Losing My Faith

@Faith-and-Hope ^^^^

@Merl Hi Merl and welcome to the forums. I am not religious but spiritual. If I lost my spirituality I would be lost too so I think I understand a bit of where you are coming from. Just letting you know that you are not alone. I will tag a few people who I believe are religious here. @Meowmy @Former-Member @Owlunar

Hi @Merl 👋💕

I will most certainly pray for you .....

If you are a Bible reader, then you will know this one ..... Matthew 25:40

If you are not feeling it at the moment, then close the Good Book and put aside any feelings of guilt about it ...... it's not going anywhere, you're just taking a break from all the "have to's".

Just be for a while ......

Breathe in, breathe out ..... notice your breath and be thankful for it .....,

Eat food that appeals to you that has something good in it ..... and put aside any feelings of guilt about whatever that choice is ...... your body knows what it is seeking from food and will be appreciative of receiving it ...... rest awhile in that ......

Sleep if you are tired.

Your faith is a living thing, and can just be ..... you are kind-hearted enough to be well with the people you meet, and as the King says ..... "whomsoever you do this for, you do it for me" ..... be, do, rest, care ...... faith will return to the place it belongs in your life, in the forms of the Christian trimmings, when it is ready to ....... put all guilt aside and wait ....... and be, and do, and rest, and care, as you wait.

It will be well with you this way.

Gently, gently, and the way will open.

💜🌷

Hi @Merl

I'm sorry this has happened - perhaps it is a time of testing - I don't know but remember that nothing can seperate us from the love of God in Christ.

It's a distressing time for you - I have left the Church but not lost my faith though it has been a time when I have searched my soul - tough but satisfying - God has not let me down

I will pray for you to have your prayers answered

Dec

Hello @Merl

If you are anything like me, well emotions and other struggles in life speak so very loud sometimes. Even this morning it is to me. So it feels like God sort of dissappears. When this happens for me, well I don't want to be here anymore. I can't live without Him. Not sure if that is where you are at or not.

Anyway He says He will never leave or forsake us. He is right here. He cares for us. And I am speaking to myself as well as I write this to you.

I think we just got to live by His word, what He says and not how we feel. He does say He will never leave or forsake us. Tears now, all I want is to dwell in His presence. My soul aches and thirsts after the Living God. Just want Him to hold me... everything will be alright then.

Yeah I am not sure where you are at. But He loves you. Thoughts are coming into my mind. Faith comes from hearing the word. Sorry don't know where I am going with that.

I just wanted to say hello anyway.

@Merl Hi Merl, I've been feeling that way too recently. I have had a few times in the past as well when I've pulled away from God, when I am angry about my situation and without hope, when I start to doubt. What helps me believe is that I have a conscience which is sort of proof to me that there is a God and love of course. Science can not prove that they don't exist. I've pulled away from the church too partly out of laziness and not practising my faith. I will pray for you and could you pray for me too please? I want God back in my life I need him but I can't let go of sin. I want to continue it. It's hard to give up. I look back at times when I went to church and loved God and life was tragic but I felt safe with him. I really have no answers on how to get back. I'm glad I read your post. It's jolted me into thinking about it. thank you. I hope you and I will find our faith back. All the best sweet_cheeks

@Former-Member .... thank you for your kind words. I do understand what you are saying. The voice in my head can be so incredibly loud at times, and so very negative. Imagine if we were all able to go about our lives without those constant doubts and insecure feelings and thinking we're not good enough. Imagine what we could achieve.

I'm sorry that you even have one moment where you don't want to be here anymore. It's the most energy zapping feeling of hopelessness and it's a truly horrible place to be (I'm not there ATM, but I've been there many times in the last 30 years). I so pray that you are in a better place today and able to enjoy the rest of your week, enjoying all the marvellous little things that make our world a truly beautiful place. Like 4-legged friends for example. 🐾🐾🐾

Don't believe the lies in your head (coz that's what they are really).

And yes, God's truths do ring in my ear. I know that I could never live life without Him. Because I used to live that way, and it was heartbreaking. At the moment, I feel as if I'm stuck in the middle. And I've become very lazy and undisciplined in my faith. One thing I have started doing is I've put a little set of shelves in my toilet, with my Mum's Bible sitting on it. I read it every day now, simply because it's there, and that can't be a bad thing. I know what the Bible says about being lukewarm, and I don't want to be that way.

Hello Lo back to you, dear Peggy. Big hugs, @Merl

@Owlunar .... Thanks so much for your encouragement. It really means the world.

I'm sorry you have left the church as well. Seems to be a common theme. Sometimes there's more judgment from Christians than non-Christians, and that really hurts. I know that I lost a Christian friendship at my church because I was deemed too high maintenance because of my mental illness.

God must really be doing some serious work in my life ATM, because my son just told me (we only have one child) that he's not really interested in socialising with me anymore, and his girlfriend (who is a really bad egg) who he lives with, is slowly but surely turning him against my husband and I. It's heartbreaking, Dec. I feel like the wind has been knocked out of me. We have always had such a loving and open relationship with our boy. And he's always been such a beautiful, caring, thoughtful, sensitive soul.

We spoke last night over the phone and had an honest discussion about where he's at, and where I'm at, because even though he's happy to be controlled and manipulated by this girl, we are not. And I guess love trumps the parents at the end of the day, no matter how crazy the lies are. There's a lesson here, and I know I must learn it. But I would rather hid my head under the Doona. @Merl

Hi @Merl

Yes - I have left the church but I haven't lost my faith - and my faith has been thoroughly tested through life and I had a long think about that

I even got around to asking God why he was testing me so much when he already knew my faith was strong and I did get a reply - through prayer - and it was that I should know my faith and through some really hard events through life it has endured - and I guess God gave me the free will all along and still does

About your son - this sort of event happens and I have read about it so much in this forum. I really can understand how much this hurts - I have a good relationship with my daughter - should I lose this for any reason it would break my heart.

Still there are families who lose their children because of their partners - this is sad and it sounds as if this girl is a manipulator and this is hard for your son too - ah - what could I suggest? - let him go for now and wait and see because trying to hang on to him is going to make it harder - just be there if he needs you

It does test your faith though - and I remember when my son was becoming a very difficult person people at the church made this harder and one person asked me if God's grace was enough for me - it took a long time to find a good answer for that one too and it is - "God's grace is enough but everyone has free will" - and that's true for you and your son and me and my son -

So I do understand - truly - this is a testing time and never easy - and I am holding you in my thoughts and prayers

Dec

Hello @Merl

I have found that it is only when looking back after being unwell that we see how that God has indeed been with us all the way just as he has promised even though at the time we might not feel his presence.

I can truly say that my faith sustained me when my Mr Darcy went through an acute episode when he almost died due to his mental health condition. I found playing sacred music to be of benefit. We were blessed to be in a church at the time where there were people who understood and cared which I know is not always the case which I think may in part be related to ignorance and fear. Shortly after Mr Ds attempt I had a profound revelation of the grace of God that has impacted me greatly and I felt the steadfast love and mercy in a way I had not experienced it before and this has stayed with me. What I have found to be wonderful is that in spite of any physical problems that we have God can continue his healing and transforming work in our hearts, making us more like Him.

That is a beautiful testimony @Former-Member

Thank you for sharing it

Dec