I was raised Christian but never was actually a believer. I'm still not. there are things that I have not found answers to that really disturb me. Like, no one has an answer to "why is there so much suffering in the world and why does God allow it?" I hate the same old answer "We don't know everything but we have to trust that God is fair and loving" etc.I have always had the sense that there is something greater out there, but I find that the teachings of the Christian Church seem to be lacking in certain ways. I just want to hear about people's spiritual journeys and real experiences that they have had that they feel were real and gave complete meaning to their lives. Also, is there anyone who started out as an atheist and came to believe in a deity through life experiences etc?
2007-03-26 14:45:53 · 30 answers · asked by turan21 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
the heart has to be ready for that .. it has to be turned to God and given to Him .. a heart thats hard and inflated with pride God wont accept .. and then, one that sincerely searches God out will find Him.
2007-03-26 14:59:39 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
The answer to your first question "how does a person 'find God?'" comes from within you. According to Christian teachings you are a child of God. Therefore, you must have "God" within. Tapping into that consciousness is the place to start. Check out www.http://www.kabbalah.com/kabbalah
Along my spiritual journey I learned that Christianity was born out of Judaism. Christ was a Rabbi and it was he that left Judaism to establish new teachings. This is key in understanding what Christ is recorded as having taught in the New Testament. I say recorded because Christ never actually left any written documents (that we currently know about) so others were left to record what was said. There is also some indication that the writing were not completed until hundreds of years after Christ death.
Makes you think doesn't it!
I would recommend that you read "Meeting Jesus Again for the First Time" by Marcus J. Borg. This book will assist you along your journey in answering your question "why is there so much suffering..."
2007-03-26 22:14:11 · answer #2 · answered by having too much fun 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You sound very sincere and I hope that you find him. I will tell you a little about spiritual journey. It is senseless to go into great detail. Who knows, you most likely will not read this anyway. The first thing I did was said a simple prayer asking God to reveal himself to me. In prayer, I simply ask that I get to know the real, true God. Within a year of that prayer, someone from a spiritually-led church approached me with a word that my prayer was heard and that God was listening. After that I continue praying and searching. And that is my suggestion to you. I know other people are going to tell you to read the bible or go to church. Actually, it was more simple than that. "Ask and you shall receive".
If you are seeking to full experience God can offer you, then you should know this. It is written in the bible, somewhere in the old testament, that God will only speak to those in a land that is named after him. Thus far, the only place God has spoken to me in when I lived in Chicago, Illinois. Now, I live in Pittsburgh and I have never experience the spiritual awaking I had experience in Chicago. That is all I am going to say about that. That is my journey and I hope that helps.
2007-03-26 22:52:24 · answer #3 · answered by elevenrecords 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I was all miserable and confused when I wanted answers to who God is? Why He had a son without a wife? How did He came about? Why people have to get sick, die and so many poverty in the world? And many, many more. Until I gave up the head knowledge and decided to have a little faith and see if I can read the Bible and find some real answers. I did. I found God through the pages of the Bible. I read and read and read, just couldn't stop. Now, I am so glad I found Him, I just can't see my life without Him. I was raised in a Christian home also. I really do hope you can find God and experience the peace I got when I found Him. My favourite scripture is John 3:16 "For God so love the world (me) that He gave His only begotten Son (Jesus) that whosoever (me) believes in Him (Jesus) should not perish, but have everlasting live.
2007-03-26 22:01:53 · answer #4 · answered by charmaine f 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Hi I hope all is well. A person finds God by asking Him to come into your life. In the Bible it says "That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. As the Scripture says, "Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame. " (Romans 10:9-11)
The answer to why people suffer in the world is because it is not a 'perfect world or perfect life', that's what Heaven is about. From the beginning Adam and Eve changed life up a bit and it was because of their sin that suffering came into this world. That is why we are called to draw near to God and He will draw near to us (James 4:8) so that He may deliver us and allow us to find hope and find a way where we feel there is no way. That is what how I found God, I found hope and a purpose that only the One that created us can give us, all of us no matter where we came from or what we have done in the past. God says 'come as you are' and He will make things clearer to us.
