Please help

[Seeking2015]

When I was a little girl growing up, my family was Anglican, we belonged to the Anglican church in our town, went to church every Sunday... I was christened, I had my confirmation later in my childhood... and then I fell away from the church as I got older... just... I don't know.. as a teenager it seemed like there was always something else happening on Sunday.. and my family was not really devout overall.. it was just the thing you did, going to church you know?

Then later in life I met my husband, he is Catholic, but not really a "practicing" catholic, but I wanted to share his faith, and I felt it would be right for us to be married in a church...so I went through the conversion process, went to classes, bible studies, during which I was recruited for the church choir.. I became m ore involved in the church and ... interested in it but truthfully... I still somehow felt like I was going through the motions.. it was like belonging to a club... it was something I did because it was there to do... and I made friends, close friends whom I spent time with at the church and church functions.

After a while though, going to church became more and more difficult to do, everything seemed so ... artificial.. so... going through the motions... every Sunday it was all about the ritual of it, kneel, stand, recite the right words at the right time, go get communion, sing the hymns, shake hands and chat afterwards... it felt more and more empty... and somehow fake... and I found myself becoming frustrated as I started to ask myself where is the god here? Where is the lord here? What is the faith here? What is the point? Why don't I FEEL anything???

So I left, quit going, lost contact with my friends from the church. Its been years since i stepped foot in one. From time to time I think about God, about faith and religion. I read about the growing atheist movement and wonder briefly if I even believe in god but then I can't reconcile the perfection of things in creation with a random event and so I find that I believe there MUST be something, someone who's hand created this perfection. But I don't FEEL it... at least I don't think I do... I WANT to... badly, gosh I can't even begin to say how badly I do.

Early this morning my Uncle died, someone I was very close to, someone who has had a hard life, and for whom death was not painless, but instead the vicious agony of a cancer that wracked his body and literally ate him alive until he was nothing more than skin stretched over bone...and I have found myself asking all day... where was god then? why would he let a man who has been so pure in his heart, who has been so selfless and caring his whole life, who would do anything for anyone, even a complete stranger, who would never ask for anything for himself but instead seek to give and give and give to others... why would he let him suffer like that?

I want so desperately to feel the peace that I read from people in youtube comments on the spiritual songs I've been listening to... I want so badly to understand why this happened and to not be angry, and confused and upset. I want to FEEL god and his love and the peace and certainty that comes with it and I don't know where to go or who to ask or what to do. I feel SO lost and I just with that please, could someone PLEASE just help me.

 

[Eugene]

Dear Seeking 2015, having been in the Catholic church I knew nothing of God, but plenty of ritual. Circumstances of job loss sent me to another area to seek employment, I found it for three years and was offered another job I finally retired from. Now I would ask why God didn’t just give me the job I needed in my home town. I certainly don’t know if it was influence of others that would inhibit me coming to know Christ personally as my Savior, but I do know I was led to a man that asked me one day if I was saved at my new job. I really didn't know what he was talking about.

I’ll just give a basic introduction and see if this makes sense to you.
Joh 3:15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
Joh 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Rom 10:9 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.
Rom 10:10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Rom 10:11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

Confronted with such scripture as these I went to my priest and never did receive a satisfying answer. Hopefully this gives you a start to seeking the truth. I do not believe you’re here by accident as it appears God is working in you to know Him. Now this is not to say all Catholics are lost; I've known those that came to know the LORD personally.
Blessings in Christ Jesus.

 

[Cturtle]

Seeking 2015...i agree with Eugene, that you are not her by accident! God knows what will get our attention, and how to speak to us. And sometimes like in my life, and it sounds possibly like in Eugene's life, God leads us to a place where He can work with us, and the changes result in our minds being renewed to Him and His Word, and way of doing things. Had God not asked me to move across the u.s. i probably would not be free from a lot of the lies that the devil has filled my head with since i was young. Things that my dad believed, were a tad different than what i think now. It's hard to go through adversity or problems, but in the end they usually lead us to the cross. Because many time the things that we go through, can only be gone through with God right by our side. I guess that's why i like the footprints poem. God carries us through those times when we thought we were alone.

Just my opinion, but i do not think that God caused this cancer in your uncle. This was the devils doing. If it is stealing, killing, or destroying, it's not of God.

I will be praying for you and your family! And i pray this helps!
Blessings! And i hope to see you here permanently soon, telling us how good God is to you! God has already given you the insight, you just have to believe by faith, what you already know inside.

