Do you ever feel like God has left you?

[jbal7]

Lately, we'll actually for awhile now, I feel like God has left me. Before I just had this "feeling," hard to describe but I could feel Him. Now, I know that God dosent abandon or leave us but I still feel this way. I know I don't do my part. I don't read the word enough or really make time for Him but even when I do sit down and read and try I still feel empty. Also, I feel like I'm the seed that fell on rocky soil. A few Sabbaths ago the sermon really inspired me. I was ready to rework my entire life, well, a day or two later I was the same old me. 

I know this is lengthy but it's something I've had on me for awhile now. Anyone else went through something similar?

Thanks 

 

[Aliensanctuary]

I think that our emotions tend to be unreliable, fluctuating up and down in our relationships, whether with God, a friend, or a spouse. After all, emotions are transitory electro-chemical responses to our mental triggers. If a person makes that commitment to join the Kingdom and become a follower of Christ, they should know that there will be ups and downs, just a result of our biological humanness. God, via Spirit, is able to read our minds and understand our weaknesses. The feeling of distance is probably something that we have all gone through, not being able to see or hear the God whom we wish to `serve.

I also think that our minds have difficulty making sudden, major changes in lifestyles and beliefs, so we have to take small steps lest we stumble off the path and back onto the rocks or into the ditches. If we do stumble, we just have to pick ourselves up and walk, or crawl, back to the pathway to the Kingdom. Eventually, we will all learn from our mistakes and become stronger in our resistance to the temptations that lure us to transgress the laws of the Kingdom of YHVH.

I almost always listen to the audio Bible after climbing into bed just to clear my mind of the days events so that I can get some quality sleep. Sometimes there's a moment of clarity in which a phrase arrests my attention and points me, hopefully, to a better understanding of the Kingdom.

I felt spiritually dead for many years until joining CA. That's when two members shot me through the heart and woke me up in the Desire of Ages forum. That topic has been deleted for some time now, but that's where my spiritual batteries started charging back up. We all have to overcome bad traits of character or bad habits, but once our batteries have some juice in them, we have begun our journey to the Land of God.

The audio Bible that I listen to is the New Living Translation narrated by Mike somebody who has a pleasant voice, unlike several other productions. I think he used to have a late-night radio program.

 

Edited August 19, 2015 by Aliensanctuary

[jbal7]

Thanks, that was very encouraging and your absolutely right about taking small steps. Also, i think I'm going to start listening to an audio Bible as well. I hate reading so maybe this will be a good path for me to ground myself better in the word 

Thanks again

[B/W Photodude]

There are several kinds of experiences with God that have similar feelings attached to them and you may wish to study. 

!. Dark night of the soul

2. Brass heavens

3. Night of Jacob's wrestling

Dark night of the soul seems to be most prevalent in the Catholic tradition, although I tend to think it happens in any Christian tradition. Brass heavens is related by some to prayers that seemingly go unanswered. Jacob's night is said to be the time of Jacob sensing his guilt and sins coming between him and God. All three are interesting topics and worth studying as I tend to think everyone goes thru such times sooner or later in their experience with God. Could it be your test of faith or times when you are tried more than others or both?

Most important is, God does not lie and he keeps his promises

[GayatfootofCross]

I really really like this thread.

I'm going thru alot.

[Gail]

I know someone close to me that is also going through this. There are times when we just can't see...  But we can still believe. I do believe that God WILL give you evidence that you can feel, but it  might not be when we feel we need it. Knowing that all will have these times the only remedy I can think of is to walk by faith. As soon as we are able to feel or see then it is not faith anymore. 

You are not alone, definitely not alone. We all have times of discouragement. I am glad that you came here and voiced your difficulty. I hope that we can encourage you to keep on. God is faithful! He WILL come through  

((( jballew7 )))

We are rooting for you!!

[jbal7]

Thanks everyone for the support. All of you inspire me to continue on in the faith! I have faith in Christ and know that He is always there whether I feel Him or not. Having the support here helps a lot too. 

[Gail]

I really really like this thread.

I'm going thru alot.

((( GafoC )))

Rooting for you, too. I know that your journey is not easy.

[Aliensanctuary]

Mike Kellogg is the narrator with a mellow voice on the audio Bible that I prefer to listen to, and the music is pleasant, too. I don't care so much for some of the character "voice acting" parts, but it's livable. I have also used text-to-speech software to create my own audio playlists of scriptures.

(I finally stopped buying soda and other artificially flavored and colored drinks, except on rare occasion, and am now drinking mostly water thanks to someone's post here at CA. Water is OK as long as it's cold. I guess that's just another small step, along with a better diet. I stopped buying snack food and convenience food recently and now get figs, dates, fresh strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, melons, tomatoes, veggies, and so on. I'm healthy enough already, but dietary improvements like those aren't going to hurt anyone at all.)

