cymbalblade
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This is a long one. I don't know if this is the best place to post this. I just want the opinions of people outside of my church, hopefully of different faiths. I’ve wanted to talk to people at church about this, but I feel like they’d be so disappointed in me when they find what little faith I have. I’ve been going to this church for a long time. I used to consider myself Christian. I used to believe everything they told me, that there is one true God, that he created us to worship him, that he came to earth as Jesus to save us, that I’d be saved if I just believed in Jesus.
But after some years, I started to notice how people all around the world believe so strongly in other faiths. I started to see that people are just raised a certain way, and believe in whatever they have been told is true.
One person can “know” that something is true, while another person can “know” that something else is true, even though it is completely contradictory to the first. All these people believing in such different things… so many people have to be completely wrong. But they think they’re right, just like everyone else does.
And I realized that I wasn’t that different. I started to wonder what my faith was based on, and I realized it was based entirely on assumptions. It was based entirely on trust in what I have been told. I reached a point where I wasn't sure if it was all really true.
So for a few years, these doubts came and went. I kept going to church, trying to be the person that the pastor said I should be. After a while I started to see that I had no idea what was true. And I felt like I was doing something wrong. I started to pray to God about it. I wanted Him to strengthen my faith, to pull me back in line, to show me signs that He is what I’ve been told He is.
I realized that I’ve never really experienced God myself. I’ve only read about Him, heard about Him, and “witnessed” other people experience Him. I just wanted to hear his voice or feel his presence. I’ve felt like if that actually happened, then my faith would no longer be based on what other people tell me, but on God Himself. So for a few years now, I’ve been praying for this. I read things like “if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me.” Then I think “I have opened the door. I have tried so hard. And I get nothing.” I’ve prayed for so many things, and I feel that I haven’t really received any of it.
More recently, instead of praying to God for answers, sometimes I pray to “whoever is out there listening.” I’ve also been reading about other religions and reading some of their sacred books. I’m hoping that something will stand out to me as being right, or maybe I’ll just experience something for myself and then know I’m on the right path. But still, I haven’t gotten very far. I still go to church, read the bible, and pray, sometimes in Jesus’ name. But I now feel very lost, and very open to any other ideas out there.
How can a person find the right path and know that it is right?
Thanks for reading such a long post, and for any help you might give. If you think there's a more helpful place for me to post this, please share. Thanks.
- Tim
But after some years, I started to notice how people all around the world believe so strongly in other faiths. I started to see that people are just raised a certain way, and believe in whatever they have been told is true.
One person can “know” that something is true, while another person can “know” that something else is true, even though it is completely contradictory to the first. All these people believing in such different things… so many people have to be completely wrong. But they think they’re right, just like everyone else does.
And I realized that I wasn’t that different. I started to wonder what my faith was based on, and I realized it was based entirely on assumptions. It was based entirely on trust in what I have been told. I reached a point where I wasn't sure if it was all really true.
So for a few years, these doubts came and went. I kept going to church, trying to be the person that the pastor said I should be. After a while I started to see that I had no idea what was true. And I felt like I was doing something wrong. I started to pray to God about it. I wanted Him to strengthen my faith, to pull me back in line, to show me signs that He is what I’ve been told He is.
I realized that I’ve never really experienced God myself. I’ve only read about Him, heard about Him, and “witnessed” other people experience Him. I just wanted to hear his voice or feel his presence. I’ve felt like if that actually happened, then my faith would no longer be based on what other people tell me, but on God Himself. So for a few years now, I’ve been praying for this. I read things like “if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me.” Then I think “I have opened the door. I have tried so hard. And I get nothing.” I’ve prayed for so many things, and I feel that I haven’t really received any of it.
More recently, instead of praying to God for answers, sometimes I pray to “whoever is out there listening.” I’ve also been reading about other religions and reading some of their sacred books. I’m hoping that something will stand out to me as being right, or maybe I’ll just experience something for myself and then know I’m on the right path. But still, I haven’t gotten very far. I still go to church, read the bible, and pray, sometimes in Jesus’ name. But I now feel very lost, and very open to any other ideas out there.
How can a person find the right path and know that it is right?
Thanks for reading such a long post, and for any help you might give. If you think there's a more helpful place for me to post this, please share. Thanks.
- Tim