To people who became Christians as adults?

Question

What made you decide to accept Christ and (possibly) abandon an earlier faith? How do you feel about God's demand to place him above your friends and family? How does God show himself in your life? Do you feel included as a part of a church family, or do you mainly practice your faith on the outside looking in? Was it hard to accept Christ while most of your friends were athiest/of your former faith, and do you remain friends with them or did they leave you? I'm sorry for so many questions, I'm just an agnostic who's been feeling pulled lately.

Answer 1

First of all, please do not apologize for "so many" questions. You've got them, so why not ask them?! :-) Here's my take...

Christ's presence in my life - the revelation of God - made me decide to accept Christ. I'd been going to church out of feelings of "obligation" -so to speak- and during a time of terrible struggle, He revealed Himself by intervening on more than one occassion. After that, there was never any real "choice" left to be made. He was Sovereign and totally in control of my life -and I was grateful.

I don't really have a problem with God's demand/request that we place Him above our friends and family. Although I am fallible and don't always practice it as I feel led to do. It does actually works pretty well for me; I find that I am not (always) so self-focused and can look more to a bigger picture. It tends to keep me humble. My focus on Him has actually IMPROVED many of my relationships.

God shows Himself to me in many ways. In the laughter of children, the spring flowers, cold winter days...I try to seek Him in most all I do and He is revealed to me. (Seek and ye shall find...)

I do feel included in a church family and am grateful for it; however, I've gone through some real trials (in my faith) by working through this relationship. There have been times when I've felt disconnected to those in the church and have succumbed to "going it alone". Mainly -those times were the hardest, but the most enlightening (especially with regard to myself and my relationship with God).

It wasn't hard to accept Christ - but there was some "discomfort" when dealing with those who didn't understand. They thought I was weird and goofy, foolish, silly, confused, led astray - but I found that their opinions of me didn't matter as much any more. I WANT to live a life pleasing to Christ and I'm grateful for His Forgiveness and Mercy, because (as I said before) I am fallible and don't always practice what I feel led to do.

I still have some relationships with these people who are not followers - some out of desire - some out of necessity. Some of my friendships dissipated after the "change" - and I'm ok with that - Christ promises blessings to those who suffer for following Him - that's not to say it was always easy or fun.

I'm grateful that you are feeling pulled. I truly am. I LOVE to hear of God's work in someone's life. If you need to bend an ear - you may email me. I pray you follow the call...life isn't void of trouble or difficulties once you accept Him (I think that's where a lot of people get discouraged)...but I'm here to tell you, it makes ALL the difference.

Answer 2

i am a strong christian now but was raised a devout atheist, was not allowed to attend church or religious education. my mother did this as she wanted me to learn to think for myself...which i most certainly did! I accepted christ in my 20s after a powerful encounter with God that would take too long and is too personal to describe here! because of the strength of what followed that i have no problem putting him first and have had a dramatic but strong developing relationship with God and myself. as for church family i have been quite horrified and often hurt by the churches i've attended as I can't stand game and politics and sadly the church contains both - though I don't say you should not go to church, not at all. i have stopped going for a year or two but this was a personal decision to allow me to heal and to get right with God again on a one to one basis. I lost some friends when I became a christian, but made many others. If someone is truly your friend they will accept you and your beliefs becaue they will accept you for who you are. I have seen other friends lose friends because they made th emistaking of preaching at atheist friends once they became christians, and there's no need to do that. just stick to your principles and practise what you preach and you will set an example just by living your life. Only you can make this decision and the road is a hard one but I assure you it is well, well worth it.

Answer 3

I was about dead.
I Love GOD.
When you Place GOD above everybody Else, you end up Loving Everybody Else in the Right Way and that Helps Them More.
I have a "Church" Family, in a building--I AM part of a body, all over the World.
I pratice my "Faith" every minute of the Day!
Not hard to call out on a GOD you didn't really Believe in--when your not Saved (Even though I didn't Believe in my Spiritman befor I was Saved, I always "mentally agreed" that Jesus was real) And your about dead! But after I called out and HE answered,I REALLY BELIEVED then.
All of my friends are STILL my friends.
And one Day, I will see THEM on this side of the Fence!
(GOD will Save them too, and we will all be in Heaven together)--see what Loving GOD First will do for everybody Else Around You?
GOD is GOOD all of the Time.
And HE is the Only One Who can Prove HIMSELF to Anybody Else.
Choose Carefully!
Ditto.................

Answer 4

I've never felt peace and happiness in my life before.
Everything I didn was just to fill up my time and brought me to a short time happiness.
But when I knelt on my feet and prayed for Jesus to come into my heart, I felt happiness that I've never had it before, and it's still with me till now.
I always feel that Jesus is next to me and helping me.
No my friends didn't leave me, instead they ask me to pray for them always.. All of them are still my best friends.