I think that if a person keeps making progress, even if only a little bit at a time, it will minimize those feelings of discouragement and separation from God that we all may suffer from at times. If someone insensitive fires their weapons at us trying to shoot us down, we just have to duck or step aside and let the missiles fly past us without hurting us.

We have the roadmap, and even though our path may differ from everyone else's, it will still lead us to the Kingdom if we keep our eyes on the road ahead and avoid the detours at all cost.

 

 

 

 

Edited August 20, 2015 by Aliensanctuary

[pnattmbtc]

I finally stopped buying soda and other artificially flavored and colored drinks, except on rare occasion, and am now drinking mostly water thanks to someone's post here at CA.

Fantastic!  What was posted that let to your changing your behavior?  That's quite a rare thing.  I'd love to be able to write a post that led to people drinking water instead of soda.  It's such a simple thing, like washing your hands, which has great positive results. 

[phkrause]

Lately, we'll actually for awhile now, I feel like God has left me. Before I just had this "feeling," hard to describe but I could feel Him. Now, I know that God dosent abandon or leave us but I still feel this way. I know I don't do my part. I don't read the word enough or really make time for Him but even when I do sit down and read and try I still feel empty. Also, I feel like I'm the seed that fell on rocky soil. A few Sabbaths ago the sermon really inspired me. I was ready to rework my entire life, well, a day or two later I was the same old me. 

I know this is lengthy but it's something I've had on me for awhile now. Anyone else went through something similar?

Thanks 

Great post, speaking for myself, it seems that its an on again off again thing! But God never leaves us, he has others to always encourage us, when we need it the most. As others have mentioned, just keep the faith and God will surely reward. He never fails us. Also welcome to C/A jballew7

[JoeMo]

Lately, we'll actually for awhile now, I feel like God has left me. Before I just had this "feeling," hard to describe but I could feel Him. Now, I know that God dosent abandon or leave us but I still feel this way. I know I don't do my part. I don't read the word enough or really make time for Him but even when I do sit down and read and try I still feel empty. Also, I feel like I'm the seed that fell on rocky soil. A few Sabbaths ago the sermon really inspired me. I was ready to rework my entire life, well, a day or two later I was the same old me.

I know this is lengthy but it's something I've had on me for awhile now. Anyone else went through something similar?

Thanks

 

I think you are expressing something Most of us go through. When I feel like "God doesn't love me any more", I try to bypass my feelings and lean on some of His promises:

“Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”  So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.  What can mere mortals do to me?” (Heb 13:5-6)

"And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matt. 28:20)

Other times I just visualize myself sitting on the Father's lap like a hurt child; with Him just olding me and rocking back and forth.  It's very comforting.

[pnattmbtc]

This is a difficult question to deal with.  I think many good points have made, the common thread being that our feelings will do all sorts of things for many different reasons, some of which are physical (e.g. chemical reactions in our brains) over which we have little or no control.  Regarding what we can control, I think having as positive an image of God as is possible (for us at a given time) is beneficial.  The true God is better than we can imagine; however good, kind, loving, etc. we imagine Him to be, He is better than that!

God is like Jesus Christ; just like Jesus Christ.  For myself, I have found meditating on this has been very helpful.  Our brains can process humanity much better than divinity, so I find the need to tell myself repeatedly "God is just like Jesus Christ" to be helpful, even necessary, because the default idea seems to be that God is NOT like Jesus Christ.

So the short answer is to dwell on Jesus Christ.  I can say, for example, in the times in my life where I've been the lowest, in my darkest moments, feeling along and like there was no one who understood, my mind was drawn to Gethsemane, and I saw One there who did know what I was going through, who did understand what I was feeling, and who did understand.

[jbal7]

It's not so much that I don't feel like He loves me.. because I know He does but rather like He's stopped trying. Which first, let me say, I know God never stops trying to be apart of our lives. But, before I remeber having this "feeling" of 'go read your Bible, or don't do that, or go to church etc...' it's like I had a helping hand guiding me to do better, encouraging me to further my relationship with Christ. But now it seems as if that feeling is gone. Like I ignored it too much and so it's just stopped trying. Does the Holy Spirit ever give up on someone because they've ignored it so long? Is that the unpardonable sin?

[jbal7]

By the way, let me say thanks again for all the support. I didn't expect so many replies. This is a great community!!

[JoeMo]

It's not so much that I don't feel like He loves me.. because I know He does but rather like He's stopped trying. Which first, let me say, I know God never stops trying to be apart of our lives. But, before I remeber having this "feeling" of 'go read your Bible, or don't do that, or go to church etc...' it's like I had a helping hand guiding me to do better, encouraging me to further my relationship with Christ. But now it seems as if that feeling is gone. Like I ignored it too much and so it's just stopped trying. Does the Holy Spirit ever give up on someone because they've ignored it so long? Is that the unpardonable sin?

