Hello, my name is Brittany. Over the past year I have really been struggling with my faith. It has grown worse and worse into a bigger problem every month it seems. I used to never miss a week of church. Now I miss it almost every other week or more. I feel like I'm in a faith rut. I feel like I have gone too far. I feel as if my forgiveness from God has been stripped away from me. I have always had a problem with maintaining a passion for God. I struggle with depression and it seems like so much energy to put into a growing faith. I'm scared that I'm headed down the wide path when for so long I was on the narrow and loved God. I'm not saying I don't love God now, but I'm finding it easier and easier to sin. I still at least feel guilt, so I know I'm not too far gone, but sometimes when I feel apathetic about sin, I'll purposely commit a sin just to see if I still feel guilty. I need someone to hold me accountable. I want to do right but it is so hard when I feel so lonely with nothing going right in my life. I am out of school for the summer so I feel like I have no purpose at the moment. My dad refuses to get a job and soon I'll probably be having to find a place to live, with no job or money. I've had several interview but nothing worked out. Like I said, I need someone who can help hold me accountable. I have Christian friends, but every time I ask them to help me with that, they say they will, but they don't get around to it. So I start slipping again. I need someone. Christians weren't created to do things on their own. That's why we gather with other believers. I feel as if it would help to talk to someone who doesn't know me that well, because then I won't feel so judged...
Thank you for sharing the struggles you are having trusting GOD Almighty.
The fellowship i was with in Philadelphia,PA, we used to say 'DEAD MEN / WOMEN do not wrestle',especially wrestling with GOD Almighty.
I would like to encourage you with what GOD Almighty says about you,as He says this about all of His adopted children (those faithing into Yeshua are His adopted children).
This particular Scripture needs to be taken in light of you being a New creation in Yehsua / Jesus.
The Scriptures will be from the Literal Translation:
Ask GOD Almighty to see yourself as He sees you.
1Samuel 16:7 And Jehovah said to Samuel, Do not look on his appearance, nor to the height of his stature, for I have rejected him. For man does not see what He sees. For man looks for the eyes, but Jehovah looks for the heart.
As an adopted daughter of the King of Glory you have been clothed in the righteousness of Yeshua,and GOD sees you just as righteous as Yehsua.
Rom_8:15 For you did not receive a spirit of slavery again to fear, but you received a Spirit of adoption by which we cry, Abba! Father!
Rom 3:21 But now a righteousness of God has been revealed apart from Law, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets,
Rom 3:22 even the righteousness of God through faith of Jesus Christ toward all and upon all those believing
Brittany,you have been Justified by faithing into Messiah.
Rom 3:28 Then we conclude a man to be justified by faith without works of Law.
Rom 5:1 Then being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
Brittany,you are as Holy As Yehsua,as His Holiness has been IMPUTED to you by faith.
Eph 1:3 Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenlies with Christ,
Eph 1:4 even as He elected us in Him before the foundation of the world, for us to be holy and without blemish before Him in love,
Brittany, in Yeshua you are already SANCTIFIED,yet you are growing in being sanctified.
John 17:17 Sanctify them in Your Truth; Your Word is Truth.
John 17:18 As You have sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world,
John 17:19 and I sanctify Myself for them, that they also may be sanctified in Truth.
1Thessalonians 5:23 And may the God of peace Himself fully sanctify you, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Brittany,please take a small envelope,a large yellow business envelope,and a blank 3x5 card.
On the outside of the big yellow envelope write Yeshua / Jesus on the front at the top.
Next write every character trait you know of Yeshua on the front of the same envelope.
Just
Holy
Righteous
Sanctified
Complete
Then on the blank 3x5 card write your name,and nothing else.
Next on the front of the small envelope write Holy Spirit on the top,then write the same character traits you wrote for Yeshua on that envelope.
This is pretty cool,NOW take the 3x5 card and put that in the small envelope,then seal that envelope.
Next put the small envelope inside the big envelope,and read what the big envelope says.
This is how AABA / GOD Almighty sees you being in His Son Yeshua the Messiah.
Being sealed in the Holy Spirit in Yeshua.
The next time the enemy of GOD( that being your old nature)starts coming agajnst you,remember the Word of GOD and the envelope.
Brittany,I believe you will be having a Blessed time.
If you want to talk some time,i usually get back from work around 6:30 pm.
I will be praying for you!!!
Shalom and Chesed.
ps:
Brittany remember this,when we as believers begin living according to what we do a cycle of do,do,do,do begins and then it becomes DO-DO,like as in poop.
The Bible tells us we walk by faith, meaning that our walk is not by feeling. How you feel is irrelavant to the walk of faith. The devil is the one who is trying to make you doubt your salvation.
