A question to Christians, when did you experience God? Did he change your life forever and how?

“I gave my life to the Lord many years ago. However, I constantly doubt him.”

I did it 30 years ago. I do not doubt “him”. I just finally stopped fearing “him.”
And once you remove the fear you see god for who or what God really is.
That changed my life for the better. That guilt stuff is a downer.

And it is not about “an atheism vs. Christianity”. It is about crawling out from under centuries of guilt and false profits.

Follow along

The biggest thing that you (and every one, including me) need to do is read your Bible. It’s the most important thing you can do to keep your relationship with Christ personal. I’ll be praying for you.

Guys, could we not turn this into an atheism vs. Christianity debate? There are other places to do that.

Reading the Bible may not be the best advice. It’s what made me become an atheist.

@ChocolateReigns I havent read it for ages, where do I start? I mean literally!! Also do you think the TBN network is any good? I mean for nights like this (it’s night and I need some spiritual food? @ChazMaz I do suffer guilt you may have a huge point. I am a lousy Christian, but I do love him (when I feel Him)

God and Jesus don’t exist. The closest thing I’ve seen to Jesus is the old homeless guy that collects bottles at the bus depot. He has really let himself go.

@Qingu I am sorry to hear that

@Oxymoron the question I asked was aimed at believers, you are entitled to state your view of course, but that answer was not helpful really? or was it helpful to you in some way?

@Oxymoron, I hope you don’t mean that Jesus never existed / was invented by Paul and Peter or whatever.

@Just_Justine, don’t be sorry! Probably the twenty-second-or-so best thing that ever happened to me.

“When did I realize I was God? Well, I was praying and I suddenly realized I was talking to myself.”
~ Peter O’Toole

@Qingu – The person might have existed, but that doesn’t mean that he should be worshiped or that god exists. There isn’t anything after death, just your flesh rotting in the ground. All we are is matter.

Okay, I agree. I do get kind of ticked off when atheists say that Jesus never existed, which, if true, would leave a pretty gaping hole in the historical record.

Just Christians? I’m not Christian, but if you will take my advice, I’ve found peace with God (the one and only) by allowing myself to question. I let myself doubt, but I want to be close to him, and so I’ve become so. For a long time, I wouldnt pray, because I felt like everyone around me was just going through the motions, and I felt like a hypocrite. So, I just kept it in the back of my mind, praying to God to show me the way. And finally, I just felt it. I cried.

So I guess what I’m saying is, open your heart, do not worry about what anyone around you is thinking, and don’t force anything. Just keep the need in your heart.

And, like I said, QUESTION. The ONLY gift God gave us that truly matters is our conscience. Use it! And whatever doesn’t feel right, ask why.

It wasn’t until I stopped listening to Christians (and atheists and agnostics) that I truly found peace with God. Now I’m a horrible Christian. But I’m no longer wracked with guilt. And I’m also no longer a hypocrite (at least regarding my faith).

First, TBN is, in my opinion, one of the worst sources of spiritual food. Those people are whack jobs. Seriously, have you seen the woman with the hair that looks like it came straight out of a Harry Potter film? Do you really want to trust people that weird with your spiritual guidance? Not me.

Second, do you think that the God who created you, the earth, the sun, the stars and all of existence is incapable of speaking to you so you can understand? Do you think that anything you could do would ever make you good enough, holy enough, spiritual enough to ever please God?

No, you are a sinner, through and through. But God loves you despite that. Stop thinking that you aren’t good enough. Accept that you aren’t and that you don’t have to be. Your sin didn’t stop when you accepted Christ, nor did God expect that it would. You don’t expect perfection from your children, just love, obedience and, above all, for them to be happy, fulfilled, and healthy. If we are God’s children, doesn’t He want the same for us?

Don’t feel guilty for doubting Him. I felt the same way for many years. Then I decided that if God was not going to reveal Himself to me, yet would condemn me for doubting Him, then that’s not a God I’d want to serve. So now I just live my life. I speak to God. I pray for those I love. I hope, I hope, I hope that one day I’ll see Him in heaven. But I stopped living with my eyes to the sky and started accepting the precious gift of life on this Earth that He gave me. I do my best to live as I think He’d want me to live. When I fail, I ask forgiveness. Then I move on.

