Hello

[Jasn.Bennett]

Hello,
My name is Jason. I suppose I would say I'm a new christian, although it might be more accurate to say I'm an infant in Christ. I don't have very many friends and the few I do have all have very distinct takes on God. I am trying in earnest to seek God, but I am getting no where it seems. I am frustrated and confused. One friend claims God is with me in everything I do, the other claims God is only interested keeping me out of hell. I'm confused as to what to believe. If God does care for me and is with me why does he remain silent as I stumble about looking for him? If he only cares about where I go when I die, then why bother following him in life? if its just toiling till you die hoping you did things right? I have heard the metaphors that life is a crashing plane and God is a parachute, but I still can't help the fact that I pray and feel nothing, I read the bible and still nothing, I haven't had a single "AHH HAA" moment that is supposed to validate this experience. I'm just so confused and frustrated, why should I even try to follow God/Jesus?

 

[evenifigoalone]

Hello and welcome to the site, Jasn.

Well, the claim that God has nothing more to do with our lives than keeping us out of Hell clearly goes against Biblical teaching.
One of many examples:
"Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.
He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.
Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;
Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday."
~Psalm 91:1-6 KJV

For not feeling God's presence...well, others may have more helpful advice, but I encourage you to keep seeking and to talk to God about it. Reading the Bible is important for us as Christians, but praying, communicating with God, is just as if not more important.

I hope you can find the help you seek here.

 

[God's_gift]

Hi Jason, welcome to CF.net Reading your story, i believe that all you need is a personal experience with God. It is very difficult to have a relationship with someone if you don't have a personal experience with that person. That's just it. Pray that God will show Himself to you in a unique way and you will be amaze.

I am trying in earnest to seek God, but I am getting no where it seems. I am frustrated and confused.

Jeremiah 29: 13 " You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart."

One friend claims God is with me in everything I do, the other claims God is only interested keeping me out of hell. I'm confused as to what to believe.

Christianity is not about just knowing who God is and what He can do , but what is important is to have a personal relationship with Him. As you have mentioned you're still an infant in Christ, so just give it a time. Continue reading the bible. 1 Peter 2: 2 " Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation."

I have heard the metaphors that life is a crashing plane and God is a parachute, but I still can't help the fact that I pray and feel nothing, I read the bible and still nothing, I haven't had a single "AHH HAA" moment that is supposed to validate this experience.

Christianity is also not all about feeling. Sometimes the enemy will use our emotions for our destruction so we must learn to guard our hearts. Jeremiah 17: 9 “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?”

I'm just so confused and frustrated, why should I even try to follow God/Jesus?

I believe that being a Christian is not about a religious or a belief system. So it's not about what you can do to Him. Ephesians 2: 8-9 " For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--

One of my questions before when i was still a babe in Christ is, If there are so many people in the world then how can God be personal with us?
One of my favourite story in bible is in Mark 7, where Jesus healed a deaf/mute man. I believe this mute don't even know who Jesus is and don't even have the capacity to tell how great Jesus is . But Jesus healed him. That reminds me that we don't need to have special talents or do something extraordinary for God to have a personal relationship with us.

 

[Jasn.Bennett]

Thank You, for the warm welcome. I am beginning to realize finding God is much more of a journey than a race.