How do you continue to believe/ feels God's love during extremely difficult times?

Question

I believe in God, and although I do not strongly identify with the a particular faith I pray and meditate often. Despite this, I feel completely abandoned during extremely painful times. How does one use spirituality as a coping method during painful times?

Answer 1

Well, G-d is always there. He is always there, always with you. He never leaves you.

We often feel abandoned in hard times because we feel that we alone are handling them. We often feel deserted because something bad is taking place. It doesn't matter what or to what degree of severity - simply that something bad has happened. We tend to think that if we believe in G-d then bad things wouldn't happen. So when they do we think either G-d has ditched us or wasn't there in the first place.

Often times we feel victimized by circumstances. So often things happen out of control. We feel out of control and lose touch with ourselves - which also means that we stop being capable of reaching out to G-d.

The first thing to do when something difficult happens is to just stop. Stop reacting to it and start thinking and doing.

We need to allow G-d into our lives so that we can feel his presence and love. When we are reacting to something and suffering from it we distance ourselves. We shut G-d out. In order for G-d to work in our lives when need to let him in in the first place.

Knowing and allowing G-d to be with you isn't going to make bad things go away. But it does allow you to to face such things with peace, confidence and strength. To have courage because G-d is behind you and filling you with love.

Allowing G-d to actually be with you, and allowing the love of G-d to fill you is the first step to having G-d help you.

Answer 2

I don't believe in the christian god specificly, however I do belive in the existance of what we would call gods. But I could never settle to believe that we would be so important to a superior being that that being would give up all that which that being is doing, just to support us through a difficult time.
Life is a series of journeys, some take us up to the highest hights but other take us down to the darkest pits and how can we truely appreciate the light without knowing the darkness?
A god or any being that thus would sheild us from any and all kinds of pain is removing the meening of that which is "good" in the world.
Maybe we are the ones at fault for failing to see the positives affects of the pain of life?

Answer 3

Don't take this the wrong way, but using "spirituality" as a coping mechanism is your first mistake. You need to rely on God first and Him alone. When you pray, how do you speak to Him? You know how I do? Just as if I were talking to you in person. I always get a kick out of these people who make of prayer a real floor show of feigned sincerity and intensity. That's just crap. I go for a walk and clear my mind first. Then I think of what I want to say and how I want to say it. Believe it or not, sometimes I get down right hostile to God about things in this realm of earth. Not "against" God, just "to" Him. For me at least, I think He enjoys my candor. You'd be amazed at what answers I've received from the Master. And sister, to let you know- it's during those painful moments that you're growing spiritually in Christ if you don't faint and fall away like so many others. It's during those moments when you think He's farthest away that He's right there among you. Believe that. I would not lie to you.

Answer 4

In a hypothetical situation lets say there is about to be a huge famine,the parents of a child are extremely worried and pray to god,but the child does not care because the child believes "my mommy and daddy will protect me,they are always there,I have nothing to worry about",why can't we all believe in god the same way,like a parent who will protect us,because he will,in the material world everyone is meant to suffer,and through the long lives we go through,we make many friends,have saddness,grief,anguish,lust,
fortune,bad luck,wealth etc but in the end we only have god with us,because god is everywhere,he is the true friend,he is with every living being,so no matter what kind of a situation you are in,you have to feel the presence.

Answer 5

God or the meaning of God is there to guide you to make the right decisions in your life. He gave us as the human race (not necessarily all individuals) the tools and brainpower to make these decisions. It is up to us to utilize those tools for good. I get rather tired of people using God as an excuse for the condition of the world. It is up to us...the Human Race. Also, I find that most who believe in god believe that Satan does exist in some way shape or form. There is good and bad in the world. Matter of fact there is good and bad in most everything and everybody. Use the image of God as a guide but not and excuse for the misgivings of the world. God is our Saviour in that when it all ends if you have been good then you shall be saved in heaven in the end. Has it ever occured to people that life has painful times as a test to that. OK, so then you may ask how can God give little kids Cancer or allow it. Perhaps, that is Satan's way of taking a little good out of the world and then God saves that child in the end into eternity. In case your wondering, I strongly believe there is a God but not in most if not all organized religions.

Just my opinions. Use the spirituality to guide you to do the right things during painful times and believe that there will be a good end.