 

[Tony Hyman]

I totally agree with what the brothers have advised but dont worry too much about "feeling good" as if being saved is some sort of "constant high" .God tests our resolve through thick and thin .He even seems to leave us alone sometimes. David "Lord , why are you standing aloof and far away? Why have you forsaken me? Why do you hide when I need you most?Ps. 10:1
Why do you remain so distant? Why do you ignore my cries for help ?Ps 22:1Why have you abandoned me?"Ps 43:2.
It is believed that most saved people go through these same feelings as did David who was God's chosen.
" a man after my own heart" I Sam 13:14 also Acts 13:22.So don't let Satan bluff you into believing that God is too distant from you.He is not really! Dont let feelings fool you. God promises us "I will never leave you nor forsake you."Deut.31:8

 

[th1b.taylor]

The link above is to last Sunday's service at our church. We are a small country Church that deplores the artificial. The pastor is young and is on fire with the Holy Spirit. Please, watch the service and then search for a Church like ours in your area. The brand over the door does not mater, the love of God does. Praying for your Eternal Safety.

 

[Christ_empowered]

I"m terribly sorry to hear about your uncle. I can kinda sorta relate to your feelings on the church and Christ. I grew up on the (very) liberal end of the Presbyterian Church, which is to say...I went to church, kinda sorta understood TULIP, and that was it. Until I cried out to Christ to save me and please, please enter my heart. That's really all it takes. Well...OK. You have to acknowledge your need for a savior which is probably the hardest part. Sin isn't a popular subject in modern society, and no one likes to face their bad-ness, I guess.

Born Again Christians focus on a relationship with Christ, but its not all about emotions. Christ does care how we feel, but we can't feel our way into salvation. Humans use reason, too, or should. Christ loves you, and, as my Pentecostal friend always says "He's right where you left Him, waiting for you!"

 

[Brother Mike]

When I was a little girl growing up, my family was Anglican, we belonged to the Anglican church in our town, went to church every Sunday... I was christened, I had my confirmation later in my childhood... and then I fell away from the church as I got older... just... I don't know.. as a teenager it seemed like there was always something else happening on Sunday.. and my family was not really devout overall.. it was just the thing you did, going to church you know?

Then later in life I met my husband, he is Catholic, but not really a "practicing" catholic, but I wanted to share his faith, and I felt it would be right for us to be married in a church...so I went through the conversion process, went to classes, bible studies, during which I was recruited for the church choir.. I became m ore involved in the church and ... interested in it but truthfully... I still somehow felt like I was going through the motions.. it was like belonging to a club... it was something I did because it was there to do... and I made friends, close friends whom I spent time with at the church and church functions.

After a while though, going to church became more and more difficult to do, everything seemed so ... artificial.. so... going through the motions... every Sunday it was all about the ritual of it, kneel, stand, recite the right words at the right time, go get communion, sing the hymns, shake hands and chat afterwards... it felt more and more empty... and somehow fake... and I found myself becoming frustrated as I started to ask myself where is the god here? Where is the lord here? What is the faith here? What is the point? Why don't I FEEL anything???

So I left, quit going, lost contact with my friends from the church. Its been years since i stepped foot in one. From time to time I think about God, about faith and religion. I read about the growing atheist movement and wonder briefly if I even believe in god but then I can't reconcile the perfection of things in creation with a random event and so I find that I believe there MUST be something, someone who's hand created this perfection. But I don't FEEL it... at least I don't think I do... I WANT to... badly, gosh I can't even begin to say how badly I do.

Early this morning my Uncle died, someone I was very close to, someone who has had a hard life, and for whom death was not painless, but instead the vicious agony of a cancer that wracked his body and literally ate him alive until he was nothing more than skin stretched over bone...and I have found myself asking all day... where was god then? why would he let a man who has been so pure in his heart, who has been so selfless and caring his whole life, who would do anything for anyone, even a complete stranger, who would never ask for anything for himself but instead seek to give and give and give to others... why would he let him suffer like that?

I want so desperately to feel the peace that I read from people in youtube comments on the spiritual songs I've been listening to... I want so badly to understand why this happened and to not be angry, and confused and upset. I want to FEEL god and his love and the peace and certainty that comes with it and I don't know where to go or who to ask or what to do. I feel SO lost and I just with that please, could someone PLEASE just help me.

You know there has to be more to God than just what you experienced at church. You want to "FEEL" peace.

