Religious uncertainty. What would you say to someone who feels estranged from her faith.?

Question

To preface: I'm a Christian, I love my God with all my heart and I pray that his will be done and I try to live to that end. I've always had an intimately personal relationship with God. I can't imagine feeling any other way.

I just have such problems sometimes connecting with organized religion. I always have, since I was as young as I can remember being, questioned everything that was presented to me in church and Sunday school. I felt guilty about it but couldn't seem to help it. I just can't seem to worship with others weather I feel that they're telling me to worship their way, or weather I feel like I just don't fit in. I don't know what's the cause of this doubt. I feel estranged from other people of my faith and that makes me feel estranged from my faith itself and it HURTS. Is there anyone out there who understands this? Please help!

Answer 1

It's good to question... If you're sincere and not just asking to usurp authority etc.

Ephesians 4:5 One faith, one Lord, One baptism

First, pray to Heavenly Father to guide you to His true church. You may already be there. Or it could be that the church you're attending is only teaching partial truths.

Do you feel that some of the things they do are just fake? Like you preacher is just doing it for the money etc.?

James 1:5-6
5. If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

Answer 2

yeah, i went to church as a kid, too, and ended up feeling the same way you do about organized religion, and then I realized i didn't need an "interpreter" i.e. priest, pastor, preacher, to have a personal connection with God. In fact, maybe that's the way its supposed to be, just you-and God. Praying/talking, trusting your feelings and instincts because that's how God communicates with us. if you feel pain at being seperated from your faith, find others who feel the same. we're out there! you don't have to be part of a church to be with God! if people trusted themselves deep in their hearts more than what other people told them was true...just imagine the world!! The possibilities!!!

Answer 3

Wow I swear to you I know EXACLTY what your going through. I love my faith also. I am Muslim. But with all the crap I deal with politically I love my god. And I'm very immediate with him. But as I was raised my mother I very strict on me about wearing the head scarf and not doing a lot of stuff, it pisses me of cuz I end up hating her, and my religion along with it. I hate. Because ei know how beautiful every religion is. And it upsets me that my mother portrays it with such authority. But with all that I set aside my thoughts. Of how I really feel. You have to do that. spiritually. Think of exactly what your mad at. And how it has a cross reaction with your religion. People have very different ways to portray any religion so you as a person shoukd admire what YOU believe I and keep up the relationship you have with god now, cuz it matters to you. Only you and that’s how its should be.

Answer 4

You are not alone. There are millions others feeling the same way. It is true that faith is believing something that cannot be demonstrated by any scientific/experimental means but there is limit to what level of dogmas one will believe in.
You are on the right path of search for the truth. May God guide you to the straight path.

Answer 5

100% girl. I too am going through the same thing and I am called to a different ministry than the ORGANIZED, AUTHORIZED, ONLY WAY TO DO IT CHURCH. I have gotten so tired of the discrimination of the local church RELIGIOUS hypocrites. There are many of us. We are in the age of the apostate church. I still love them and will join them for a service or two but as I have gotten up in church and told them they need to stop playing and

WALK THE TALK

Lets talk further

Answer 6

Perhaps you are a round peg trying to fit in a square hole. I suggest that you try the Episcopal Church, especially if you live somewhere other than the south. You will find that you will fit in here. We have people with all sorts of different believes and practices and no one will tell you this or that is the 'right' way. Also we are very non-judgmental. Give it a try for a couple of months and see what you think. It is OK to question everything about your religion and no one will think any worse of you for it. We believe in three things: Bible, Tradition and REASON. God gave you a mind and He expected you to use it. Come see us, you will be welcome and you just might fall in love with us too.

Peace.

Answer 7

Doubting one's beliefs is normal. As Christians we are to continually search the scriptures to prove to ourselves that what we are being told is correct.

You do not sound like a confident Christian. We were all in the same place at one point, too. I suspect that your concerns arise from a lack of solid grounding in the doctrines of the bible. The more we study the more we come to understand what we have staked our immortal souls upon. With understanding comes confidence. Only by increasing your knowledge can you be able to determine when you are hearing proper doctrine or not from others.

For now I would ask that you stop worrying about a brick and mortar building for worship. Not every Christian is suddenly and passionately on fire for their beliefs.

And having doubts is not unusual. I have been a self-professed Christian for forty plus years and still wrestle with doubts. That is why we are admonished in the scriptures to seek out the truths of what we are being told, to study and grow in our faith.

It is important to keep in mind that belief without works as evidence of your faith is an empty vessel. Christians must bear the fruits of their faith, not just sit around and become spiritually stagnant. Recall that Christ cursed the fig tree that did not bear fruit. The more you learn the more you will be able to defend your faith and enable others to acknowledge your beliefs.

Your worship should be through private prayer for the time being. Let your prayers follow a pattern of Adoration, Contrition, Thanksgiving, and Supplication (ACTS).

You should get yourself a good study bible, such as the NIV Study Bible or the MacArthur Study Bible. I use a Thompson's Chain Reference bible, but own many other versions. Then get the Strongest Strong's NIV Concordance so you can look up words occurring in all verses of the bible. This is a great tool for word, person, or theme studies and is an important part of proper biblical hermeneutics.

As you grow in your knowledge, so will your faith. You will still have doubts, but they will be small doubts. Eventually you will come to find that there is nothing in the bible, its historical accounts, or its doctrines that has been shown to be false by modern science, philosophy, and archeology.

Strongest Strong’s Concordance:
http://www.amazon.com/Strongest-Strongs-Exhaustive-Concordance-Bible/dp/0310233437/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/002-0766306-2581655?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1173733217&sr=8-1

NIV Study Bible:
http://www.amazon.com/Zondervan-NIV-Study-Bible/dp/0310929555/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/002-0766306-2581655?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1173733274&sr=8-1

Thompson Chain-Reference Bible:
http://www.kirkbride.com/index.html

MacArthur Study Bible:
http://www.amazon.com/MacArthur-Study-Bible-Revised-Updated/dp/0718018990/ref=pd_bbs_sr_3/002-0766306-2581655?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1173733445&sr=8-3

Answer 8

I consider myself an atheist, but let me say that I respect your spirituality. My biggest criticism of religion is the organized part. Keep searching, and don't feel guilty for not connecting to any particular congregation or church. You'll find what's right for you some day.

Answer 9

I am new in Christ, and have not settled into a church as yet, some I have visited just didn't 'feel' right, others have been quite comfortable. I think that I will know where I belong when I get there... hope that might help some...

Answer 10

Religion isn't the right way to go. All you need to do is keep praying that God can use you however He wants to. Keep walking by faith and trusting in God and the Holy Spirit will guide you in what to say to anyone you talk to about your faith or God or anything that has to do with what you believe in.