I don't think it means that, jb.  The only sin that cannot be forgivien is the one you don't confess.  IMHO, if you are even concerned that you may have committed the unpadonable sin, you haven't committed it.  There are precedents for God being quiet.  Look at Job's experience.  Look at Jesus' own experience on the cross where He  asks His Father "Why have you foresaken me?".

[pnattmbtc]

It's not so much that I don't feel like He loves me.. because I know He does but rather like He's stopped trying. Which first, let me say, I know God never stops trying to be apart of our lives. But, before I remeber having this "feeling" of 'go read your Bible, or don't do that, or go to church etc...' it's like I had a helping hand guiding me to do better, encouraging me to further my relationship with Christ. But now it seems as if that feeling is gone. Like I ignored it too much and so it's just stopped trying. Does the Holy Spirit ever give up on someone because they've ignored it so long? Is that the unpardonable sin?

The fact that you are asking these questions, and feeling like you feel, is evidence the Holy Spirit has not stopped trying.  An idea I've heard suggested is when you feel this way to go to the last place where you saw light.  So if you can remember a Bible passage you really liked, perhaps try that.

[Gail]

It's not so much that I don't feel like He loves me.. because I know He does but rather like He's stopped trying. Which first, let me say, I know God never stops trying to be apart of our lives. But, before I remeber having this "feeling" of 'go read your Bible, or don't do that, or go to church etc...' it's like I had a helping hand guiding me to do better, encouraging me to further my relationship with Christ. But now it seems as if that feeling is gone. Like I ignored it too much and so it's just stopped trying. Does the Holy Spirit ever give up on someone because they've ignored it so long? Is that the unpardonable sin?

The fact that you have noticed and are concerned is not the unpardonable sin YET, IMHO. But if you continue to choose to wander I don't know where that will lead to. Remember God will not remove your freedom of choice.

When I run into dry periods I find that when I simply pick up my Bible again and willingly be patient it will return. And I say this having come across a rather dry place in my reading, that of the historical period of Israel/Judah. But part of my dryness is that this is a light reading of this version. Even so, I find that a passage will spring out at me, grabbing me. Your life is not stagnant (or at least I hope not!) so it is possible that anything you encounter, with the Spirit's help, may pop out at you with deep meaning.

Scripture is God's word and His word is a living word. It does not return to Him void but accomplishes that which He pleases. When emotions sway us one way or the other, God's word is eternal. Even though heaven and earth pass away His word shall not pass away. Those are powerful Biblical statements.

(((( jballew7 )))   Another hug! You are loved!

[Samie]

It's not so much that I don't feel like He loves me.. because I know He does but rather like He's stopped trying. Which first, let me say, I know God never stops trying to be apart of our lives. But, before I remeber having this "feeling" of 'go read your Bible, or don't do that, or go to church etc...' it's like I had a helping hand guiding me to do better, encouraging me to further my relationship with Christ. But now it seems as if that feeling is gone. Like I ignored it too much and so it's just stopped trying. Does the Holy Spirit ever give up on someone because they've ignored it so long? Is that the unpardonable sin?

Hi jballew7;

No, it's not the unpardonable sin, I guess.  I believe any sin becomes unpardonable only when one is dead and he persistently refused to overcome that sin while alive. For me, the unpardonable sin is the sin of not overcoming evil with good while alive because it means the person persistently refused the leading of the Holy Spirit all throughout his lifetime. Remember, judgment comes only after one has died (Heb 9:27).  And you are very much alive.  There is hope of overcoming evil with good (Rom 12:21) while alive.  And overcomers will not be blotted out from the Book of Life (Rev 3:5).

Blotting out signifies our names are written there otherwise there is nothing to blot.  And with your name still in the Book of Life, you are heaven-bound because only those whose names are in the Book of Life will be allowed entry into the heavenly portals (Rev 21:27).  Being heaven-bound means that you are attached to Christ because no one can be in heaven if he is separate from Christ.  And attached to Him Who is our Strength (Phil 4:13), we have His power to overcome evil with good.

Don't lose hope. Your name is still in the Book of Life.

[LifeHiscost]

 

Shabbat Shalom,  jballew7

⁶ Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:

⁷ Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

⁸ Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:....1 Peter 5

Probably the most beneficial information after learning that God gave His Son that I might one day live with Him, was the reality that choosing Him as Sovereign automatically gave me an enemy that found the greatest pleasure in making effort to destroy His children. Considering that since Jesus said that without Him, we can do nothing, it remained for me to put my trust fully in the hands (promises) of our Father in Heaven. And the only people that would eventually lose their way to the Kingdom will be those who don't know Jesus as Lord.  My logic then says to get as close to Jesus as one has opportunity, that you may know Him.