Want to know why How God could let your uncle suffer like that?

Your someone that needs to spend time with someone that can talk with you and knows God personally and is full of faith. I hear God all the time, and I can assure you God did not let your Uncle down or have anything to do with it.

There is to much to your post to address but I am around and can assure you God is real and never has failed anyone, not one time.

 

[th1b.taylor]

You know there has to be more to God than just what you experienced at church. You want to "FEEL" peace.

Want to know why How God could let your uncle suffer like that?

Your someone that needs to spend time with someone that can talk with you and knows God personally and is full of faith. I hear God all the time, and I can assure you God did not let your Uncle down or have anything to do with it.

There is to much to your post to address but I am around and can assure you God is real and never has failed anyone, not one time.

Agreed brother, here I lie in my bed, slowly, much more slowly than the doctors ever expected, dying and still I am blessed and walking, every day, with God. Death, because Adam's sin, is a part of normal life. How we handle it has much to do with our faith in, a.k.a. walk with, God. I am blessed to be leaving this place of suffering to go to Heaven.

 

[Brother Mike]

Agreed brother, here I lie in my bed, slowly, much more slowly than the doctors ever expected, dying and still I am blessed and walking, every day, with God. Death, because Adam's sin, is a part of normal life. How we handle it has much to do with our faith in, a.k.a. walk with, God. I am blessed to be leaving this place of suffering to go to Heaven.

Before you leave, make sure you have done all the Lord has called you to do. Otherwise you have to snap out of that dying idea and finish up things.

So, Yes I suspect being with God and family in Heaven beats Earth hands down, no question. Just make sure you ask God if it's OK to leave, and make sure everything is done.

Otherwise, let there be grace for you to say goodbye to everyone and we can shout the victory with you. Where is your sting death?

I don't suspect out of Mercy God does not show many folks what Heaven is like. All we have known here is death, sin and junk. We get use to it and grow desentized to it through the years that it just seems normal to us.

If we got a chance to walk around in Heaven with the Lord for a day, whom would God convince that they needed to come back to this dump?

I bet when you get there, you will think.......... "Man, earth was messed up."

Blessing Brother.

 

[th1b.taylor]

Before you leave, make sure you have done all the Lord has called you to do. Otherwise you have to snap out of that dying idea and finish up things.

So, Yes I suspect being with God and family in Heaven beats Earth hands down, no question. Just make sure you ask God if it's OK to leave, and make sure everything is done.

Otherwise, let there be grace for you to say goodbye to everyone and we can shout the victory with you. Where is your sting death?

I don't suspect out of Mercy God does not show many folks what Heaven is like. All we have known here is death, sin and junk. We get use to it and grow desentized to it through the years that it just seems normal to us.

If we got a chance to walk around in Heaven with the Lord for a day, whom would God convince that they needed to come back to this dump?

I bet when you get there, you will think.......... "Man, earth was messed up."

Blessing Brother.

LOL! And the old freak, smiling posts a link for our young member to view and to understand, attitude has much to do it.

Oops, had to edit, this video is of me and the neighbor lady, my sister in Christ, singing at this Sunday's Service, Becky Morgan did her best to make my sound my best.

 

[Brother Mike]

LOL! And the old freak, smiling posts a link for our young member to view and to understand, attitude has much to do it.

Oops, had to edit, this video is of me and the neighbor lady, my sister in Christ, singing at this Sunday's Service, Becky Morgan did her best to make my sound my best.

That was awesome.......... Looks like you have lots more left to go though. You got soul also.

Thank you for sharing that.

 

[th1b.taylor]

That was awesome.......... Looks like you have lots more left to go though. You got soul also.

Thank you for sharing that.

LOL! Thanks for lying Mike but when I get to Heaven I'm going to dance and sing all the way up to the throne door and from there to the feet of Jesus I'll low crawl! But it will by my choice 'cause I'll be perfected then. May God bless buddy.

 

[Brother Mike]

LOL! Thanks for lying Mike but when I get to Heaven I'm going to dance and sing all the way up to the throne door and from there to the feet of Jesus I'll low crawl! But it will by my choice 'cause I'll be perfected then. May God bless buddy.

You to brother, I do rejoice when God uses one of us like He used you. Not everyone gets called up, and to God that is important because someone there and more needed to hear you sing, even if we don't know who or how many. Nothing is by chance.

Be blessed.