Answer 6

During very painful times, I find it best to be still and know that God is God. The pain and loneliness you are feeling is most likely your frustration of not finding the answer that you want, because it's most likely what you don't need.
When I am going through a difficult time, I reach out to friends... believe me, they are God's loving arms reaching back to embrace you. Never underestimate the power of a supportive community. I would never have gotten through life after the sudden death of my father, without the love and support of my church community. Find strength in your faith and the faith of those around you.
Also, praying is a great way to relax your mind from the worries or painful memories that you are dealing with.
Just remember that you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you.
God bless and SMILE.

Answer 7

Why do we have difficult times ? ...... they are from God, so there must be some wisdom in bringing them about......
if you keep emotions under control and think rationally, you`ll always find some wisdom or another in a difficulty placed on you.
Patience(staying steadfast in face of difficulty) is the most difficult thing to achieve..... btu my personal experience is that if you try to keep your patience in a difficulty..... sometimes for days, and years..... at the end of the difficulty is a beautiful lesson. Sometimes there was a weakness in your personality that you didn`t even know about that was meant to be corrected or changed into a strength. Sometimes you had a dream that God knew you were not capable of pursuing.... and after putting you in that difficulty you acquire a new charactristic, using which you are now capable of acquiring your dream etc etc. there is alot of wisdom in everything that happens to you.... even things that apparently look bad....... just keep your patience and faith in God......... one day that difficulty will seem like a Blessing for you...... mark my words.

Answer 8

First begin a relationship with God through prayer and reading scripture (The Bible).

Next turn your thoughts and energy away from yourself to helping others in their extremely difficult times.

You will feel much better once you do!!!

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Matthew 22:37-40
'You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.

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When things are so bad that I can't even find the words to pray, I have learned to rely on the Holy Spirit to pray for me "with groanings that cannot be expressed in words".

Romans 8:26-27
And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don't know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God's own will.

Answer 9

I know it is really hard, you feel like the whole world is against you and that God has turned your back on you. But the truth of the matter is he is here for you now more than you could ever imagine. Prayer is an excellent way to ground yourself, bring you back to center. Give as much up to God as you can, don't hold back, if you have to scream and yell at him, he's prepared to take it, he's God :-) God has not given you more than you can handle, even if you feel like there's no end to the problems and trials, they will soon end and you will be on your way once again. Have faith in God, he has faith in you. I know that is not entirely what you are looking for hon, but the best I can offer is stay steady in prayer. Those who pray and humble themselves before God, ask what they need, their prayers are answered. Be patient and steadfast. He will get you through it.

Answer 10

Find comforting words in the bible and then put faith in those words. Remember that God does all things well even when we dont think so and there is always a bigger picture we dont see in the midst of it, tell other Chrisitan friends your feelings. Look to people you admire in your church and look what makes them admirable, usually it is their faith and perserverance and wisdom that can only come from God. Read Job and Ecclessiastes and feel blue with those 2 writers and see how their outcome ended and remember that the outcome will be good. Find out how many years Joseph was in jail, find out what trials Paul went through, what did Peter and Paul say about suffering...read the Psalms....dont give up. Suffering is part of what happens in life and know that you are not the only one who goes through the fires of life.

Answer 11

to the writer who put "In order to have the peace in your life you need, you must give your life to Jesus."
How much nicer if you had written:
"In order to have the peace in MY life that I needed, I had to give MY life to Jesus."

What works for you isn't the one and only answer, dearie!

When I am up against it, I realize that I still have the ability to have faith, even when it seems against all odds to do so.

And I also realized some time ago that "you can't always get what you want. but if you try sometime, you just might find you get what you need."

Sometimes no answer is also an answer - the answer is to keep searching, keep seeking, keep creating new paths and options to follow.

Know how Primo Levi survived in Auschwitz? He never stopped looking for the small opportunities to help others. He knew the big opportunities (to escape, to survive) were beyond his reach. But he knew he had countless small opportunities to reach out, to be a just and kind person.

Inspiring, I think. and equally inspiring is your question. THE FACT OF YOUR QUESTION , the fact that you have the spirit to ask that question, is the seed of your faith.

boohoo, you need to write answers, not paste quotes, OK? please?