Is there really a God and do angels, heaven and Jesus actually exist?

Question

I was a true believer butI don't know what to believe now. I believed w/my heart all of the above,prayed,repented & read Scripture. I also tried hard to have a relationship with Jesus/God/Holy Spirit but I feel it has been a one way relationship...& I'm on the crap list. I've tried having patience & hearing what God had to say to me but I've never recieved any clear guidance...have no idea what His will was for me(still don't). It seems as if He has been like most people in my life...acts like he cares but truly doesn't...just uses you & leaves you. He hasn't given me any guidance so I've tried to better myself & my relationship with Him(even though it's one sided) only to become even more confused, depressed & bitter. If there is a God why does He chose to talk & give guidance to some & leaves others to fend for themselves...even when they want to have a relationship with Him? Is it just coincidence the way things work out or is there a God? Am I just not good enough for God? Why?

Answer 1

First of all... here are some *hugs*

Finding and maintaining a relationship with can be extremely difficult. Especially when things get tough, and your prayers don't seem to be answered. In the past 2 years, I have lost my 18 year old sister, my aunt, my grandma, and my father. But even before all of that, my life hasn't been easy. I've had to deal with childhood abuse and I have had mental illnesses since I was about 6.

One thing that was constant in my life as I was growing up was my familys strong faith. My sister and I spent most of our time with our grandma, because mom was always working to support us. (Our father left when I was a year and a half old, and my sister was 3 months) Every single Sunday from my birth, until I was about 16 included going to mass with grandma, Aunt Linda, and my sister. And every single Sunday, directly after mass, my sister and would attend CCD (bible school)

When I turned 16, all of that changed. Things in my life were unbareable. I didn't understand what all the hype over God was about. If He was so wonderful, then why do terrible things happen to such good people? Why weren't my prayers being answered?

That's how things stayed for a long time. Even now I still feel that way on more days then not. I'm 21 now... 2 days ago (July 18th) was the 2 year anniversary of my sister's death. Losing her, and my grandma, have proved to be the hardest things I have been though in my entire life.

But when I start to doubt God, I remember my sister. I remember my grandma. I remember all of the people I have loved and lost. And I know this will probably sound strange, but it's when I remember all of them that my faith comes flooding back to me. This is because I know for sure that after our lives do not end with Death. There simply HAS to be a heaven. Because if there were no heaven, there would be absolutely no reason for us to exisit. That's the only way that I can hold onto my faith. Another thing I have a hard time remembering is that God really does answer our prayers. It may not be the answer that we want, and it may not always be obvious, but try to remember God only wants what is best for us. There's a line from a Garth Brooks song that I always think about in realation to prayer. The song is called "Unanswered Prayers" and the chours says "Some times I thank God, for unanswered prayers. Remember when your talking to the Man on up stairs... that because he doesn't answer, doesn't mean he don't care. Some of God's greatest gifts, are unanswered prayers."

I'm sorry this is so long... I just wanted to share with you how I feel. I can totally relate to the way you are feeling. I have been there too many times to count, and on somedays I still get stuck in that place. But deep down in my heart, I firmly believe that one day I will see my sister, grandma, and all of the rest of loved ones who have passed on. I know that there is a heaven, and that they are all there. And I am confident that one day, when my time here is up, that I will be there in heaven with them.
~Julie~
ps if you ever want to talk, my AIM is rainbowgurl6667 and email is [e-mail]

Answer 2

This is one of the evils I have seen in Christianity - I once saw a show where the pastor was supposed to be healing by faith. He told this little child that he would be healed of his handicap if the child had faith - if the child did not have faith, he would not be healed - so therefore it is the child's fault that he is still handicapped - this is evil, there's no other way to say it.

Even Buddha (and I'm not a Buddhist) said that no one could reach enlightenment through him, but had to find it on there own. The important thing is that NO ONE can tell you how to become close to the Creator.

I only started feeling close to the Creator when I got away from churches - the creator is not a man, Jesus was not god. Churches are a worldly system. They are there to reinforce the partriarchal, hierarchal system of our society. Look at the Bible itself - the prophets were always ALONE. The rest of society would have nothing to do with them and would kill them when they got the chance. What does that tell you?

I never once heard the Creator when I was going to church, now I hear the Creator all the time. I think this was because while I was going to church I was trying to believe in what they were telling me to believe. I've realized now that the church's view of god is very narrow and self-serving.

Answer 3

Of course they exist. How do you "listen" for Him? Do you read your Bible daily? I read five Psalms each day and pray them. There are 150 Psalms, and thirty days (usually) if you start with 1-5 on the first, 6-10 on the 2nd and so on, and do this everyday, it seems to open the lines of fellowship. Of course you should read the rest of the Bible too, but this has really helped me a lot. The psalms are prayers, sometimes they are praise, sometimes depressed, sometimes pouty, but they are always talking to God, and that's what we need most. Another way to get close to Him and "hear" Him is read the letters Paul wrote. They are to people just like us and give us help and answers to the day to day problems we have. Above all "pray without ceasing" just like the Bible says. That doesn't mean you go around muttering 24/7, it means keeping your heart whisperings in touch with Him. Don't let the devil discourage you, he loves to whisper in your ear that you aren't good enough, why try, it's hopeless, etc. Jesus chased the devil away with scripture. You can too. Just repeat your favorite Bibe verses and he'll run. God bless.................