 

[RuthyG]

When I was a little girl growing up, my family was Anglican, we belonged to the Anglican church in our town, went to church every Sunday... I was christened, I had my confirmation later in my childhood... and then I fell away from the church as I got older... just... I don't know.. as a teenager it seemed like there was always something else happening on Sunday.. and my family was not really devout overall.. it was just the thing you did, going to church you know?

Then later in life I met my husband, he is Catholic, but not really a "practicing" catholic, but I wanted to share his faith, and I felt it would be right for us to be married in a church...so I went through the conversion process, went to classes, bible studies, during which I was recruited for the church choir.. I became m ore involved in the church and ... interested in it but truthfully... I still somehow felt like I was going through the motions.. it was like belonging to a club... it was something I did because it was there to do... and I made friends, close friends whom I spent time with at the church and church functions.

After a while though, going to church became more and more difficult to do, everything seemed so ... artificial.. so... going through the motions... every Sunday it was all about the ritual of it, kneel, stand, recite the right words at the right time, go get communion, sing the hymns, shake hands and chat afterwards... it felt more and more empty... and somehow fake... and I found myself becoming frustrated as I started to ask myself where is the god here? Where is the lord here? What is the faith here? What is the point? Why don't I FEEL anything???

So I left, quit going, lost contact with my friends from the church. Its been years since i stepped foot in one. From time to time I think about God, about faith and religion. I read about the growing atheist movement and wonder briefly if I even believe in god but then I can't reconcile the perfection of things in creation with a random event and so I find that I believe there MUST be something, someone who's hand created this perfection. But I don't FEEL it... at least I don't think I do... I WANT to... badly, gosh I can't even begin to say how badly I do.

Early this morning my Uncle died, someone I was very close to, someone who has had a hard life, and for whom death was not painless, but instead the vicious agony of a cancer that wracked his body and literally ate him alive until he was nothing more than skin stretched over bone...and I have found myself asking all day... where was god then? why would he let a man who has been so pure in his heart, who has been so selfless and caring his whole life, who would do anything for anyone, even a complete stranger, who would never ask for anything for himself but instead seek to give and give and give to others... why would he let him suffer like that?

I want so desperately to feel the peace that I read from people in youtube comments on the spiritual songs I've been listening to... I want so badly to understand why this happened and to not be angry, and confused and upset. I want to FEEL god and his love and the peace and certainty that comes with it and I don't know where to go or who to ask or what to do. I feel SO lost and I just with that please, could someone PLEASE just help me.

 

[burning heart]

The ways of God are a mystery to us because of our limited understanding . God is unlimited , in all ways . We see things from an earthly perspective , God sees them from an infinite perspective .
Because we are part of this world , life happens to us , good and bad . Whatever happens here we need to remember that God is in control , and He's there if we reach out to him . Life with Christ is incomprehensible to us . 1 Cor . 2 : 9 , " Eye has not seen , nor ear heard , nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those that love Him . " If your uncle knew Christ , and had been in His presence , he would gladly repeat the whole process to be with Him again .
By doing what you did here , seeking godly people , you just went to church . Church isn't necessarily a building with a cross on it . You can go to church by listening to a preacher on t.v. , or just being with another person talking about Jesus . Matthew 18 : 20 , " For where two or three are gathered together in My name , I am there in the midst of them . "
If you want to feel God in your life , immerse yourself in His word , read the Bible ,listen to Christian music . Flood your mind with Jesus Christ .
Father God fill Seeking2015 with your love , in Jesus name , amen .

 

[poetofparables]

When I was a little girl growing up, my family was Anglican, we belonged to the Anglican church in our town, went to church every Sunday... I was christened, I had my confirmation later in my childhood... and then I fell away from the church as I got older... just... I don't know.. as a teenager it seemed like there was always something else happening on Sunday.. and my family was not really devout overall.. it was just the thing you did, going to church you know?

Then later in life I met my husband, he is Catholic, but not really a "practicing" catholic, but I wanted to share his faith, and I felt it would be right for us to be married in a church...so I went through the conversion process, went to classes, bible studies, during which I was recruited for the church choir.. I became m ore involved in the church and ... interested in it but truthfully... I still somehow felt like I was going through the motions.. it was like belonging to a club... it was something I did because it was there to do... and I made friends, close friends whom I spent time with at the church and church functions.

