's Avatar
    Pezcore Posts: 13, Reputation: 2
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    #9

    Feb 15, 2007, 07:08 AM
    Sometimes god doesn't give you the help that you think you need because either:
    A. Your strong enough to deal with it on your own
    B. He NEEDS you to work it out on your own or you won't learn from it
    Or
    C. He knows things will work out on their own, you always have his help even if you think you don't. He's helping you by letting you handle it on your own because the problem isn't as big as you think.
    God will always help you, but he needs help from you too - you need to do it together, don't just rely on him.
    Much love
    Gernald's Avatar
    Gernald Posts: 901, Reputation: 93
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    #10

    Aug 6, 2007, 09:47 AM
    He always has a plan- even if it looks like he isn't even thinking about you. He's a busy guy he has to deal with every problem in the world. Just because he gives you no answers and makes you feel like you're alone you're not. I think he's everywhere, it's just that we as humans we have to deal with our own troubles sometimes because that's what he wants us to do. His intentions may not always be clear, but they are his intentions and thus we must trust them.
    firmbeliever's Avatar
    firmbeliever Posts: 2,919, Reputation: 463
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    #11

    Aug 9, 2007, 11:44 PM
    Quote Originally Posted by manimuth
    Jesushelper,
    I am an Orthodox Christian and the reason why I said my God is because that is just the way I think of Him. I also welcome opinions from people of other faiths.

    Thank you for your words.
    It is normal to feel down when things go bad and wonder when it will change.

    As you have asked for opinions of other faiths...

    For me personally what helps is that I believe that this world is temporary and compared to the Hereafter which is eternal, our life on earth is very short.

    And the other thing that helps me is prayer, we are recommended as muslims to turn to the Almighty again and again for guidance,patience and courage to go on with our life whether it be good or bad.This does not mean that our prayers ae answered instantly but the faith we have increases and we gain strength to cope because of the increase in faith.

    :)
    mlc2690's Avatar
    mlc2690 Posts: 1, Reputation: 1
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    #12

    Feb 26, 2012, 10:38 AM
    God has a reason for everything allowed to happen in your life. We think we know what's best for us but only He knows what's really best for us. Acknowledge that He's in control and that He will work all things out for your good! Don't worry just ask him to help you learn to trust him with your life. Don't lose your peace. I find that listening to praise and worship music helps me a whole lot whenever my faith is being tested. I feel His presence I begin to praise, cry and thank Him and I feel cleansed, renewed and strong in my faith. If God is with you who can be against you! Shut the world out and focus & devote yourself to Him, FEEL HIS PRESENCE it's all you need to overcome all things.

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