Answer 4

Faith and spirituality are not like subscribing to a service. If you go into it with the idea that by following the rules there is a guaranteed payoff, all you're guaranteed is a life of frustration and disappointment. Remember the lesson of Job, bad things happen to good people, that is just a part of life, and it is your choice to despair at your life's bad points, or to rejoice at the good ones. I was once in a third world country, and I saw a whole community of people living in homes made of discarded cardboard boxes, waterproofed with used garbage bags, there were children wearing shirts made of used newspapers. Those kids were laughing and playing, genuinely happy, while American tourists pointed and laughed. Can you honestly say that you are worse off than they were, that you have less than they do, and less reason to rejoice? How many of those kids do you think could come up on the net and even ask such a question? Stop weeping that you have no shoes, those people have no feet.

Answer 5

I am sorry that you are having this hard time in your life. Sometimes God blocks the way of something we want to do because He knows that, if we wait a little while, something great will come along and we shouldn't be committed to the previous thing. If we have a little patience things will work out in the end.

I know that God cares about you. Please don't give up on praying and reading scripture. These actions are true, and when you do them, you can feel the Holy Ghost. One of my favorite things about the Holy Ghost is that He is the Comforter, so when I feel his influence I don't feel as lonely or sad about my life. You can invite His influence through prayer, reading scripture, singing hymns, and attending church meetings.

God loves all of His children. You can ask Him to help you feel His love for you. Please don't give up. I'm behind you.

Answer 6

this little text of yours reminded me of a 5-year-old that is nagging about losing his mother's caresses... I mean, WHAT is on your mind to even THINK that you are less loved by good than others? We all carry along our places of personal exile (as Camus used to say), but if you stop believing (and i think you have stopped zillions of light years ago) then there is nothing, or almost nothing to live for.
Today was a tough day for me for a multitude of reasons I'd rather not publicise on the web - however i got my 10 minutes of solitude, sat on a park bench and simply drifted off to that special place or haven where you know really that the God, of any name, is out there, still believing in human benevolence and the goodness that stems from our heart's core. If you ask me, just try to become a better person - next time you are about to shout to sb, just remain quiet and give some time for reflection, more SELF-introspection. NO God has used me, or anyone i know - and in my times of need, or even despair, i knew there was the special angel praying over my shoulder, making amends that it'd all work out in the end... Guidance, light, faith is ipso facto given to all humans - point is to open your eyes and choose sides...

And we are all good in God's eyes...
(Just think if you are not good enough for yourself...)

Answer 7

I know how you feel. Sometimes I think that I am the only one it rains on! no matter how hard I pray things never seem to get better. I was an athiest at one time, I have looked at all religions including paganism, but I think the Jewish based religions including Christianity and Islam hold the most truths for me. I personally consider myself to be perhaps a 'Calvanistic Catholic of the Anglican persuasion' with a bit of others thrown in to help my particular views. I think it was Saint Augustus who said ''If God doesn't exist, then man will invent him''. We need someone or something to lean on, to be our crutch when times are hard, to offset our troubles, but we must also thank him when times are good. This holds for all religions, including Paganism.
When I feel really down and deserted I look at what is happening in other parts of the world, I am spared that suffering thank God. I also look at the way Job was tested by God, he lost everthing, home, familly, wealth, the lot but he never lost faith, he never cursed God for doing these things to him, and in the end everthing was restored to him.
Esdras asks a similar question of the angel Uriel. Uriel tells Esdras that we are tested as gold in the assayers crucible. Rare things are more valuable than common things, those who pass the tests set for us are worthy of heaven. It is easy to be happy when everything goes our way, and it is easy to forget to be thankful for what we have. I don't want to preach, because as Christ said, ''How can you remove the splinter from your brothers eye when you can't see the plank in your own?''. I am guilty of these doubts too, I also forget to say thank you, and I also get so tied up with my own life and problems I fail to see that others are worse off than me. It is through hardship that we grow and develop, remember the best students are always given the hardest tasks. Don't be downhearted, God loves us all the same, he has no favourites, it may seem that some have all the luck, but is it truly from God? Satan is the prince of this world, it is he that promises material wealth and success, God promises us a future of peace and happiness, in the next world. This world is transient, and lasts for only a short while, but the future world is everlasting. God no longer speaks from burning bushes or firey pillars. 'There was a storm, and was God in the thunder? no, was he in the lightning? no, but after the storm came the calm......... Go to a quiet place, the woods, a garden perhaps, somewhere where you feel at peace. The answers will come, from within, not without. Don't look for heralds and trumpets, it is the still small voice from deep within yourself where God speaks. The Bhuddah says ''The Bhuddah is in all men, but not all men are in the Bhuddah'' so it is with God. He is all of us, we are united by his love, power and being, but not all of us know it. I offer you peace and understanding and hope that you find what you are searching for.