After a while though, going to church became more and more difficult to do, everything seemed so ... artificial.. so... going through the motions... every Sunday it was all about the ritual of it, kneel, stand, recite the right words at the right time, go get communion, sing the hymns, shake hands and chat afterwards... it felt more and more empty... and somehow fake... and I found myself becoming frustrated as I started to ask myself where is the god here? Where is the lord here? What is the faith here? What is the point? Why don't I FEEL anything???

So I left, quit going, lost contact with my friends from the church. Its been years since i stepped foot in one. From time to time I think about God, about faith and religion. I read about the growing atheist movement and wonder briefly if I even believe in god but then I can't reconcile the perfection of things in creation with a random event and so I find that I believe there MUST be something, someone who's hand created this perfection. But I don't FEEL it... at least I don't think I do... I WANT to... badly, gosh I can't even begin to say how badly I do.

Early this morning my Uncle died, someone I was very close to, someone who has had a hard life, and for whom death was not painless, but instead the vicious agony of a cancer that wracked his body and literally ate him alive until he was nothing more than skin stretched over bone...and I have found myself asking all day... where was god then? why would he let a man who has been so pure in his heart, who has been so selfless and caring his whole life, who would do anything for anyone, even a complete stranger, who would never ask for anything for himself but instead seek to give and give and give to others... why would he let him suffer like that?

I want so desperately to feel the peace that I read from people in youtube comments on the spiritual songs I've been listening to... I want so badly to understand why this happened and to not be angry, and confused and upset. I want to FEEL god and his love and the peace and certainty that comes with it and I don't know where to go or who to ask or what to do. I feel SO lost and I just with that please, could someone PLEASE just help me.

You need to have a little faith

In the only one who has no conditions

In the only one who can never take away your forgiveness

In the only one who can actually do something

Do you know who that only one is.

 

[By Grace]

When I was a little girl growing up, my family was Anglican, we belonged to the Anglican church in our town, went to church every Sunday... I was christened, I had my confirmation later in my childhood... and then I fell away from the church as I got older... just... I don't know.. as a teenager it seemed like there was always something else happening on Sunday.. and my family was not really devout overall.. it was just the thing you did, going to church you know?

Then later in life I met my husband, he is Catholic, but not really a "practicing" catholic, but I wanted to share his faith, and I felt it would be right for us to be married in a church...so I went through the conversion process, went to classes, bible studies, during which I was recruited for the church choir.. I became m ore involved in the church and ... interested in it but truthfully... I still somehow felt like I was going through the motions.. it was like belonging to a club... it was something I did because it was there to do... and I made friends, close friends whom I spent time with at the church and church functions.

After a while though, going to church became more and more difficult to do, everything seemed so ... artificial.. so... going through the motions... every Sunday it was all about the ritual of it, kneel, stand, recite the right words at the right time, go get communion, sing the hymns, shake hands and chat afterwards... it felt more and more empty... and somehow fake... and I found myself becoming frustrated as I started to ask myself where is the god here? Where is the lord here? What is the faith here? What is the point? Why don't I FEEL anything???

So I left, quit going, lost contact with my friends from the church. Its been years since i stepped foot in one. From time to time I think about God, about faith and religion. I read about the growing atheist movement and wonder briefly if I even believe in god but then I can't reconcile the perfection of things in creation with a random event and so I find that I believe there MUST be something, someone who's hand created this perfection. But I don't FEEL it... at least I don't think I do... I WANT to... badly, gosh I can't even begin to say how badly I do.

Early this morning my Uncle died, someone I was very close to, someone who has had a hard life, and for whom death was not painless, but instead the vicious agony of a cancer that wracked his body and literally ate him alive until he was nothing more than skin stretched over bone...and I have found myself asking all day... where was god then? why would he let a man who has been so pure in his heart, who has been so selfless and caring his whole life, who would do anything for anyone, even a complete stranger, who would never ask for anything for himself but instead seek to give and give and give to others... why would he let him suffer like that?

I want so desperately to feel the peace that I read from people in youtube comments on the spiritual songs I've been listening to... I want so badly to understand why this happened and to not be angry, and confused and upset. I want to FEEL god and his love and the peace and certainty that comes with it and I don't know where to go or who to ask or what to do. I feel SO lost and I just with that please, could someone PLEASE just help me.

Dear Seeking,

You have my sympathy for your loss of a significant uncle.

But you did ask a good question about where God was during the slow and painful death of your uncle. Without any hesitation, I can tell you that He was in the exact same place when He watched His son die a slow and painful death. He was in heaven watching over His creation. That does not mean that He did not care about your uncle; if that were so, He would not have cared about his Son, when He died.

