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A major way we become whole is by renewing our minds. We usually think of our thoughts as this onslaught we cannot control. We are taught to cast down every thought contrary to what God would have us think.There is something I keep reading over and over again. It's this concept that you got to learn to love yourself before other people will love you. It's this idea that you can make yourself whole. How on Earth these ideas got into Christianity is beyond me.
Mark 12:30-31
30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”
1 Peter 5:6-8
6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. 7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
The way I understand it is, we are supposed to give the Lord ourselves and then He makes us whole.
Look people, I know that I'm broken and it is probably some of my brokenness that drives people away. Who knows. But one thing I know, I can't fix myself. I can pray and ask Jesus to fix me. And I have done that many times. If He chooses not to fix me, then I can not be fixed. It is not that I don't try to keep my end of the bargain. I use the resources that I have available to me to try and fix things. I guess there is no end to trying... When I go to bed at night I feel like things are over, and I'm just waiting until the end of my life happens. Sometimes I feel evil and that I will end up in Hell. It's hard to see the light. Even the Bible doesn't help me as much as one would think it would. I'm in it a lot, yet my natural mind doesn't gravitate to the positive scriptures but rather it gravitates to the scary ones. That is just how I've always been wired.[/B]
We are hardwired at such a young age. Nature, nurture-don't matter it still is the same thing. We can, and do pray from a very early age to (some of us) be "normal", loved, understood. It is very difficult for me to understand when He is silent sor decades on heartfelt, fervent, tearful prayers to be delivered from what is holding us back. We check ourselves, we thank Him for His forgiveness, we pray, read scripture...at the end of the day, some of us have only ourselves and Jesus.I thought listening the Bible on a regular basis is supposed to renew my mind. I guess it doesn't work for me.
That is something I too think everyday at some point. I'll say things (to myself) you aren't saved! You would be jumping with joy if you were! You would not be so low in spirit if you were a TRUE Christian...on and on...Satan is very good at this with folks like us, who spend the lion's share of time alone. Not to mention, some on these forums can really add to what Satan is whispering in our ear, maybe not intentionally yet, same outcome...NO edification but tons of judging things they only ASSume.Some people seemed to be hardwired for positivity right out of the box.
When I was forced to see a consular, I was diagnosed with a long list of issues. One was Dysthymic Disorder. Another one was Anxiety, Depression, and Mixed Personality Disorder. Also add to that, OCD. That didn't even include my learning disability.
Right now I'm doing really bad because I'm tired. Tonight I'm going to try and get better sleep.
When I'm feeling this low, I feel like God made me for Hell. I obsess over a sin, that the Bible isn't 100% clear it's a sin. But most Christians say it is. Therefor I feel that I'm going to hell.
Be assured RR unless you actively reject God's kindness either overtly or by religious pretension of some description, we are promised Salvation. It is the Devil's dogged intentions to get us to doubt it and to discourage us. Stand firm and allow God's Spirit to comfort you in the knowledge of this reality .....his affection for you. He wants you more than you can imagine.Hi @AlwaysOnAJourney and @Nancy
I am with you both. Saran is always telling me that I am not saved.
I believe that fighting our sins is a life time job, but Jesus will finish off what He started.
Still I doubt my salvation.
What worries me is that it makes ne separated from God and I stop reading scripture and praying.
The way i Iook at it now is that even if I am not saved I want to serve God until I die, because I love Him so much. So I still repent and fight the battle and I want to help His people and help to bring Jesus into people's
lives. So I will keep on trying even if I am not saved.
Blessings to you all.
Will simply continue to pray daily.My negative mindset started when I was in Kindergarten, I can remember back that far. It hurts like crazy to think positively. It's like my brain was built to run in a negative way. Even when I read the Bible I gravitate to the negative things. Scriptures about hell etc. When I'm listening the Bible I never feel the love. I feel the rules, and I get the feeling that I always need to be doing better.
This one I do understand, at least partially. I was helped by ministry that taught us to not see the Bible as a "book of rules", though there's a reason for "the rules". One of the purposes of "the rules" (and this goes back to Luther) is to make absolutely clear that we CAN'T fix ourselves. And that should drive us to Jesus, whom God sent to die for our rule-breaking.Even when I read the Bible I gravitate to the negative things. Scriptures about hell etc. When I'm listening the Bible I never feel the love. I feel the rules, and I get the feeling that I always need to be doing better.
The LORD revealed a simple truth to me . Every warning in that bible , is meant for MY GOOD .I thought listening the Bible on a regular basis is supposed to renew my mind. I guess it doesn't work for me.
Men might not understand female problems . BUT GOD knows all things . Men ought to step upI don't want to read a brutally honest approach from someone that I don't know in real life. Thanks!
Women don't understand Male Problems, and Men don't understand Women problems. It's just the way life is.
I'm a Christian Universalist. Which means I don't believe in hell.My negative mindset started when I was in Kindergarten, I can remember back that far. It hurts like crazy to think positively. It's like my brain was built to run in a negative way. Even when I read the Bible I gravitate to the negative things. Scriptures about hell etc. When I'm listening the Bible I never feel the love. I feel the rules, and I get the feeling that I always need to be doing better.
Maybe, but Women understand Male problems better than Men understand Women's problems.Women don't understand Male Problems, and Men don't understand Women problems. It's just the way life is.
Good to know, thanks.I've been studying "Christian Universalism" because C.S. Lewis and his friends looked up to George McDonald, and He was a Christian Universalist. Also Dale Thompson of the Christian Band Bride is also a Christian Universalist. I listened to Getting To Know Jesus by George McDonald, and a several of his other books. I also learned that some of the early Church fathers were Christian Universalists. I think that is enough to take notice of it.
It boils down to a question of God's character. Which is something you seem to struggle with. Fear of eternal punishment.I feel that I understand it now on a surface level. But that isn't enough to convince me to put my faith in it. I don't think that all Christian Universalists are heretics.
I was raised evangelical. I can empathize.But it has been decided by just about all in the fundamental portion of Christianity that they are. I grew up in the fundamental side of Christianity and for the most part that is what I line myself with... But you can't blame me it is what I grew up in. It is very hard to let go of Childhood beliefs.
When you post about things you are going through, what kind of responses would you like? What responses are helpful?Because it is biological emotions that I never asked for, or wanted. But I try to be very very very careful about talking about this openly because it seems to trigger people, and they will write stuff that is usually completely unhelpful. I think when it comes to hard subjects, or subjects that trigger people, people need to learn how to listen more and speak less.
"For God so loved the world"...I don't know how to explain it to you, but when someone says something helpful, I can just tell it's helpful. Usually it feels encouraging in the direction I need to go in. This rarely happens online. My life is ship wrecked, and I live on the rocks. I know because I spent years and years and years looking for answers and finding none. There is a theology that would agree with this view because God doesn't love everyone. I'm not saying that I believe that theology, but I still consider it as a possible explanation. A true 5 point Calvinist believes that Jesus only died for the elect. If your not elected then you can't get saved. That could be me, if they are correct.
My life is ship wrecked, and I live on the rocks. I know because I spent years and years and years looking for answers and finding none