Answer 8

It's little wonder that people are confused. It's like we have been brainwashed for about 2,000 years by the false teachings of fundamentalists about such things as heaven, hell, Satan and the man Jesus. False teachings have led us astray from the true Gospel that Jesus preached and that he commanded his disciples to preach to every creature in the world. The true Gospel (if understood, believed and embodied) would bring peace, joy and harmony to us, our families, our nation and the very world itself ... deep within the soul of us what everyone (including radical terrorists) insatiably desire. I do not wish to violate the terms of agreement; however, this is explained clearly on my Website. Thus, I do not know how to let you know about my Website without possibly violating the terms of agreement. In a nutshell, although it has been glossed over, the sole purpose for the teachings of Jesus and the prophets of the Old Testament is that we might have peace and joy. We have peace and joy when we discover the truth that sets us free from the Satan within us, the hidden cause of all mental turmoil and suffering ... crime, violence, the breakup of families, psychosomatic illnesses, wars and the rumors of wars--all that is ugly and deplorable.

Answer 9

well life is hard and who said it was easy? If you read the Bible everyone person in there went through some kind of trial or had to go through some kind of bad siuation. Like most people and including myself, we are impatient. We want it now and did I mention now? People are successful at doing things and you can't give up. I'm not perfect but I try, and to make mistakes is ok. Your human and no one is perfect. But what are you trying to get out of this? Do you want to gain something? Maybe you are just praying for the wrong reasons or wanting the wrong things. If you need help talk to a pastor. If you open up on here you will get all kinds of negative responses. Most people really don't care. No one said being "faithful" was easy and that God was going to speak to you. That's God's choice on what your supposed to be in life. I would certainly like to know what my purpose is. I won't give up though. I feel like giving up everyday but I can't. Its your choice to decide not these people on Y! Answers. So what will you do? Did Michael Jordan give up? He WANTED to be the best at what he did. Just don't give up and remember this. God works in mysterious ways. If that's not the truth I don't know what is.

You know most people try to tell their philosphy on how GOD IS and how GOD works. What do you believe? If you are lost read some things in the bible. You know I must thank you for asking this. You are actually helping me. I read the person above me and its just sad. Yes its true that people are evil but who has not committed a sin? and that the Church is not always correct. Then again look at the person(pastor, priest)and the church you go to. There are a lot of bad people in church but is that God's fault? Are all church's like this? No. Jesus himself asked people if they believed he would heal then did he? How is this evil?

Whats helps me is not to think so much but just relax. Clear your mind. Rest your eyes until you feel calm. Just try to "feel" what you think is best. Trust your instincts. They are usually 100% right MOST of the time. Good luck and God Bless

Answer 10

I'm sorry that you feel that way. Please be assured that God cares for you, because He does.
If ANYONE is desiring to have a relationship with Jehovah God and act in harmony with that desire, He notices, and he cares.
Read Phillipians 4:6,7
Also check out this link : http://www.watchtower.org/library/rq/index.htm
Don't give up. The Devil can use discouragement to make it seem as if God doesn't notice us or care. He challenged one of God's faithful servants of old with this lie. Job 1:6-12, and Job 2: 1-8.
Sometimes God allows us to be tested, but read this: 1 Corinthians 10:13.
Continue to pray to God in prayer, especially petitioning him by his personal name, Jehovah, this shows that you respect His name and what it means (if you don't know what it means, email me or check some of my responses to other questions about his name). Jesus prayed, "hallow by thy [Jehovah God's] name". to hallow something means to cleanse it, and we cleanse it by using it because it is God's name, and lies about his name that have been spread by Satan the Devil have caused many Christians to feel like they don't need to use it, or that it's just a title. It is God's personal name. So endeavor to use Jehovah's name in your prayers.
It's hard, but don't let these hard times discourage you. Read 1 Peter 5:7. But also notice verse 8. We need to completely rely on Jehovah because Satan is tempting us. He tempted Jesus. Read Matthew 4:1-11. Jesus' example should motivate us to imitate his faith in his heavenly Father. - 1 Peter 2:21.
And you are good enough because you know what John 3:16 says :). If you keep searching and looking, you will find. Continue to take in knowledge of God and His Son. Read John 17:3 and 1 Timothy 2:4.
And also be willing to accept those teachings that are taught by the Bible inclusively. Be willing to change for Him as well. -Ephesians 4:22-24.
Jehovah knows your heart and all of your struggles. Keep praying because seeking Him for help will allow you to receive His holy spirit to help you with whatever you may be going thru.