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Posts: 11,254
Joined: 05-Jun-2005 Zodiac: Elder
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Been through times when I wondered if the Lord knew what was going on in my life (Foolish, I know, but I'm just being honest).
I find that many of the Biblical heroes we look up to went through similar times. Jeremiah was, by all accounts, a man of great sorrow. His book of Lamentations is truly heartbreaking.
The one thing I have tried to do, Dundee, during those times, is to remember that even though everything in my life seems out of control, God has not been taken by surprise, nor is He out of control. I look at Job and wonder how he was able to keep his faith in the face of enormous trials and tribulations.
There's an old saying that says, when you have a roof over your head, money in your pocket, and food on your table, God is in control. And when the roof is leaking, your pockets seem to have holes, and you don't know where the next meal is coming form, God is STILL in control. I have to take comfort in knowing that He allows nothing bad to happen to me in the light of eternity. The song Rejoice in the Lord says, ". . . but when I am tried, and purified, I shall come forth as Gold."
Have a great day, my friend, and know that I am praying for you. Lord bless.
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Always vote for principle, though you may vote alone, and you may cherish the sweetest reflection that your vote is never lost. -- John Quincy Adams
Do your duty in all things. You cannot do more, you should never wish to do less - Robert E. Lee
For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved - Romans 10:13 (KJV)
The Lord is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble, and he knoweth them that trust in him - Nahum 1:7 (KJV)
I know I haven't been here in a long time but this is a question I've been trying to figure out for quite a while.
Over the last few years I've pretty much lost my faith. I am Catholic. I deep down believe that Truth and believe in God, but constant hypocrisy and contradictions have caused me to question. Also a few tragic events have hurt a lot.
I was married in July and soon after became pregnant. I believe that I need to get my faith back because I feel that a child should be raised with some form of religion. I believe that my child needs to have faith as well. But how can I teach my child when I still don't fully accept?
I wish I could get back to the point where I want to practice my faith not because I HAVE to, but because I WANT to. I feel for my sake, my husband's, and the sake of our unborn child that we all need to find our way back. But where and how do you start your journey home?
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There's a dear little plant that grows in our Isle Twas St . Patrick himself, sure, that set it; And the sun of his labour with pleasure did smile, And with dew from his eye often wet it. It grows through the bog, through the brake, through the Mireland, and they call it the dear little shamrock of Ireland.
One night I had a dream-- I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord and across the sky flashed scenes from my life. For each scene I noticed two sets of footprints, one belonged to me and the other to the Lord. When the last scene of my life flashed before me, I looked back at the footprints in the sand. I noticed that many times along the path of my life, there was only one set of footprints. I also noticed that it happened at the very lowest and saddest times in my life. This really bothered me and I questioned the Lord about it. "Lord, you said that once I decided to follow you, you would walk with me all the way, but I have noticed that during the most troublesome times in my life there is only one set of footprints. "I don't understand why in times when I needed you most, you should leave me." The Lord replied, "My precious, precious child, I love you and I would never, never leave you during your times of trial and suffering. "When you saw only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you."
Dear Lord, lest I continue in my complacent ways, help me to remember that someone died for me today. And if there be war, help me to remember to ask and to answer "am I worth dying for?" - Eleanor Roosevelt
The ultimate result of shielding men from the effects of folly is to fill the world with fools. -- Herbert Spencer, English Philosopher (1820-1903)
I have been wrestling with this very question, and I fear that I have lost the battle. My recent separation from my wife has literally destroyed my faith. I was convinced, absolutely positive, that the Lord would save my marriage. Even 2 weeks after leaving I was still convinced and had absolute faith that everything was going to be okay. But when she moved her new boyfriend into our house and bed, it completely destroyed my hope and - along with it - my faith. I hope that someday my faith will be restored, but I fear it will be a long time in coming. There is simply too much anger, hurt, disappointment and bitterness for a quick resolution.
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Slŕn agus beannachd, Allen R. Alderman
'S i Alba těr mo chridhe. 'S i Gŕidhlig cŕnan m' anama. Scotland is the land of my heart. Gaelic is the language of my soul.
i am truly sorry for your hurt and pain... i wish i could do something for you. i hope your pain heals quickly... seems funny what i am about to say seeing as i started this thread.
but she made the decisions ... not the Lord. God wont twist anyones arm... not even mine.
sometimes we lose our faith because our heart is so heavy with the hurts of the whole world we seem to shut down, we can't take it all in...it's not really lost just misplaced for a while...sometime this is our test that god in his wisdom has set for us....when all is in doubt we look deep within ourselves and there it is waiting for us.
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non nobis domine,non nobis sed nomini tua da gloriam.
I have heard this analogy.. The Wife says to the husband when we were dating we always sat next to each other in the seat and I cuddled as you drove we dont do that any more he repies " I DIDNT MOVE " The Lord is always right there we are blinded by our daily trails and tribulations and try to do it ourselves and we forget he is always right there and its us that moves away not him!!
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"True conformity to the dictates of nature requires reverence for the past and solicitude for the future. 'Nature' is not simply the sensation of the passing moment; it is eternal, though we evanescent men experience only a fragment of it. We have no right to imperil the happiness of posterity by impudently tinkering with the heritage of humanity."
"Every right is married to a duty, every freedom owns a corresponding responsibility. There cannot be genuine freedom unless there exists also genuine order in the moral realm and in the social realm."