I encourage you to read the book " Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren" it is a wonderful book and it will show you how to find God, know God, live for God, know your purpose and know that you were "fearfully and wonderfully created by the One who's works are wonderful" (Psalm 139:14).
I hope this clear things up a little bit, but I encourage you to continue to go to church so that you may be able to learn more about the God who loves you and wants you to understand life.
*Read Hebrews 11. Have a bleszed day. Feel free to email me.=)
2007-03-26 22:16:01 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hello, Turan...:
You are on the right track, the Bible says: "And you shall seek me, and find me, when you shall search for me with all your heart" (Jeremiah 29:13).
I was an atheist for the first 1/2 of my life, but knew if I believed in Him, I would serve Him unflinchingly.
It was mathematics that first got me interested in the Bible. A math background helped me locate the hidden "key" to unlock the only part of the Bible that says "these words are sealed and closed until the end of the days."
That "key" unlocks a code that proves Jesus was the Messiah to come, identifies Antichrist--watch out! and displays the overall timing of the great controversy between God and Satan's battle on earth.
You will be amazed, but read the Online publication in proper sequence as it is written in a progressive-understanding order. www.revealed.org/revealed.htm
Blessings and AGAPE love
2007-03-26 22:08:06 · answer #6 · answered by Ticlesh 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Turan 21 - here is my experience, I grew up in Church, in fact I was almost born there, my mom was at choir practice when she went into labor, I joking tell people that I started going to church 9 months before I was born so, if anyone could boast salvation through church going it was me, but thankfully, my church, which is far from perfect, talked of His love and forgiveness and how we did not need religion but a relationship with Him, how He came into the world, humbled Himself to even death on a cross, but more than that how three days later was risen from the dead, see religion is about man trying to reach God, having a relationship with Christ is about God coming to man b/c we cannot do it on our own merits and He laid Himself down so we might have His righteousness, I think there is wickedness in the world b/d man continually rejects God's mercy and grace and God as righteous as He is chooses to give man a certain amount of freedom and not condemnation. I live in a country where they are taught "there is no God" from day one of school, after decades of this teaching the society is in dire straights, there is no meaning to life and death is something that is misunderstood completely, my friends have all heard how God changed my life and are believing in Him, following Him and REJOICING and are full of JOY b/c they have realized that He is there and does in fact love and care for them and you
2007-03-26 22:03:45 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Read Jeremiah 29:11-14. Now, in reference to the rest of your question/statement, you have been asking the wrong people. If you seriously want Biblical answers that explains why God allows, what God actually allows, etc you can email me from my official website, from the link on my 360 page. I assure you my answers will not be as what you've mentioned above.
2007-03-26 21:55:39 · answer #8 · answered by Heaven's Messenger 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You should read C.S. Lewis, a brilliant man who was an athiest and became a Christian. As far as suffering? God gives everyone free choices, and never promises any of us (Christian or athiest) that our lives will be without tragedy or hardship. God does not "will" suffering, He wills all people to be obedient and to lead lives without sin, but even the Bible admits that "...all win sin and fall short of the glory of God". That's why we have Jesus, who died on the cross to pay the price for our sin. In other words, to find God... "seek, and you WILL find". I think your too afraid to look, scared you might actually find the truth.
2007-03-26 21:53:43 · answer #9 · answered by Scott B 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
A deep questions for such a forum and limited space. Lets hit the suffering one first. God created a perfect world and had fellowship with man. Due to man's sin, the world has become corrupt. god has given man free will to choose to follow Him as it brings Him greater glory. God could make the world all rosy and great, but it would negate man's free will to serve Him. As for finding God, if you truly seek you will find Him. I would suggest beginning in the Bible.
2007-03-26 21:53:23 · answer #10 · answered by ramcguir_98 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Yes I can help you, first the reason there is so much suffering is that there is a devil still loose till the end, now you need to get Gods Holy spirit into you and then he will make himself known to you, read this and if you have any questions you can email from the site at the bottom, I will help you get plugged into the power!
http://www.freedomcame.com/glory/
2007-03-26 21:51:54 · answer #11 · answered by bungyow 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