When you lose all faith

[Aardverk]

Where people who lose their faith (and atheists) err is that they assume everything must be fulfilled in this life now and if there are blessings now we must be right with God. On the contrary, the bible makes no such claims Since my prayers are not answered any more than if I prayed to a chair, I can see your point. If I had to convince an atheist of God, I could not do so, and indeed, they have a point if the promised blessings were in this life.

But the bible makes no such claim and their error is understanding how God should act from their vantage point in this life. If the bible did make such a claim, they would have a point, and I would instantly turn into one myself. But the bible does NOT, and on that point they err in making God out to be something He did not promise.

I also lost my faith many years ago and the point you have raised here was just one of the many things that troubled me. The words of the bible do seem to be unequivocal but unfulfilled. Am I reading these incorrectly?

If you believe, you will get anything you ask for in prayer. Matthew 21:21 NCV

Ask, and God will give to you. Search, and you will find. Matthew 7:7 & Luke 11:9 NCV

So I tell you to believe that you will receive the things you ask for in prayer, and God will give them to you. Mark 11:24 NCV

And if you ask for anything in my name, I will do it for you so that the Father's glory will be shown through the Son. John 14:13 NCV

If you remain in me and follow my teachings, you can ask anything you want, and it will be given to you. John 15:7 NCV

I can't see anything about that being in the next world but presumably I have misunderstood?

 

[stovebolts]

What about what James had to say on the matter?

You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.

 

[MegaMass]

That is true tragedy. I hope you find peace. I pray for you, even though my own young faith is shaking.

 

[lklgr]

It is when we are most tried that our faith is so important. Others, who have not the trials we experience cannot understand. Our faith truly has to be as the Bible says, "the faith of our LORD JESUS CHRIST" and not of our own. We cannot make it on our own.

Don't doubt in the dark what you knew to be true in the light.

Rely upon what you knew to be true, that God is there and cares.

There is evidence that when at the deepest point of a very dark well, when one looks up, even in noon day sun, the stars are visible to the naked eye.

I pray that God will give you relief so you may continue to serve Him in your present suffering as He heals you....

Whenever two or more gather in His name...my heart and prayer joins with Gazelle. God Bless you!