What do you think the response would be if an atheist asked a question about dealing with life as an atheist and a Christian jumped in spouting their belief as the one true answer?

@Just_Justin I was saved when I was 12. There have been many times through my life when I questioned God’s existence. Something always pulls me back and confirms for me that my faith is the right path.

It is not wrong to question, God gave us brains and a curiosity for a reason. He wants us to find our way and decide to be the best we can be of our own accord.

When you question, read, look around, and find your answers. We do not live in the time of huge bang miracles. Look for the good in the world and know that God is love.

So many incorrect assumptions, so little time.

@Just Justine Your interpretation of Christians is not the only one. Many of us who embrace Christianity do not feel we are “owed” anything by our diety so there is nothing to doubt or be disappointed by. It is the epitome of hubris to believe that just because someone behaves in living a human and humane life that God will look out for only him/her at the expense of all others. We put God in our own lives without expcting reciprocation.

@galileogirl Great point. So many Christians I knew viewed God as a sort of spiritual “cash-cow,” there only to tend to their needs. As if God should be so greatful for our devotion that He showers us with blessings. We need only believe and everything else will be taken care of.

If you’re looking for god, he can be found in prison.

I experience Him all the time. This morning, my 20 year old son flew out of Sydney for 12 months volunteer work in Peru. I still feel like my heart has been ripped out, but I have peace knowing that he is going to be of service to others. ( He is not a missionary, he is teaching English Second Language- before the criticism of missionaries comes) I believe that God is giving me that peace, and that is my continuous experience.

I also experience God when in worship every week. I know He is close when I meet together with others who love Him.

I would encourage you not to believe that you are a poor Christian because you don’t feel good about yourself or your relationship with Him all the time. When we feel the worst, that is when He is nearest. Someone once said “Man’s extremity is God’s opportunity”.

Be patient for change in yourself- it does not come overnight. It will come though. It is often imperceptible, but it always comes, and you’ll look back and wonder when it happened.

@Poser what a lovely answer thank you :)

@galileogirl I don’t remember having an interpretation? nor believing he is a cash cow? I just read what he says and expect it because he told me. I’ve taken this question to another forum. I used the word christian to avoid general comments from none believers, but I still got them. However, I got some great answers so thanks to all. I won’t post this type of question here again.

I thought I saw an angel once. It was really weird, and perhaps my entire spiritual approach would have changed that night, but I was stoned and drunk at the same time, so that was probably just that.
I mean he was a real person and all, but I think the influence of what I was under greatly altered my perception of our meeting, so I kinda dismissed it.

I had a really amazing experience yesterday. I was having a class with these four other girls about my age. The teacher is my brother’s fiance’s mom. Well one of the girl’s mothers heard about my older brother and the teacher’s daughter getting married. She remembered a $1000 wedding dress that had been bought but never used that they had. She went home and got it and brought it back. It was a perfect fit! This was the 3rd dress they had been offered, and they had all fit. We all thought this was God totally blessing them.

The miracle of the dress, wrll that should shut up the atheists.

“The miracle of the dress”

I walked to the mailbox. There was mail in it.

Now THAT is a miracle.

@ChocolateReigns, see, I would interpret that as the people giving the dress “blessing” them.

In fact, if someone received a $1000 wedding dress from a person, and thanked God instead of the person who gave it to them, I’d interpret them as being a giant dick.

I refuse to worship a god who will bless a woman with a $1000 dress, while there are millions of little kids being abused every fucking day. Keep your god, and send me to hell.

@cheebdragon – Ya know, I guess in one sense. We all have our own twist on who “God” is in or lives. Even if you do not have a “God”. Then you are “Godless”. That is still better then nothing at all. ;-).

We either take peoples advice and/or insight or we don’t.
This is one of those, throw it against the wall and see what sticks, type of places.

Always interesting to see what stick.

I give you a GA just on the fact that I can really respect your point and how you expressed it.