12  For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places....Ephesians 6

²² Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

²³ And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

²⁴ Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock....Matthew 7

With family demands as such that I'm unable to "do the works" that might normally be thought necessary to identify a follower of Christ, sometimes when we leave our home in the country to shop or some other reason, we stop before leaving the house and ask God to give us an opportunity to honor Him in our travels. Since my spouse is needing 24/7 care I make sure we don't pick up any one that would endanger them but a number of times I've picked up individuals from clear around the world and we've been able to give a lift, but was also an opportunity to sow a seed of the Word  Then I just claim the promise of our Father.

11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it......Isaiah 55
 

9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.....Romans 10
 

For me, that last promise is too good to give away, just because I don't feel good today. In fact there may be more negative feelings than I'd like to admit, in the near very future.

 

25 He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.....John 12
 

Keep looking up!

 

God is Love!  Jesus saves! 

 

 

 

[Gail]

Lifehiscost, I pray for God's peace to hold you AND strengthen you. I know that if it weren't for the love you have in your heart your burden would be well nigh overwhelming.

((( LHC )))

[LifeHiscost]

Lifehiscost, I pray for God's peace to hold you AND strengthen you. I know that if it weren't for the love you have in your heart your burden would be well nigh overwhelming.

((( LHC )))

Thank you, Gail. One of the joys and strengths of visiting CA,  is being able to share the Word with those likeminded for upholding the grace of a loving Savior, which is love, even sometimes when it is seemingly difficult to accept without reservation. For instance;

19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten....Revelation 3

However, more often than not it is more like this;

10 For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.....Psalm 84
 

God bless you in His Love.

 

God is Love!  Jesus saves!   

 

[Aliensanctuary]

Fantastic!  What was posted that let to your changing your behavior?

(phkrause posts numerous links to various topics. I looked at the one about artificial coloring in our foods and after some more research, finally decided to cut the soda and other artificial drinks. I used to drink about 2 liters of soda a day until I started cutting back, but my children were still expressing their concern. So, it's water, now, as long as it's cold. It's also much cheaper.)

Jesus said that Spirit is like living water. Spirit, then, is not an entity, but rather, a force, the force used by YHVH to control and communicate with the universe. This force is how Jesus was able to read the thoughts of men and women, heal the sick and raise the dead. His father communicated human thoughts to him, and, used the Spirit to accomplish things far beyond the capability of any human.

Three important questions we might ask ourselves are:

What is the Kingdom of YHVH?

What is Spirit?

and

What must I do to join the Kingdom and be saved?

Perhaps Spirit is an invisible field connected to YHVH that permeates the entire universe. In physics there is the standard model of 17 particles that electrons, neutrons, protons, photons, strong and weak nuclear forces, electromagnetism, and gravity are all made up of. Now, we might ask, what are these fundamental particles, the quarks, the leptons, and the bosons, made up of?

We can't really know where YHVH came from, but we might suspect that he used Spirit to create the energy that these fundamental particles are composed of. Using Spirit, YHVH assembled the atoms and molecules that we are more familiar with. Using the energy of Spirit, YHVH generated huge amounts of hydrogen and created the uncountable nuclear furnaces that populate our universe, i.e., stars, not to mentions the atoms and molecules that compose our solar system and others. Using Spirit, YHVH could also repair DNA and heal the sick when Christ requested it, even to the point of regenerating dead cells in order to raise someone from the dead. In the future, according to Christ, humans will be able to move mountains, not by their own power, but by the Spirit, because Spirit can create force fields that make objects within them weightless.

Humans will always have Spirit within, for that's what keeps them alive, until death, when there is no longer a connection with YHVH. Spirit, then, is always in us, but because we are deaf, dumb, and blind, it is difficult for most of us to pay much attention to the Spirit within. By suppressing our addictions, and we all have them, and focusing on the Kingdom of YHVH, we can grow closer to our Creator, and as a side benefit, make this world a better place to live by the kindness and helpfulness that we show to others.

I believe that no matter how despicable humans can be, there is still a chance for their redemption, but only if they would choose YHVH as their master. This possibility may happen after the 2nd Resurrection when all but the 144K are resurrected. What we do in this life will likely affect our choices after the resurrection, so it's important to study, mediate, and listen to the Scriptures so that we can understand the Kingdom of YHVH better in order to make the right choice. Nothing that we do in this life will matter except our service to the LORD by the help we give to others, because, that's what the Kingdom is based on, self-sacrificing love for others.

In the Kingdom, there will no longer be Self, because that part of human nature will be removed so that we can all live in peace and friendship and harmony, all willing to sacrifice their own needs in order to meet the needs of others.

 

Edited August 23, 2015 by Aliensanctuary

[Aliensanctuary]

Are you still around, jballew7?

[jbal7]

Yep I'm here  somehow I missed this last post..better late than never right hehe