You need to surround yourself with other believers, fellowship is really important. I have a daughter who suffers from depression, she is bipolar. She sees a Christian therapist and she takes medication. This has helped her tremendiously, along with much needed prayer. If you suffer from depression you may want to find a Christian therapist.
The Christian walk is not easy, and there are times we may doubt, waiver etc. But know this, GOD doesn't waiver, HE sees down the road, and HE is able to keep us. The devil comes to kill, rob and destroy. Satan's job is to condemn, to make you think that you have gone past the point of no return. He is a liar and the accuser of the brethren.
You need to be grounded and deeply rooted in the WORD. Also, if you can talk to the Pastor of your Church and tell him you are struggling. I am sure he can point you into the right direction. I will keep you in prayer Brittany. GOD hasn't abandoned you, HE sees all that you are going through and struggling with. Remember this is a walk of faith, meaning you will have times of doubt, fear, trials and such. But KEEP YOUR EYES ON JESUS, and continue to WALK BY FAITH. GOD will do the rest!!!!
Thank you both for your kind words. They were very reassuring. I will come back here when I feel down because these scriptures were comforting. I often feel scared to read the Bible because I'm afraid itll make me feel bad.
Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.
Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.
Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.
Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
This always helps me when I feel like I'm losing hope. It's helpful to remember that even when you're depressed(poor/mourning), you can still belong in the kingdom. The thief on the cross was promised the same thing as the mighty Paul, if they only acknowledge Jesus as Lord/Savior, and have a desire to follow Him. The rest is a life's work of sanctification. However, apathy with willing sin is not going to be healthy for your faith, and waiting for someone to come and guide you back may not happen soon enough. Seek help, study the truth, try to get back to church. If a church congregation doesn't treat you like a sister, there is something wrong with them and you should try to find a real church family that follows Jesus's example.
If you need something to interest you in study, the concepts in the bible that brought me into a serious relationship with God were psychology based. I studied the psychological concepts that Christ was trying to create by dying on the cross for our sins to show us the love of God. It's extremely deep and eye-opening. Jesus didn't just die for our sins, He died because of our sins and He died to show us the points of controversy between the "spirit" and the "flesh". He died to unseat our ego and made it possible for us to be "born again" with a "new heart". Christ changed my heart and my mind, and by studying how God brought about that change, the truth of the bible took on a whole new depth. Anyway, it's really interesting to me, and if you'd like to study it with me, I love talking about the genius of God.:yay:
People think that because you are saved your will just instantly stop sinning. This is impossible.
How is that statement true? Look at the 10 commandments.
To hate someone is murder.
To lust after someone is adultery.
There is only one person that has ever walked this planet and lived up to these ideals, that person was the Son of the Living God.
When you repent of your sins with a genuine heart, you are justified in the eyes of the Lord. He said that he will remember your sin no more. This does not mean we have a license to sin, because as Christians we "fall" into sin where as non-believers "Dive" into it.
You are "Justified" but are still being "Sanctified".
I know your feels though, trust me when I say we all fall into the same temptations. You can tell you still have a repentive heart as you feel guilt when you fall into sin. This is key as some people get a callused heart to sin and it effects them no more.
Know, that the Lord never walks away from you but that you have to walk away from him. That feeling like he is gone means that he is much closer than you realize and that he wants you to reach out to him. Kind of like a father walking his son, as he holds his hand and they walk together he will let go so the child reaches back to grab his hand.
You are NEVER alone, scripture tells us this. The Lord is our strength and our hope.
U MY DEAR SISTER, OUR GOD IS A MERCIFUL, FULL IN COMPASSION AND LOVE, HE IS EVER READY TO CHANGE U COMPLETELY WHEN U ARE READY TO TAKE A STAND TO FOLLOW HIM IN TRUTH AND SAY NO TO DEVIL WHO IS THE BRAIN BEHIND UR SINFUL ACT, MAKE A DECISION TODAY NOT TO SIN AGAIN AND ASK JESUS TO TAKE CONTROL OF UR LIFE, DON'T GIVE ROOM TO ANY ACT OF SIN, U WILL SEE WHAT OUR LORD JESUS WILL PERFORM IN UR LIFE, HE DOES GOOD TO THOSE THAT OBEY HIM, HE WILL TURN UR LIFE AROUND AND UR CHALLENGES WILL BE OVER, GOD BLESS U.
Find your purpose in God and be about the Father's business. The scriptures are sharper than any two edged sword and they reveal the sin that remains in the flesh even after we become saved, but by faith we need to understand that the person God saved can not sin as long as His spirit remains in us, I John. Depression sets in when we fail to pray on a daily basis and when we stop seeking to God's work here on earth. Do this and He will guide and comfort you.