I think all of us at times "lose our religion", but I can honestly say I have never lost my faith and belief that in all the stuff that happens in my life God doesn't have some plan.
God is always with us. I remember when my daughter first got sick with multiple sclerosis she was only 17, but she told me don't ask God why, she said that God was going to use this as a witness to others about Gods grace.
The term losing your religion shouldn't mean losing your faith in God. Religion for the most part is tradition. But our salvation is only through Yeshua (Jesus Christ).
I know people think religion and faith are the same. But they are not.
Wizard I am so sorry on the break up of your marriage. I can't imagine what you are going through (I've been married almost 29 years) but I have seen so many of my friends go through a divorce for various reasons. But I can assure you that God is there, seek out those is your congregation who can give you support. I know a lot of churches in our area have divorce support groups. Its sad that believer have a divorce rate that is almost as high as non believers. I agree with the others that God would not force or twist someones arms, but through it all he is with you.
I went through the same thing with a womanyers ago. e had dated for two years and I would have married her in a second. That's all we talked about at times was our marriage and our ministry since we were both heavily involved with our churches. Then she met some idiot who would give her all the booze and drugs she wanted and since she was a rebelling pastor's kid she went with it. Actually broke up with me at the first Cornerstone Christian festival. She married the idiot two weeks later with her preacher dad doing the ceremony. The only thing I got was a permament ulcer from the worry and stress. I thought for sure the Lord would put us back together at some point. At one point I realized the Lord wass still with me even though she wasn't. Still didn't help with the pain and anguish. A bit later I remet my future wife (we were friends during the first two years in college but had not seen each other in two years and now 21 years later I'm still maried to my wife and the old girlfriend is on her fourth husband (2 divorces, one death, and she now married to a prision minister). I know this is a late post but I can totally rellate to what you are going through and I hope you haven't given up on God just yet. With free will it's not always God's fault.
I always thought that "losing your religion" was slang for losing your temper.
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Unavoidably Detained by the World
"Irishness is not primary a question of birth or blood or language; it is the condition on being involved in the Irish situation, and usually of being mauled by it."-Conor Cruise O'Brien
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Joined: 20-Jun-2003 Zodiac: Holly
Realm: The frontier of Penn's Woods
One does not lose one's religion, but one's faith in a religion... Life's beliefs are a continuing journey of faith in the divine creator be it the "God" of the Jews, the risen "savior" of the Christians, the Earth Mother of the begining faiths or the gods of the east...
It is when we all come to the common belief that we are one in the universe with every living thing that our lose of faith will become a trivial thing, no one organised religion holds all truth for all.
We are beings created with free will and free minds, what we do with that gift is how we will be judged.
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I support the separation of church and hate!
IMAGINATION - the freest and largest nation in the world!
One can not profess to be of "GOD" and show intolerence and prejudice towards the beliefs of others.
Am fear nach gleidh na h–airm san t–sith, cha bhi iad aige ’n am a’ chogaidh. He that keeps not his arms in time of peace will have none in time of war.
"We're all in this together , in the parking lot between faith and fear" ... O.C.M.S.
“Beasts feed; man eats; only the man of intellect knows how to eat well.”
"Without food we are nothing, without history we are lost." - SHADOWS
Is iomadh duine laghach a mhill an Creideamh. Religion has spoiled many a good man.
Group: Celtic Nation
Posts: 377
Joined: 02-Sep-2004 Zodiac: Oak
Realm: Tasmania, Australia
The time IS coming when we will all come to a common belief, Jesus is returning to establish His Kingdom for those who are faithful to the truth. Then all will worship the One True God, the only God, the God of the Bible through the Son, Jesus Christ.
Worshippers of false religions, dark arts, pagan religions and atheists will not be part of that Kingdom. They disqualify themselves through their disobedience.
Rev 22:12 And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to each according as his work is. Rev 22:13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the Ending, the First and the Last. Rev 22:14 Blessed are they who do His commandments, that their authority will be over the Tree of Life, and they may enter in by the gates into the city. Rev 22:15 But outside are the dogs, and the sorcerers, and the fornicators, and the murderers, and the idolaters, and everyone who loves and makes a lie. Rev 22:16 I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify these things to you over the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the bright and Morning Star. Rev 22:17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come! And let the one hearing say, Come! And let the one who is thirsty come. And he willing, let him take of the Water of Life freely.
Group: Celtic Nation
Posts: 377
Joined: 02-Sep-2004 Zodiac: Oak
Realm: Tasmania, Australia
Robert, God really is amazing..when we trust Him. An old pastor of mine used to have a saying "Work, don't worry". It was a simple way of thinking, he said 'just get on with the work before you and leave the worry to God'.
We don't serve some obscure 'force' in the universe, and idol made of stone, a human leader or a multi-headed deity. We serve the Creator of all that is, Who has a great and personal love for all His creation, including Man, so much in fact that the Father sent His own Son to pay the price for our disobedience and to bring us back into His love.
So God does listen to us, as a Father does.
Wiz, you are very much in our prayers, those we love often let us down, but Jesus never does.
Amen Tassiecelt. We don't serve some obscure god, but the one true God. My pastor has said that God is never late he is always on time. Another pastor once said when someone asked why doesn't God answer my prayers? God answers all prayers, sometimes its not the answer we want to hear.
Gwenlee
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