Look at how the Psalmist viewed his, similar circumstances to yours:
.

Psalm 116:11 I said in my haste, All men are liars.
12 What shall I render unto the LORD for all his benefits toward me?
13 I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the LORD.
14 I will pay my vows unto the LORD now in the presence of all his people.
15 Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints. ​

.
Paul echoes the same thoughts:
.

2 Corinthians 1:3 Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;
4 Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.
5 For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ.
6 And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation.
7 And our hope of you is steadfast, knowing, that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation​

.
Therefore neither your uncle's pain nor yours was in vain, especially if it brings you closer to God. Indeed, you have the tight to be angry at the necessity of death. Jesus was so angry at the death of his beloved friend Lazarus that He cried. (John 11:35) Both my wife and I were devastatingly angry at the sudden death of our 23 years-old daughter, 6 weeks after she gave birth. We still are not "over it".

Forgive me if I am falsely presuming, but I sense that you want to change to a church that feeds your inner soul. That takes time, and because we are fearfully and wonderfully made we need a church that is compatible to our sensibilities, and that can feed our soul as well. By that, I mean that while there are churches that are formal and Bible based and there are pentecostal churches that are Bible based; you have to check out the ones with which you may be comfortable with first. But the question that arises is "Will they nourish your soul with the Word of God?"

Here is a short cut that will eliminate much of the trial visitations. Before you go there, call the church, asking to speak to the pastor, telling the secretary that you are church shopping, and that you wish to ask the pastor two simple questions:

1) Do you teach / believe that the Bible is the only rule for both the faith you teach and way that rules our lives?
2) Do you teach the congregation to test everything you (the pastor) says by checking with the Bible?​

.
Those will surely "cut to the chase" very quickly; and anything less an emphatic "yes" on both questions means that the church does not hold the Bible in high regard, and you should avoid it if you are truly seeking a church that will nurture your soul.

Hope this helps, and may our God hold you closely and firmly during those times when grief seems overwhelming.

 

[By Grace]

LOL! And the old freak, smiling posts a link for our young member to view and to understand, attitude has much to do it.

Oops, had to edit, this video is of me and the neighbor lady, my sister in Christ, singing at this Sunday's Service, Becky Morgan did her best to make my sound my best.

Obviously Becky's very hard work wasn't in vain!

 

[th1b.taylor]

Obviously Becky's very hard work wasn't in vain!

Okay, Okay, I had that coming, I was taking myself, way to seriously! Some of the best comedy I've seen in my life has been me trying to be serious, says the old man as he drops his head, hides his face with the brim of his fedora and begins to giggle. May God bless, Y'all.

Good post By Grace.

 

[WalterandDebbie]

I totally agree with what the brothers have advised but dont worry too much about "feeling good" as if being saved is some sort of "constant high" .God tests our resolve through thick and thin .He even seems to leave us alone sometimes. David "Lord , why are you standing aloof and far away? Why have you forsaken me? Why do you hide when I need you most?Ps. 10:1
Why do you remain so distant? Why do you ignore my cries for help ?Ps 22:1Why have you abandoned me?"Ps 43:2.
It is believed that most saved people go through these same feelings as did David who was God's chosen.
" a man after my own heart" I Sam 13:14 also Acts 13:22.So don't let Satan bluff you into believing that God is too distant from you.He is not really! Dont let feelings fool you. God promises us "I will never leave you nor forsake you."Deut.31:8

I'am in agreement with the above post, also you said:

When I was a little girl growing up, my family was Anglican, we belonged to the Anglican church in our town, went to church every Sunday... I was christened, I had my confirmation later in my childhood... and then I fell away from the church as I got older... just... I don't know.. as a teenager it seemed like there was always something else happening on Sunday.. and my family was not really devout overall.. it was just the thing you did, going to church you know?

The question you asked, do have some influence on your life, but until you and yours come to meet your Savior, which is suppose to make that difference you have been seeking for. we all need Jesus Christ for our personal Savior for ALL TIME SAKE. Because can't nothing do us any good unless the answer come from him anyway, The one who remains in Me and I in him produces much fruit, because you can do nothing without Me. John 15:5 "I am the vine; you are the branches.

So then! why not choose life as what his words of life teaches in these end times, Joshua 24:15
And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Joshua+24:15&version=NKJV